The Philadelphia 76ers got a early head start to the offseason, but with the playoffs nearing its climax, they won’t have to wait much longer for it to officially begin. Soon enough, the front office will enter its much-awaited playing field as they aim for bigger things this summer.
As you might have already expected, the rumor mill has been churning a lot for the 76ers, especially as of late. In fact, the latest offseason buzz has Philly reportedly eyeing these three spicy names as part of their well-marked whiteboard.
76ers rumored to still be eyeing Zach LaVine after early season buzz
Philadelphia was rumored to be interested in pursuing Zach LaVine early this season, but Chicago’s puzzling resistance and the All-Star’s eventual injury quickly snapped that linkage. Apparently though, the 76ers seem to be cozying up to the prospect of him re-entering their pool of targets this offseason.
While probably not their first choice in potential trade scenarios, LaVine remains an intriguing fit next to Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Despite posting inferior shooting splits this season, the explosive guard is just a year away from turning in consecutive high-usage, high-efficiency scoring turnouts.
While LaVine struggled at times with a more modest shot diet with the Bulls, the 76ers have a more superior cast of offensive stalwarts. His skill set is pretty moldable, as his floor-spacing prowess, both gorizontally and vertically, would add another wrinkle to an already deadly Embiid-Maxey dynamic. Even better, he’s a viable secondary playmaker who can take over when needed.
Klay Thompson could get a second wind in Philadelphia
Klay Thompson registered one of his worst seasons yet from both a statistical and eye-test standpoint, but his counting numbers still scream “high-end role player” when not cudgeled into a forced “star” hat. And while the Warriors probably would try to retain him out of loyalty, the former All-Star could seek greener pastures for a more prominent role.
Should the 76ers strike out on Paul George and their other big-name targets, targeting Thompson for him to leave Golden State could be a smart, nifty move for Philadelphia. While not on an All-Star level anymore, the veteran still has the makings of an ideal Nick Nurse player as a rangy wing who can hit threes at a high volume and clip and take part in aggressive, switch-y defensive schemes.
Last season, Thompson actually fared well when coming off the bench — a blueprint the 76ers can follow, even though he’s pretty capable of still starting games. With Buddy Hield likely to depart and Kelly Oubre Jr. possibly pricing himself out of the city, snagging Klay could very well turn out to be an upgrade.
76ers could weaken a rival and bolster themselves with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
The Denver Nuggets failed to repeat this season after falling short in their title defense, but they have no time to pout as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be entering free agency. One of their most important players, the two-time NBA champion is a surefire bet to decline his player option and seek a richer deal.
Even though LaVine and Thompson make for more sterling soundbites, Caldwell-Pope is, without a doubt, the sexier fit for the 76ers. Hence, it would be a very wise move for Philly’s brass to try and steal him from the Nuggets, especially since he projects to be a reasonable-cost acquisition.
One of the steadiest role players in the NBA, Caldwell-Pope is a true and blue three-and-D cog who seemingly never cools off with his shot and knows and plays his role to a tee. He’s very controlled in crucial junctures of the game, and his level-headedness could just be the trigger point the 76ers need in the clutch department.