The Philadelphia 76ers' season came to an unheralded end as Nick Nurse group fell to the scrappy New York Knicks in six games. An opening-round exit should be considered a slight disappointment considering that the Knicks outscore the 76ers by just a point (150-149) through six back-and-forth battles.
However, there is always hope as long as Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey remain on the team, and Philadelphia should build around its current superstar core. The Sixers will enter the offseason with just one player under contract, Joel Embiid. The rest of the squad will become free agents. This means that they will have the financial flexibility to retool.
Despite the abysmal performance of the bench unit in the playoff series vs. New York, there are salvageable pieces that could help the team improve next season. There is still time to evaluate performances from the regular season and the playoffs and decide who can help the Sixers in the long run.
That said, the Sixers were one of the worst teams in bench production during the playoffs and several players could be exiting the franchise following the early first-round exit. Shooting ability and defensive coverages in the perimeter will be a priority for the front office that hope that they can bring in a third-string superstar alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
1. Nic Batum’s veteran leadership is crucial for the 76ers
Nicolas Batum made a strong case in the postseason to remain with the Philadelphia 76ers at least for the next year. The veteran forward did his part providing much-needed defensive covers and shooting from beyond the arc. He did both reliably against tough Eastern Conference rivals like the Knicks and Heat.
The former Clippers' forward was part of the James Harden trade in November and has already proved that he fits well with the rest of the squad. He had his moments in the play-in tournament and the first-round playoff series against the Knicks. Batum is a good defender; he was even capable of covering Jalen Brunson on occasions.
The front office should definitely consider keeping the French international on the roster for next season, especially if the team is able to bring in a third-string star this offseason. Batum could be available at a reasonable price, so he fits in the team's cap space plan as the Sixers are projected to have around $60 million of cap space.
Batum averaged 6.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists shooting 40.9% from deep through six playoff games with the Sixers.
2. De'Anthony Melton ability to defend is valuable as long as he’s healthy
De'Anthony Melton came into the Sixers in 2022 as the franchise inserted in its cap total a team-friendly deal worth $34 million for four years. He signed that deal in 2020 as part of the Memphis Grizzlies team and joined Philadelphia via trade in 2022.
He instantly became a big part of the rotation and helped his coaches provide defensive versatility on the perimeter. The Sixers were lacking a huge part of their perimeter defensive effort during the series against the Knicks and De'Anthony Melton's absence was the reason behind the poor covers especially against Jalen Brunson.
Melton was sidelined for most of the season, and the 76ers did not boast any top-notch defenders to put on Jalen Brunson come playoff time. He appeared sporadically since January due to a back issue and only played seven minutes in the playoff series against New York
During the regular season, Melton appeared in just 38 games with the Sixers registering a plus-10.0 net rating, while Philadelphia won 25 of those 38 contests, per NBA.com. He only had seven games under his name since January and was a non-factor for the playoff opening-round series.
While, Melton does much of his work on the perimeter defensively, he also shoots a barely respectable 36.0% from beyond the arc. He might be a great fit for the next season's squad if he remains healthy and the Sixers will certainly have to weigh their options before letting other NBA teams claim him.
3. Kyle Lowry's championship experience should keep him with the 76ers
Kyle Lowry joined the Sixers in late February as a free agent and immediately found his space in the team's rotation under his former head coach Nick Nurse. Lowry had an active part in the rotation and he was among the players that were receiving a good amount of minutes during the final part of the season.
His production is not at the same level as his Toronto tenure, but that is to be expected. Lowry, 38, is preparing for the final or one of the final seasons of his NBA career.
If the Philadelphia native decides to continue to play, I don't see why the Sixers won't opt to sign him again. Lowry is the only player in the current roster to have an NBA championship in his resume, his veteran leadership might be crucial for a contending team to thrive.
During the first-round series vs. the Knicks, Lowry averaged 29.0 minutes per game and put up 7.0 points and 4.0 assists. Despite his poor shooting splits (33/34/80), the veteran remained gritty through the games and was given a significant role in a competitive environment.