The Sixers are still basking in the afterglow of having signed Paul George. But doing so — offering the 34 year-old small forward out of Fresno, a $212M four-year contract, has left them in a bit of a cap crunch. They were able to lock up Tyrese Maxey on a $204M deal of his own, one that the first-time All-Star deserved.
But the reason the team was able to sign PG in the first place was because they didn’t take on any long-term salary either last offseason, or around the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline.
Our Paul Hudrick wrote about the guts it took Daryl Morey to thread the needle there, doing what it took to help the team last season, without costing themselves the chance to pursue bigger fish last week.
One “needle-thread” move they did make, however, was when they acquired former Kings, and Pacers guard, Buddy Hield last February. Hield had his moments in a Sixers’ uni, but once Joel Embiid went down with a torn meniscus, he didn’t really deliver what coach Nick Nurse was hoping for.
And now it appears as if the Bahama Mamba may be departing for the Golden State Warriors.
Per Shams Charania, of The Athletic and FanDuelTV:
Just In: The Golden State Warriors are in serious talks on a sign-and-trade deal to acquire Buddy Hield, league sources tell @TheAthletic@Stadium. Warriors and 76ers have been in deep discussions, working to finalize the deal for one of the NBA’s best three-point shooters. pic.twitter.com/s3sajpWx69
We’ve yet to get more details, but you can be sure that Philadelphia would love to recoup any type of asset, even if it were merely a future second-round pick or a trade exception.
We won’t expect miracles here but anything like that would be better than letting Hield, acquired for a couple of second-round picks, (while also parting ways with Marcus Morris, Sr. and Furkan Korkmaz in a three team trade that also included the San Antonio Spurs) walk for nothing return.
The Golden State Warriors recently bid fairwell to future Hall of Famer, Klay Thompson, a four-time champion with The Dubs, so apparently their newish front office wanted to bolster the shooters that Steph Curry can work with.
Earlier on Tuesday, current Warrior, Draymond Green shared his thoughts on the Warriors push to land Paul George that fell apart when the Clippers didn’t want to play ball with a Conference rival. That was just one of the things Daryl Morey and the Sixers needed to go their way.
Philly still has a few first-rounders and some cap space to work with. There was recently a report from Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto that Philadelphia could be interested in acquiring Brooklyn Nets’ wing Dorian Finney-Smith, or potentially Warriors’ Lester Quinones.
So we’ll see if LQ might not be exchanged for Hield. The Sixers have already had sad goodbyes with De’Anthony Melton (a Warrior) and Nico Batum (a Clipper once again). Now it sounds as if Buddy could be bound for the Warriors, joining Melton.
Philadelphia isn’t a place free agents want to come.
Outside of the Eagles, that saying has often rang true. After the Phillies’ golden era ended, the local nine struggled to field a competitive roster. Then, something amazing happened.
With plenty of options and interest from around Major League Baseball, Bryce Harper, the baseball equivalent of LeBron James who was just entering his prime, chose Philadelphia. While it took a couple years and a slew of other changes, Harper has helped make the Phillies a perennial contender and reinvigorated the city’s love of its local ball club.
No pressure, Paul George.
While nobody will expect George to have a Harper-like impact, the nine-time All-Star choosing to join the Sixers is a franchise-altering moment. And none of it would’ve been possible without Daryl Morey having the guts to deploy a bold plan.
This was all set in motion a year ago when James Harden surprisingly opted into his $47.3 million player option and promptly demanded a trade. You might recall things got a bit ugly, with the former MVP calling Morey — who has a commissioned painting of The Beard in his home — a liar. The saga would persist for months until finally the Sixers and Clippers, the only team Harden wanted to go to, came to an agreement.
In that deal, Morey acquired serious draft capital and four players, all on expiring contracts. While Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris, Sr., KJ Martin and Robert Covington all helped to varying degrees, it was clear that Morey acquired them mostly for the flexibility their pending free agency’s provided. Including P.J. Tucker’s outgoing contract in the trade also proved to be a huge win.
