The Philadelphia 76ers will approach the offseason head-on, starting with the 2025 NBA Draft. In possession of the third overall pick, the front office will have a huge opportunity awaiting them to bolster their prospects as a collective, both now and in the future.
However, acing the draft is only one, albeit very important step, in the team’s summer escapade. After a deflating campaign that saw them turn in the fifth-worst win-loss card in the league, the 76ers have a long list of things to tick off their whiteboard if they want to get back to being in the playoff loop next season.
For now, Philly remains idle on the sidelines, waiting for the 2025 NBA Finals to get underway to mark the official end to the season, but the work is now starting to be incumbent on them. The Eastern Conference alone has gotten fiercer than before, and the franchise remains miles away from returning to actual title contention.
76ers have to aggressively pursue Steven Adams in free agency
It is now common talk that the 76ers cannot afford to go on another spending spree this summer. Unlike last year, the front office will be operating under stricter finances this time around, meaning that they will need to exercise more prudence than before when throwing money at free agents.
However, they should reserve some money to get actual, meaningful help. To that effect, they should zoom in on Steven Adams to finally address the team’s longstanding issue when it comes to depth at the center position behind Joel Embiid.
Adams, who will be a free agent, may be a tad difficult to retain for the Houston Rockets. The veteran center was a huge factor behind their success this season, but with their increasingly muddle payroll, he could be on his way out.
So long as his price tag remains reasonable, the 76ers should view him as one of their priorities in the open market. The squad was the worst rebounding team this season, and Adams — the league’s best rebounder — will be a game-changer on that department.
Over the last 10 years, teams with Adams in the lineup have led the league in offensive rebounding six times — even counting the year he missed due to injury. The Aussie big man’s presence is so imposing that aside from being a one-man force on the boards, he is infectious on the boards.
The 76ers need intangibles, and Adams supplies a healthy dose of that. With Joel Embiid’s status still up in the air due to his injury miscues, the front office has to make a play for Adams. The thing speaks for itself.