The Philadelphia 76ers have to choose between keeping Quentin Grimes or Guerschon Yabusele in free agency. The only way to avoid letting one of them walk is trading Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andre Drummond, but that means giving up draft capital to entice someone to take their contracts. It could even mean trading down from the third overall pick in the draft and passing on a potential superstar. Ask the Hawks how they feel about doing that with Luka Doncic.
Sixers fans' trust in Daryl Morey is running thin after his nightmare 2024 offseason. Now, he must navigate a cap crunch to keep their current talent and upgrade their roster. Philly got a gift in landing the third pick, but that could end in disaster. It is all on Morey to maximize the assets at his disposal.
The 76ers are likely prioritizing Grimes because he is five years younger and a restricted free agent. His late season breakout got fans excited, and the best should still be to come. They have no idea what production Joel Embiid can offer, so Philadelphia needs youth and upside to have a chance when their superstar is sidelined. Letting Yabu walk would be painful, but could be the lesser of two evils.
76ers' cap crunch could force a disastrous move
Philly is just $18.6 million under the first tax apron with 12 players under contract. Kyle Lowry joins Grimes and Yabusele in free agency this summer. Grimes will get offers in the range of the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception after his phenomenal close with the Sixers. Yabu will be cheaper, but signing both puts the franchise over the first apron. That limits their flexibility in an offseason where significant changes are needed.
Daryl Morey and the front office are exploring trading down in the draft. They want to have a top-ten selection but could land some added depth and dump a couple of contracts in this trade. It doesn’t sound bad until Ace Bailey becomes a top 30 player in the league, and it is all Philly fans can talk about. There are zero guarantees, but it is a massive risk that the Sixers should be terrified to take on.
Letting Yabu walk in free agency is a nightmare of its own. The Sixers do not have enough depth as constructed, so getting nothing for a solid role player hurts.
There is no obvious solution here. The 76ers face a problematic situation no matter what Morey and the front office do. Watching a star they could have drafted blossom in another city will be soul-crushing. Seeing Yabu thrive on a contender would also hurt. The Sixers could trade other picks to dump Oubre and Drummond, but it would open the franchise to future risk.
The Philadelphia 76ers have a difficult offseason on the horizon. They have no idea what to expect from Embiid and Paul George. Morey wants his roster to contend but needs more talent to make that a reality. Can the Sixers find it? Their cap situation will make things difficult. This could be Morey’s final chance, so expect bold moves. Hopefully, that doesn’t blow up in the 76ers faces.