The Sixers rode out the 2023-24 season, banking on Joel Embiid to improve upon his MVP season, Tyrese Maxey to continue his ascension and new head coach Nick Nurse to make his mark. Well, those things did happen early on with the Sixers getting off to a terrific start to the season. Embiid’s meniscus tear put a huge damper on things, but a strong playoff showing against a tough Knicks team provided hope — along with the unfathomable flexibility Morey gave himself this offseason.
Think about the gumption it takes to go into an offseason having just one player on a guaranteed contract. That just doesn’t happen. After the Sixers were eliminated by New York in Game 6, that was the case.
Embiid was the only player on a guaranteed deal for 2024-25. We all knew Maxey was going to get his max extension (he did), but Paul Reed’s contract was no longer guaranteed since the team failed to make the second round (joke’s on you, Danny Ainge). Ricky Council IV (who remains on the roster) and Jeff Dowtin, Jr. (who does not) were also on non-guaranteed contracts.
So, the slate was as clean as it had been since Morey inherited a roster with the ill-fitting Al Horford and Josh Richardson and the volatile Ben Simmons. The Sixers president of basketball operations was ready to build the team he wanted around his two stars in Embiid and Maxey.
But boy, did an awful lot have to go right.
Morey made it clear at his end-of-season presser that he was going star-hunting. Armed with loads of cap space and draft assets, he had the proper ammo, but who would be available? LeBron James? Donovan Mitchell? Jimmy Butler? As free agency crept up, the options seemed to fall off the board — except George.
The Clippers and George could’ve agreed to a four-year max extension at any point. They did not. LA was reportedly hellbent on not giving a fourth year. George was hellbent on getting one. Therein lay the opportunity for Morey to swoop in. After a roller coaster few weeks where it seemed like the Clippers were trying to call his bluff, George knew he had options.
He could’ve opted in, perhaps forcing a trade to the Warriors — though, as we saw in the case of Harden, that process isn’t always so smooth. He could’ve taken the three-year deal to stay home in Palmdale, taking another run at a title with Kawhi Leonard in the Clippers’ brand-new toilet-rich arena. He could’ve joined an up-and-coming Magic team loaded with young talent.
But on Sunday night/Monday morning, he chose Philadelphia. It’s not hyperbolic to say landing George makes this one of the greatest offseasons in franchise history.
Think about it: the last “big name” free agent to choose the Sixers was current GM Elton Brand — on what was then called the “Philly Max” — way back in 2008, the last time the Phillies won the World Series. Funny enough, the Clippers were also the team Brand left to join the Sixers. Before that, you’d have to go back to 1982, when reigning MVP Moses Malone signed an offer sheet with Philly, forcing the Rockets to match and complete a sign-and-trade.
One of those situations worked out slightly better than the other.
But in this moment, Sixers fans should enjoy it. An executive who’d become maligned in the Delaware Valley took a ballsy path and it worked. A nine-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA performer and four-time All-Defensive Team pick decided the Sixers were his best option. Is George perfect? Of course not. Because no player is. But he is damn good.
As has been chronicled, a contingent of managing partner Josh Harris, Morey, Brand and executive vice president of basketball operations Pete Dinwiddie, who has a relationship with George from when the two were with the Pacers, made the trip to visit George’s L.A. home. Joining them was franchise icon Julius Erving, who brought home the organization’s last championship with Malone back in 1983.
It was not Dr. J but another franchise icon who George was paying homage to that night as he planned to tell the team of his intentions. George was wearing an Allen Iverson t-shirt. Iverson of course was the biggest of cogs on the last Sixers team to get to the NBA Finals in 2001.
Wearing a t-shirt with The Answer on it to give the Sixers his answer. That’s some next-level pandering. Bryce Harper would be proud.
Tyrese Maxey might be the most positive person to ever put on a Sixers uniform.
His smile lights up a room. He makes his teammates — and even curmudgeonly reporters — laugh. With the Sixers selecting Duke’s Jared McCain with the 16th overall pick Wednesday night, Maxey might have a little competition in the sunshine and rainbows department.
But just like Maxey, don’t mistake the kindness for weakness. McCain is a stone-cold killer on the court who will bury a three in your face — with a smile on his.
