The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Orlando Magic 109-97 to advance to the playoffs as the seventh seed, as Kelly Oubre Jr. made the franchise’s free agency decision for them. The 6’8 forward finished with 19 points, three rebounds, one steal, and five 3-pointers made. Orlando was leaving Oubre open, and the veteran made them pay. The Sixers aren't facing the Celtics in the opening round of the playoffs without Oubre.
Head coach Nick Nurse only trusted eight players with Joel Embiid out. He used Oubre Jr. for 40 minutes and couldn’t take him off the floor. The Sixers need his versatility and scoring punch. Tyrese Maxey was the Sixers' superstar, but Oubre Jr. played a crucial role behind him.
With Maxey, Embiid, and Paul George locked into massive contracts, Philly’s spending is a problem. There were plenty of questions about bringing back Oubre, but the Sixers don’t have an option. They are not replacing his production with a minimum player and can exceed the cap to keep their own free agent.
The 76ers must bring Kelly Oubre Jr. back
Oubre made $8.3 million this season and will be looking for a raise. He may have earned one with his fantastic Play-In performance. The Lakers have cap space and are looking for wing help. Philadelphia will have to pay for the 6’8 forward, and it may cost more than the Sixers can match.
Daryl Morey doesn’t have a choice here. He has to convince ownership to win this bidding war. The 76ers have Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. The two young stars are ready to compete now. Yes, Philly has two aging veterans on max contracts weighing down their books, but those are sunk costs. The franchise is only staying in contention if Oubre Jr. is back next season.
There are always questions about Oubre’s shooting. He is a career 32.7 percent 3-point shooter, but connected on 36.0 percent this season. The 30-year-old gets plenty of open looks as opposing teams sell out to stop Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. If he’s making shots, Oubre can be a difference-maker. He was as the 76ers made the playoffs on Wednesday night, and that should just be the start.
The 76ers have several decisions to make this offseason. They are already $17.8 million over the salary cap with just eight players under contract. Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond, Kyle Lowry, and Jabari Walker are all headed for free agency.
Bringing back Oubre and Grimes will likely push Philly near the second apron. Will ownership be willing to spend that much? That is on Morey to convince them to.
The Philadelphia 76ers must bring Kelly Oubre Jr. back in the offseason. He made sure the franchise qualified for the playoffs with a fantastic performance against the Magic. The Sixers will need Oubre to shine against the Celtics if they have any shot at an upset. The 6’8 forward can make himself millions, so expect him to be locked in. Stay tuned to see how it all turns out.
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