With Joel Embiid at center and Tyrese Maxey heading up their backcourt, the Sixers will enter this offseason with significant cap room and a desire to fill the gap between their two incumbent stars with an elite two-way wing, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. According to Fischer, Philadelphia views its opportunity as something similar to the one Golden State had in 2016, when a huge single-year cap spike allowed the Warriors to create the room to add Kevin Durant to a core that already featured Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.
Whether the 76ers will be able to add a player anywhere near Durant’s level is unclear. Paul George – who has been on Daryl Morey‘s radar since he worked in Houston’s front office, per Fischer – has frequently been cited as the most logical target for the club, but the Clippers remain hopeful they’ll be able to lock up the star forward to a new contract.
As Fischer writes, there are two major factors worth keeping an eye on in regard to George’s situation. One is a belief from rival teams and agents that the Clippers aren’t inclined to commit guaranteed money beyond the three-year window that begins in 2024/25. If that’s the case, a four-year offer from the Sixers or another club could appeal to George.
The second consideration to monitor is whether the Clippers’ ability to give George a no-trade clause could be a difference-maker in negotiations. That would only be an option if George turns down his player option and reaches free agency, but it’s something Philadelphia wouldn’t be able to offer, since a player must have spent at least four years with a team to qualify for a no-trade clause.
In considering other potential suitors for George, Fischer mentions the Magic and the Pacers, though he acknowledges that chatter about the possibility of George returning to Indiana predated the team’s acquisition of Pascal Siakam. The Knicks and Heat are among the other teams expected to go star-hunting, Fischer notes.
For what it’s worth, multiple player agents suggested to Fischer that they’d advise their clients to consider Embiid’s injury history and inconsistent playoff availability before committing to Philadelphia in free agency.
Here’s more from Fischer:
- The Sixers are willing to sacrifice draft capital and commit future money in order to chase a title next season, Fischer states. If Philadelphia is unable to land an impact player this offseason, the team will likely focus on shorter-term commitments with little to no guaranteed money beyond this season in order to retain flexibility for when another star becomes available. Sources tell Yahoo Sports that the 76ers “took note” of the two-year, $45MM deal the Pacers completed with Bruce Brown last summer, which was only guaranteed for one year and was ultimately used to accommodate the Siakam trade. Warriors swingman Thompson and Nuggets wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope would be among Philadelphia’s potential free agent targets for similar one-plus-one deals, Fischer reports.
- The Sixers would be one of the potential suitors for Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell if he’s made available this offseason, but Cleveland has expressed confidence about extending Mitchell, according to Fischer, who says that firing J.B. Bickerstaff is widely viewed as a move toward the team keeping Mitchell long-term.
- Discussing other possible Sixers trade or free agency targets, Fischer says there’s been no indication from league personnel that LeBron James is seriously considering leaving the Lakers. League executives also believe that Jimmy Butler – who may be the player Morey tried to acquire most often in Houston – will stay with the Heat, Fischer continues. Bulls guard Zach LaVine is another possibility for Philadelphia, but likely only if Chicago or another team is willing to attach draft assets to dump salary, Fischer adds.
- Kyle Kuzma is expected to be back on the trade block this summer, Fischer writes, though he cautions that the Wizards‘ asking price at this year’s trade deadline was too high for most interested suitors.
- While rival executives around the NBA have praised the Celtics and Timberwolves for the rosters they’ve built, many of those execs also believe that tax apron concerns could result in those teams being unable to keep all their core pieces over the long term, per Fischer.
“I’ve said numerous times today: This group, something doesn’t work. I have to find ways to find a group that’s going to make improvements. We’ve done it for a couple years now and it hasn’t worked,” Karnisovas said. “Everything is on the table. I am going to look at totality of the group. This group hasn’t worked. There’s a lot of great things in certain individual players and a lot of young guys who took a step forward and it’s positive. But in totality as a group, it didn’t work. So I’m going to have to find these answers in offseason.”
“I was pretty much trying to figure out every way not to,” he said of having the foot operated on. “You never want to have surgery. But I got to a conclusion, especially with what the doctor was telling me, that the pain level and this thing isn’t going to heal on its own. It’s a bone that was floating around. It’s known as a non-union Jones fracture, which I was dealing with for a while. And once the doctor—I’m glad I was able to find him—told me you need to get this done sooner than later, it was good to know.”