By now you’ve likely seen that McCain paints his fingernails and has a massive TikTok following. While a bunch of old, insecure men clutch their pearls over it, it shows McCain is comfortable in his own skin — a strong statement to make about a 20-year-old.
While McCain enjoys doing things off the court, he is a fierce competitor on it. Watch just about any game he played at Duke last season and you’ll likely see some trash talk and fiery celebrations after a big shot.
“I think it’s a good balance I have,” McCain said Friday at the Sixers’ practice facility. “Being on social media and doing all this stuff outside of basketball, it comes with a lot of hate. And when you get a lot of hate, you kind of want to prove yourself that you can be one of the best players in the world in college.”
And McCain did just that, shining all season long for the Blue Devils, especially in the NCAA Tournament.
One of the elite skills that helped McCain realize his NBA dream is shooting. He knocked down 41.4% of his threes on a healthy 5.8 attempts per game in his lone season with Duke.
As we’ve seen, Daryl Morey is an executive who highly values three-point shooting, especially when building around a player like Joel Embiid.
“He’s already putting up a high volume of threes,” Morey said after the draft Wednesday. “And being able to shoot threes at a high volume and be in the high 30s, low 40s (percentage-wise) is maybe the most valuable skill in the NBA. It’s on the list of the top few, so that’s a big, big part of the calculus with Jared. One hundred percent, absolutely.”
McCain is far from a one-dimensional player though. He’s plenty crafty off the bounce, able to knock down midrange jumpers, floaters, fadeaways and finish with both hands at the rim. He’s a smart offensive player that understands spacing and is a good connective passer. What he lacks in size and athleticism on the defensive end he makes up for with his basketball IQ and desire to win.
He’s made numerous big shots, he’ll dive for loose balls, he’ll get in there and fight for rebounds. Simply put, he’s a winning basketball player.
“Frankly, he sort of checked every box,” Morey said, “that’s why we were so high on him — in that he not only is someone who has a skill and the work ethic to get out there on the floor, and also playing in high-level games … He’s been a top-10, top-15 guy in the country in his class the whole way across. So he’s a combination of a guy we think could get out there a little quicker and, at the same time, a lot of upside given he’s very young and has a great work ethic.”
Every competitive athlete feels like they have something to prove. For McCain, he said he focused on his ability on the ball during the pre-draft process. At 6-foot-2, the ability to operate as a ball handler could be critical to his development. McCain doesn’t have to go far to find an example of a player that’s had success in this area.
Maxey came to the Sixers as an explosive off-ball guard. He thrived in that role next to Ben Simmons and James Harden. After The Beard was dealt to the Clippers, the ball was in Maxey’s hands. He took some lumps along the way, but the increased role led Maxey to his first All-Star appearance and being named the NBA’s Most Improved Player.
After learning so much from guys like Harden and Kyle Lowry, Maxey will become the teacher — and he has a willing pupil in McCain.
“For me, in college I obviously played more of an off-ball role,” McCain said. “So I think being able to learn on-ball stuff from Tyrese and being able to show that I can be on the ball, make reads in pick-and-rolls. … I think the mind is something a lot of people undervalue in the draft — just being able to figure out stuff, the IQ. I think I’m good at that, so I’m going to try to show that as much as I can in my rookie season.”
The moment has never been to big for McCain. He starred at Centennial High School in Corona, California, being named the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year as both a junior and senior. He was a McDonald’s All-American and a consensus five-star recruit.
He committed to Duke and had a monster one-and-done season. He was named to the ACC All-Rookie Team and was an All-ACC Honorable Mention. He set a Blue Devil freshman record by hitting eight threes in a game — and he did it twice (one of those times in the NCAA Tournament). His season-high 35 points has only been matched by Zion Williamson in school history for a freshman. He had three 30-point games — including two in the NCAA Tourney — which was most among all Division 1 freshman.
So, do you think McCain is ready for his opportunity in the NBA with the Sixers?
