The Philadelphia 76ers have been one of the busiest teams as of late, striking a few deals before the deadline and inking (or at least, slated to) Kyle Lowry upon the finalization of his buyout agreement. The roster has undergone a bit of a shakeup on the margins as the team heads to a crucial stretch of the season as they try to stay afloat without Joel Embiid for at least a month.
Embiid’s positional void, however, has been one the front office has so far failed to mitigate on the transaction table. Their trade targets became too pricey or simply unavailable, leaving the 76ers still thin in the big man position with Paul Reed and the injured Mo Bamba handling the role on the interim. Unfortunately, that won’t be enough, and with an open roster spot still available, here are four big men they can still consider signing this season.
4 Available big men the 76ers can still consider signing this season
1. Nerlens Noel
Former 76er center Nerlens Noel has been an NBA journeyman in recent years, but he’s yet to suit up on the hardwood this season. The Sacramento Kings cut him before training camp opened, and the 29-year-old remains without a club team.
Noel almost has an inexistent offensive game, but one thing that stuck with him since his rookie year is his defensive motor and rim protection. He’s just a couple of years away from being a key rotation piece for a competitive team, and he’s a near-lock to be a positive contributor defensively for any team he signs with.
The 76ers should take a flier on him as they simply lack a consistent rim deterrent sans Embiid. Paul Reed doesn’t offer much on the size department against opposing bigs. Mo Bamba can be too undisciplined and is currently day-to-day with an injury. Noel would be an upgrade over those two, at least as a stopper.
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4 Available big men the 76ers can still consider signing this season
2. Derrick Favors
The cesspool of available big men currently has a dearth of tested and proven options, but Derrick Favors is definitely not one of them. A 12-year veteran, he last played for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2021-22 season, but hasn’t indicated retiring just yet. He’s currently in the G-League playing for Chicago’s affiliate team, the Windy City Bulls.
Favors has been out of the league for two years now, but in a limited role, there’s still room for him to be a productive contributor. He’s a great finisher around the rim, active on the boards, especially as an offensive rebounder, and is almost never out of position on D — all of which remained intact even in his final campaign with the Thunder.
Better yet, Favors boasts considerable playoff experience, having been a longtime staple of previous Utah Jazz teams. He won’t be a world-beater in any right, nor do the 76ers need him to, but he’s someone who can definitely handle spot minutes here and there and give the team a physical presence in the paint on both ends.
4 Available big men the 76ers can still consider signing this season
3. Meyers Leonard
Meyers Leonard exited the NBA in controversial fashion in 2021, but has since turned that around, culminating in a return to the league last season when he was called for late-season duty with the Milwaukee Bucks. However, he’s remained unsigned since the offseason without any suitor during free agency.
Philadelphia should weigh the possibility of signing the 10-year veteran. Leonard, who stands at 7’0, 260-lbs, is among the most physical bigs available in the market, but unlike the other options out there, he’s not a negligible presence offensively.
Leonard is a legitimate stretch-five who play inside and hit open threes from the perimeter, shooting 39 percent from three for his career. He has uncanny court sense, and is great at leveraging his body on the defensive end. His playoff experience is also enough to justify him as a battle-tested addition.
4 available big men the 76ers can still consider signing this season
4. JaMychal Green
Probably the most NBA-ready of the bunch, JaMychal Green is the 76ers’ best shot at finding a quality big man. The 33-year-old is just coming off a productive campaign as an important backup for the Warriors last season, and is yet to find a home this year.
Green is different in that he’s more of a natural power forward unlike the other players on this list, but that also gives him an edge in the versatility department. He can play both frontcourt positions, is quite mobile defensively, and has a serviceable offensive game thanks to his three-point shot (37.8 percent last season).
Beter yet, Green is someone whom the 76ers can turn to even when Joel Embiid returns considering his skill set. He has long profiled as a tenable fit next to a natural center, and has been a key participant in eight straight playoff runs.