The Philadelphia 76ers will have to get much more resourceful this offseason. Unlike last year when they were equipped with the deepest pocket and strongest spending power in the league, the front office will enter the summer having most of their usual avenues blocked, with only a slim passageway available.
Quite frankly, the 76ers will be forced to go through the eye of a needle to seek the kind of upgrades the roster badly needs at this point. The front office can no longer afford to make any blunder, much less multiple ones like last year, given the team’s messy salary sheet.
It is an imperative for Philly to get back to actual contention next season. Otherwise, all of the work they have done in recent years will be laid to waste. And in account of their rather limited options, here are four free agents eyeing redemption stories whom the 76ers should definitely keep a watchful eye on.
4 Perfect free gents the 76ers should target
1. Bol Bol
The highly debated Bol Bol did not really get much burn for the Phoenix Suns which, like the 76ers, totally flopped this season. Yet despite his limited court time, “poor man’s Wemby” was actually more impressive than not whenever he sniffed the court.
Philadelphia badly needs size across the board, and taking a flier on the 7’3” Bol who can play all frontcourt positions should be an intriguing experiment. He is an apt rim deterrent when not forced to tussle against bulky big men, and he is a capable floor spacer who can handle the ball in a pinch.
2. Taurean Prince
Depth at forward remains glaringly lacking for the 76ers, and given their limited spending power, their options are limited. That being said, Taurean Prince should be available without costing an arm and a leg, making him an ideal stopgap solution for the team in that regard.
Prince sank nearly 44 percent of his three-pointers this season, which ranked third in the association. At 6’6”, Prince offers switchability at forward, while also not being helpless when forced to latch onto guards and wings.
3. Thomas Bryant
The 27-year-old Thomas Bryant has really flourished in Indiana. While not enjoying much court time playing behind Myles Turner, he has been rock-solid for the Pacers, holding his own defensively while putting pressure on the defense with his high-energy play as a roll and pop option.
Philly’s need for reinforcement at center is already well-documented, and because Bryant is not projected to be an expensive get, he should be on their radar, especially with the Pacers getting back their preferred options at the backup center position who are coming off injuries.
4. Jake LaRavia
Three-point shooting is an area of concern for the 76ers, and sharpshooters rarely come cheap these days. But one player who could fit right into their budget is Jake LaRavia, who will be entering his fourth year in the league next season.
At 6’8”, LaRavia offers great size at his position. But more importantly, he is a very capable sniper from three-point range, canning 42.3 percent of his attempts from rainbow country this season.