“Since high school, I’ve felt like I’ve always wanted to be on the biggest platforms, be on the biggest stages, and that’s why I chose Duke,” he said. “Now to be in Philly, to have those championship aspirations, I feel like I’m ready for it.
“I’ve always wanted to play in the big games and I feel like when the lights are the brightest, I want to show out and be myself out there on the court. I’m excited. It’s something I’ve looked forward to my entire life and now I’m finally here.”
He’s going to keep painting his nails. He’s going to keep making TikTok videos. He’s going to keep smiling.
But don’t let any of that fool you. Jared McCain wants to hoop.
“Obviously, now being a rookie, I’ve got a lot to prove, so I’m just willing to take on that challenge,” he said. “And once I set a goal, I’m going to put my mind to it and work as hard as I can to keep going. I think that mindset of always wanting to be the best always motivates me.”
Like Maxey before him, he has the chance to make a lot of people look silly for doubting him.
The Sixers drafted a guard in Jared McCain in round one.
McCain already seems like a lot of fun, with an infectious personality and drive, reminiscent of the enchanting “he’ll smile dazzlingly while going full Mortal Kombat Kano fatality on you,” Tyrese Maxey.
McCain’s TikTok videos and nail polish all clearly belie a dude with an obvious hypomaniacal drive to perfect his footwork on movement triples. At 20 years old, the Duke product’s shooting form is already flawless, which makes it impossible not to reminisce about another Duke alum and former Sixer in JJ Redick — whose offseason and pregame form-work obsession was simply unmatched for the better part of two decades spanning the Lakers’ new head coach’s college freshman days as a Blue Devil through his final NBA season with the Dallas Mavericks.
In round two of the draft the Sixers selected big man, Adem “The Nigerian-Turkish Terminator” Bona, the hardest competitor in the entire draft (that nickname I cooked up isn’t working so you’d better help us workshop some better ones in the replies section below).
So with Joel Embiid, Maxey and McCain all penciled in, possessing options to retain Paul Reed, Jeff Downtin, Jr. and Ricky Council IV, they’ve got somewhere between 3-6 players in tow as Bona is still unsigned.
At 6 p.m. Eastern Sunday, teams can negotiate with rival free agents. Saturday is the deadline for Paul George, the NBA’s biggest story now, to opt in or out of his $48.7M player option with the Los Angeles Clippers.
What’s going to happen? Let’s get to the latest rumors.
KCP looking more and more likely to join the bell-ringing bunch
Photo by David Berding/Getty Images
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope makes a lot of sense for the Sixers. He is currently what they once hoped Danny Green could be for them.
He’s a multi-time champion who plays stalwart D and knocks down over 40 percent from distance on roughly four tries per battle. He’s willing to dive and get dirty, and doesn’t need the rock to be effective. The price won’t be cheap, but he’s a terrific fit that won’t force Daryl Morey to put all of his eggs in one basket. By signing KCP to a $20-plus million dollar deal, it would still leave room to sign another high-end free agent or two, plus a big-time trade acquisition as well — since the Sixers have over $60M to spend.
Jayson Tatum sure wouldn’t be as thrilled to have to square off against KCP as he would have facing Kyle Lowry or Tyrese Maxey; neither would Jalen Brunson.
It does not sound as if the Nuggets intend to retain the Thomaston, Georgia native’s services:
I asked Calvin Booth about retaining Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
“When you look at good teams in the past, they had to find a way to replace fourth, fifth starters.”
According to Marc Stein, via recent Substack newsletter:
“Denver’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is emerging as one of the focal points of NBA free agency. A difference-maker, league sources say, who suddenly appears more likely than not to switch teams. The Orlando Magic and the Philadelphia 76ers, meanwhile, appear especially well-positioned to capitalize on Caldwell-Pope’s expected availability if they choose. The Nuggets have been unable to come to terms on a contract extension with Caldwell-Pope, who is expected to decline his $15.4 million player option for next season to become a free agent before this season’s marketplace officially opens Sunday at 6 PM ET.”
