The Philadelphia 76ers are a surefire bet to look much different next season as 12 players currently on the roster are set to enter free agency this summer — easily the most of any team in the league. And with the front office having done an extensive prep work to preserve as much cap space as possible, one can bank on the franchise letting go of most of their to-be free agents.
Nevertheless, the 76ers will definitely look into retaining some key players, primarily those who wouldn’t cost a fortune to re-sign anyway. Chemistry is a real on-court asset, and cutting all those players loose makes little sense. However, here are four impending free agents on the team whom the front office must avoid signing back.
4 Free agents the Philadelphia 76ers must not re-sign this offseason
1. Tobias Harris — PF/SF (UFA, Bird)
Tobias Harris entering free agency is the biggest reason behind the 76ers’ cap space suddenly ballooning this offseason. And given the fact that the front office has repeatedly tried moving his albatross contract in recent years, the most plausible scenario seems to be Philly finally letting go of the veteran forward.
Philadelphia is widely believed to be on the lookout for a potential third star this season, so it just naturally makes sense for the franchise to drop the hammer on Harris who is, in turn, expected to command significant interest in free agency. It must be noted that a couple of teams already tried to woo the 76ers into a trade for him, but to no avail.
Whil Harris is on the final stretch of his prime, he remains a solid contributor with ample playoff experience and veteran presence. He is an efficient operator on the scoring end, capable of racking up points at all three levels, while also functioning well enough to be banked on as a customary defensive piece.