The Philadelphia 76ers have no more room for error. At this point, that does not need any more explaining. This franchise is starting to lose its prior luster, and without a drastic improvement next season, all hell could break loose for the team.
Given their current status quo, the 76ers have to make the most out of the upcoming offseason. Not only do they have to nail the draft — and get some luck in that regard beforehand — but the front office also needs to bring in much-needed reinforcements or retain current ones that will help oil the machine for the squad in the following campaign.
Philly can no longer afford to settle for less and gloss over glaring team weaknesses. Whether that come through building a younger roster, adding more size to the table, or fixing the squad’s persistent lack of playmaking, the 76ers have to do whatever it takes to make the lineup as foolproof as it can be before training camp.
Kelly Oubre Jr. could be a goner for the 76ers this summer due to this crucial team need
Atop Philly’s wish list in free agency is to go ahead and sign actual snipers. Three-point shooting has been a huge weakness for the team in the last couple of seasons, and has greatly contributed to their predictable offensive design.
This year, the 76ers had the fourth-worst conversion rate from three-point range among all 30 teams — all while ranking a meager 21st in actual makes per game. Clearly, long-range shooting is not a strong suit of this team, but that must change next season.
Following this train of thought, Kelly Oubre Jr. could very well be a goner this summer. He is widely expected to decline his player option in pursuit of a bigger payday, but even if he exercises the same to return to Philly, the front office has a huge reason to phase him out.
Oubre drained just 29.3 percent of his three-point tries this season — his worst mark ever and the second-worst in the league among all qualified players. That has been a recurring problem for him in his career — which he admits — and despite his slew of good contributions elsewhere, his lack of reliable presence from rainbow country is especially concerning.
With him on the court, opposing defenses have grown accustomed to just sagging off of him to double down on more dangerous shot creators. If he stays on the roster next season, that could very well be the norm once more.
While it would sting to lose Kelly Oubre Jr. in some areas, the Philadelphia 76ers should already move forward with the idea of seeking an upgrade over him in arguably the most important aspect of today’s game.