Stein mentioned that the reigning West champs, the Dallas Mavericks, are also interested in landing the former Georgia Bulldog, but Denver has little interest in helping a team that recently supplanted them in the conference pecking order. Dallas almost certainly doesn’t have the cap space to make a winning KCP bid so they’d need help from the Nuggets via sign-and-trade. That seems farfetched.
With Paul George’s situation in flux, this KCP-to-Philly scenario is beginning to feel more and more realistic by the hour.
Klay Thompson ring that bell brother?
Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images
Stein continued:
“[Klay] Thompson is said to be seeking a three-year deal at a minimum. The cap space teams [Philadelphia and Orlando] are believed to prefer shorter contract structures than Thompson covets but can offset that with higher dollar amounts than teams like the Nuggets and Mavericks can muster.”
More on Klay from The Athletic.Sam Amick and Anthony Slater combined to confirm reports that the Sixers have interest in the five-time All-Star and four-time NBA Champion sniper.
Per Amick and Slater:
“A league source said Philadelphia has interest in Thompson. If the Nuggets lose free-agent-to-be Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who has decided to decline his player option and enter the market, a league source said Denver has pegged Thompson as a possible replacement. Caldwell-Pope, as it were, is believed to be a strong possibility for Orlando. There are a handful of other rival teams also in play for Thompson, depending on his price tag.”
So if the Sixers were to sign KCP, that might diminish their ability to acquire Klay, creating scenarios where The Splash Brother lands in Denver (or Orlando). But Philly does sound interested in Thompson as a fallback plan, provided they could get him on a one or two-year deal; even if that short-term deal approached similar totals as the three-year iterations.
“Overpaying” for Klay (or KCP) on purpose, heading into a potential expiring contract by summer of ’25 or ’26 might also keep Philly’s big game-hunting options open since they’d have a solid player on a hefty short-term annual deal — helping to match for the next disgruntled star to seek a trade.
These types of “fallback plans” would also likely leave the Sixers more total spend if they intend to keep Kelly Oubre, Jr., De’Anthony Melton, or Buddy Hield; names expected to command more money than a Kyle Lowry or a Nico Batum.
So if Philadelphia executed a Jimmy Butler blockbuster by February via draft picks and large short term-deals for example, they might still be able to keep a few players on their current roster in addition; something they could probably not do if they sign Paul George outright next week.
And yeah, it’s no secret that Joel Embiid is simply dominant when there’s spacing around him, and who’s to say Thompson can’t thrive in a reduced role, as his catastrophic injuries wane further into the rearview mirror?
Brandon ‘Tiny Dog’ Ingram
Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, a Liberty Ballers alum, offered the latest on Brandon Ingram — long connected to Philadelphia this offseason as another possible fallback plan.
Per Fischer:
“Ingram has been listed among Philadelphia’s targets this offseason, sources said, somewhere below George, although it’s not exactly clear where Ingram ranks among the Sixers’ proverbial group of wing targets to slot between Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. In the event George spurns Philadelphia, the Sixers could easily acquire Ingram into their $60-plus million in cap space, but could Philly’s three first-round picks prove enough for Ingram?”
This is the first I’ve heard of a potential price tag discussed regarding Ingram to Philly.
It’s my current understanding that the Sixers can trade up to four first round-picks: 2026 (their own or the HOU/LAC/OKC pick), 2028 (their own or LAC’s), 2029, 2031.
They’d have to put some conditional language on the 2029 and 2031 picks, but there are swaps and possible second-rounders (which still occasionally hold considerable value as evidenced by day two of the 2024 NBA Draft). If Ingram could be had for three future firsts, would the Sixers pony up? If so, they’d still have some draft ammo remaining, as well as another ~$30Mish in cap space to work with. Former Lakers’ BI and KCP to P anyone?
High-stakes PG-13 game of chicken
Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
Alas, no roundup is complete without the deluge of speculation regarding Paul George’s future.
According to Hoops Hype, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently offered the following, on a “Brian Windhorst & the Hoop Collective” pod:
“To my mind, there’s only three real options that I know about that Paul George really has. Stay in LA, which I would still put as the highest percentage chance of happening. Stay in LA for similar to what Kawhi got. Opt-in and trade, probably to the Warriors. The Warriors I know are interested in this. Third, sign straight up with the Sixers.”
