The Philadelphia 76ers have their work cut out for them in the offseason. And while it is a glib thing to point out at this point, the sense of desperation for the franchise could not possible be stronger than it is now. By all means, all of their moves moving forward have to be as calculated as possible, especially given the huge mess that springed out from their bevy of signings last year.
Addressing issues with the roster, however, could be a tricky proposition for the 76ers brass. After all, just a year after having the deepest pocket in the league, Philly is already technically over the cap and will be constrained to re-signing their own free agents and making use of the proverbial veteran’s minimum to lure in potential contributors next season.
Even worse, the team has no full control over its financial outlook entering the summer. Three players (Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond, and Eric Gordon) hold player options to return next season, meaning that the 76ers will be forced to make decisions on the fly with their actual cap space yet to be determined.
The 76ers are now out of the running for Gary Trent Jr.
A primary weakness of Philadelphia is three-point shooting, and that is something that should linger in the mind of the front office this summer. However, cheap options that can fill that specific need are few and far between.
One player who could have been perfect for them was Gary Trent Jr., the seven-year veteran who is currently manning the perimeter for the Bucks. Thanks to a dry market, he ended up having to settle for the veteran’s minimum last summer, but that should now change.
Trent was solid all season long for Milwaukee, averaging 11.1 points per outing on 41.6 three-point shooting off the bench. That alone should be reason for him to get a more lucrative payday in the offseason.
However, his price tag could rocket if his recent momentum carries on. Just when everybody thought that the Bucks are dead, he singlehandedly won the game for Milwaukee in Game 3 of their first-round series against Indiana, avoiding an unenviable 3-0 state to make things more interesting.
Trent led the Bucks with 37 points while draining nine of his 12 attempts from rainbow country, putting the Pacers in a more pressure-packed situation than everyone expected.
Just like that, the Philadelphia 76ers probably have no realistic means to obtain Gary Trent Jr. Some team out there would willingly pay a premium for his services, and that simply isn’t something the franchise can afford at this juncture.