4 Free agency mistakes the Philadelphia 76ers must avoid making

1. The 76ers shouldn’t force the “third star” traffic

Much — if not too many — has been said about Philadelphia’s persevering trek to snag that third star they’ve been doing the prepwork for. That is why the likes of Paul George, Jimmy Butler, and even LeBron James have found themselves linked to the 76ers in potential free agency or trade scenarios. Unfortunately, the jury hasn’t been the biggest optimist in that regard.

With the 76ers having such an airy pocket, it’s just natural for them to want to go as big as they can in the open market. However, should their initial options don’t pan out, the front office should not force the traffic and pivot quickly to other more realistic offerings available.

Free agency negotiations are slated to come quicker this year, and Philly could lose valuable time if it tries to open a crest that has been locked shut. After all, most of their sterling targets are safer bets to ultimately remain idle, and the opportunity cost of doubling down on those improbables could prove to be lethal down the road (more on that later).