And it’s sounding more and more like the Golden State Warriors could offer PG a max extension worth north of $212M should he opt in by Saturday — then quickly extend him upon trade; as well as the opportunity to remain on the West Coast — something that is reportedly quite important to the Cali native, who has family there.
But the Clippers may not want to take on Andrew Wiggins’ lengthy and exorbitant price tag. That makes Wigz a third-team trade candidate and has the Dubs playing some real hardball with the 2022 champ, apparently barring Maple Jordan from even taking part in the Olympic games, fearing an injury that could derail trade talks.
The Golden State Warriors are playing ‘hardball’ with Andrew Wiggins, which will prevent him from playing for the Canadian national team in the Olympics this summer, per @SmithRaps
Still, Stein emphasizes that Steph Curry’s team is basically all-in on landing PG here.
Golden State has this week prioritized the trade pursuit of the LA Clippers’ Paul George above ALL OTHER business, per @TheSteinLine.
The Warriors seem to be throwing all their eggs into one basket trying to make a Paul George opt-in and trade happen by tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/wVo5NVHs8S
The Golden State Warriors could also choose to guarantee Chris Paul’s $30M 2024-2025 salary and use him as trade bait.
But that doesn’t mean Clips’ owner Steve Ballmer and Team Prez Lawrence Frank have to cooperate in helping a Conference rival.
The LA Clippers have a “gigantic price” for Paul George, per @WindhorstESPN on The Hoop Collective:
“I think it’s going to be really really hard [to put together a trade]. The Clippers are not super interested in helping out the Warriors. If they are interested, they’re going to… pic.twitter.com/UUHdCx649N
“The cleanest way to do this would be to guarantee Chris Paul and Andrew Wiggins, except that would cap the Clippers at the first apron and make it impossible for them to re-sign James Harden. A simpler pathway would be to cut Paul and aggregate Wiggins, Gary Payton II and Moses Moody; the Warriors can also trade up to two first-round picks and three pick swaps to bait the hook for LA.
However, several other options exist if you prowl deeper in the weeds; for instance, it’s possible to do a Paul-Payton-Moody deal with the Clippers for George, trade Kevon Looney to a third team and get under the apron that way. Even more options exist if a Wiggins side deal emerges. The new complication of the tax apron has made putting together blockbusters a much more tangled, confusing business than it was 12 months ago.”
So the NBA world, Golden State, L.A., Philadelphia, and Orlando, in particular (but who knows what other teams may be lying in wait to pounce) will wait and see what George does next.
His opt in deadline is now a matter of hours away and this thing could be finalized swiftly, or drag on into the season. If the Clippers call PG’s bluff and he does opt out, would they then cave in and offer him a four-year, $200M deal, and then look to shop him between July and February?
Or even just keep him in the fold, new CBA-be-damned if they like how the team looks by Christmas?
Would they just take whatever deal the Warriors come up with in order to avoid a worst-case scenario where they get nothing, George walks, and Frank has to sell Leonard on a cap-space pipe dream by 2026?
We’re watching the clock closely on PG. And we’re starting to get a sense for what fallback plans may be in place for Joel Embiid and co. I’d be lying if I said it’s safe to feel too comfy about any one scenario playing out.
But my gut says the Clippers are smart enough to find some way to get something back for PG here. That helps the Warriors who should probably considered the favorites to land PG if he moves; and that should really limit Morey’s chances of hitting a cap-space homerun here. But still we’re in a holding pattern for good reason.
“The reason this impacts so many different people are the teams that are involved in trying to get Paul George if he were to leave the Clippers. So for example, you have the Philadelphia 76ers … they are obviously interested in signing Paul George, they have to hold their other…
— Philly Sixers Galaxy (@sixers_galaxy) June 28, 2024
Well, after plenty of build-up and speculation over who the Sixers could draft or what trades they could make, the 2024 NBA Draft is in the books. The Sixers kept both their picks in the end, opting to select 6-foot-2 sharpshooting guard Jared McCain from Duke with their 16th overall pick, and the super athletic UCLA big man Adem Bona at 41 in the second round.
