5 Unpopular free agents who could become game-changers for the 76ers

By all means, the Philadelphia 76ers clearly intend to go big this offseason — a sheer luxury they can enjoy outright thanks to the fact that they will have the second-strongest spending power in the league for free agency.

As of speaking, only big names and All-Star caliber players have been linked to the 76ers, and while that is indeed the track designed by Daryl Morey and co., it’s an imperative for the front office to look into cheaper commodities on the market. Here are five unpopular free agenst who could make a big difference for Philly next season.

1. Haywood Highsmith could provide the grit the 76ers need on the forward position

The likely departures of Tobias Harris, Robert Covington, and KJ Martin, as well as the potential retirement of Nicolas Batum, leaves the 76ers with a barren deck on the forward position. That’s the biggest reason why multiple All-Star forwards have already been rumored to the 76ers for quite some time now.

But regardless if they manage to pluck one of those hotshots, Philadelphia has to load up on its depth in the position. One player they should have on their radar is Heat forward Haywood Highsmith, who quietly turned in a pretty solid season for Miami as one of their designated glue guys.

Highsmith, who quickly emerged as one of Erik Spoelstra’s favorites, was a rotation staple for the Heat. The 27-year-old’s tenacious defense built on impressive on-court instincts and ranginess should fit right into the 76ers’ needs, and his 39.6 percent clip on three-pointers would also be a welcome addition to a team that routinely lacked perimeter firepower this season, especially in critical junctures.