76ers hint at grand vision with minor but key additions in free agency

A lot has been said about the Philadelphia 76ers coming out of the summer as the league’s biggest winners. Sans intent to rub it in your faces, the team now has the makings to truly contend for the championship next seasons thanks to a new flagship addition, which was further bolstered with needed reinforcements.

Solely anchoring the 76ers’ offseason dub on signing Paul George, however, sells them short. Led by Daryl Morey, the front office also managed to improve significantly on the margins, paving the way for what should be a deeper cast in 2024-25.

In pulling off a couple of minor moves, however, Philadelphia has started showing its hand for what the future holds.

76ers hint at the future following Lowry, Jackson signings

In a rather expected maneuver, Philly managed to re-sign Kyle Lowry for another go-round in his hometown. Conversely, though, a bit of a suprising hammer came in the form of Reggie Jackson, who was signed to a veteran’s minimum deal despite the team’s litany of potential alternatives.

Both veterans profile as the second and third fiddles at point guard next season, but their role will also almost certainly be in an advisory one –– a motif that the likes of Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain would definitely benefit with.

Maxey, the NBA’s biggest breakout star last season en route to a Most Improved Player finish, still has a lot of room for improvement as he continues to navigate the waters as a full-pledged point guard, a role he transitioned into after the departure of a certain someone. Lowry, a longtime playmaker with championship experience, would be a handy guiding hand for him as he matriculates into a potential top-five lead guard.

Meanwhile, McCain, who has shown a lot of promise as a score-first combo guard, would be best-served having someone like Jackson, who is of similar ilk, showing him the ropes. The veteran initially started off as a mere benchwarmer for the Thunder early in his career before finding his niche as an explosive, rim-running guard.

Neither of those moves stand out, but the 76ers don’t intend them to. While puny in the eyes of many, the franchise certainly has something bigger in mind. Even better, those veterans won’t just be keeping the seat warm as they are still rotation-caliber players who can help the team win now.