Young wing's breakout summer proves 76ers made a futile free agency signing

Not many, if at all, would crucify the Philadelphia 76ers for the moves they pulled off this offseason in their entirety. After all, the front office definitely made full use of its expansive war chest this summer, leveraging their boatload of financial legroom to lure in a nine-time All-Star in Paul George alongside a bevy of well-fitting role players in free agency.

The team was simply a barren army approaching the summer, with only a handful of players under contract. One of them, however, turned in a breakout stint in offseason tourneys, proving that the 76ers may have made a particularly futile signing in free agency.

Ricky Council IV may have just proven that the 76ers made an unnecessary free agency signing with Eric Gordon

Ricky Council IV played sparsely for Philly last season, but he certainly made those limited opportunities count en route to a deserved standard contract in April. The 22-year-old wing then turned in a spectacular tour of duty in the Summer League, leading the 76ers to a respectable finish and showing why he should be in the rotation in 2024-25.

Most depth charts, however, have veteran guard Eric Gordon slotted ahead of him. The 35-year-old signed with the team on a one-year, veteran's minimum deal and is expected to help lead the second unit next season.

Not so fast. Heck, that should be a thing far from certain.

Gordon definitely has the edge in pedigree and offers a proven billing as a volume three-point shooter, but there's little incentive in playing him entirely over Council. He's injury-prone and has steeply declined defensively while offering little when it comes to playmaking and intangibles.

In comparison, Council is a persistent defender who isn't afraid of taking the ball to the rack and firing away from the perimeter. He's still inconsistent as a shooter, but he definitely makes up for it with his effort, hustle, and overall grit from the wing position while also offering more lentgh than his older counterpart.

Nick Nurse is known for favoring veterans, but he should seriously consider playing Council ahead of Gordon next season. He simply profiles as someone who can offer more to the table at this point in his career, while the latter would probably benefit anyway from a reduced and streamlined role.