As the draft came to a close, the Sixers didn’t wait around on the undrafted market either. They quickly agreed to a two-way deal with Philly native Justin Edwards, a 6-foot-8 wing with a smooth shooting stroke who’s well worth taking a shot on. They’ve also agreed to sign Memphis wing David Jones on a two-way deal, and big man Max Fiedler to an Exhibit-10 deal, per Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress.
Rice’s Max Fiedler has agreed to an Exhibit-10 deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, I’m told.
The 6’11 ¼” big man boasts a unique statistical profile at his size, averaging 5+ AST per game the past two seasons.
Savvy post-facilitator, DHO hub, and decision-maker out of the elbows.
There’s a lot to like about the skills and upside the Sixers’ two picks are bringing to the team, so let’s see what different draft experts think of McCain and Bona, and how they grade the Sixers’ draft.
(Spoiler alert: it’s very good.)
ESPN
Grade: A-
We’ll start things off on a high note, with ESPN’s Kevin Pelton’s A- for the Sixers’ draft overall. Pelton even had McCain ranked as his eighth-best prospect, making the sharpshooter a bit of a steal at 16:
The stat-minded Sixers landing McCain, my eighth-ranked prospect, at No. 16 is no surprise. McCain’s shooting (41% on nearly six 3-point attempts per game) should fit well on a team that needs to space the floor for Joel Embiid. I do wonder how much McCain (6-2 barefoot) will be able to play alongside 6-2 Philadelphia starter Tyrese Maxey. However, getting value is more important in the long term than questions of fit.
Bona wasn’t quite as strong by my projections, but there’s a lot to like about his defensive potential after he blocked 2.7 shots and came up with 1.7 steals per 40 minutes as a sophomore. Compare those with Sixers backup Paul Reed, who averaged 2.3 blocks and 1.3 steals per 40 when he was a sophomore at DePaul.
Here at SB Nation, Ricky O’Donnell’s first round analysis made a fair comment regarding McCain’s smaller build and limited athleticism, but had high praise for the shooting skillset he brings:
McCain lacks ideal NBA size and athleticism for a guard, but he makes up for it with shooting. He has a deep range and fantastic accuracy as a three-point shooter, which should be a good fit around Tyrese Maxey’s drives to the rim and Joel Embiid’s interior creation. I worry that McCain might be a too small to be a long-term backcourt partner for Maxey, but his shooting is so good that this is a perfectly fine selection.
As for O’Donnell’s second round grades, he was even higher on Philly picking up Bona:
Bona was one of my favorite second round bets as a long, strong, and explosive center. Bona crushed the glass and hammered dunks throughout his sophomore year at UCLA, and showed off his physical gifts by jumping 40-inches at the combine. He’s short for a center and doesn’t have much perimeter skill, but Bona is a freak athlete and that’s worth betting on.
adem bona on being drafted by the sixers: “i’m so excited to be there. actually my older brother is a philly fan. he’s really excited right now, probably. he’s back home in nigeria watching. i can’t wait to be there, man. i’m also getting the opportunity to meet joel embiid.” pic.twitter.com/omHKfl137b
Kyle Irving at Sporting News was a big fan of both of the Sixers’ selections:
The 76ers addressed two needs with their two picks: McCain provides backcourt depth as a playmaking combo guard who can shoot the 3 and disrupt opposing ball-handlers on defense while Bona gives Philadelphia a much-needed physical interior presence behind Joel Embiid. The Sixers went 2-for-2 in this draft.
The Ringer
Grade: B for first round, B- for second round
Danny Chau, grading the Sixers’ 16th overall pick, said Jared McCain has shades of somewhere between Steph and Seth Curry, which certainly isn’t a bad spot to fall on for a scale of undersized yet highly talented shooters.
A team with the gravity that Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey command will always need release valves on the perimeter. That’s the value that McCain brings. He was one of the best 3-point marksmen in college basketball as a freshman at Duke. He is elite on catch-and-shoot attempts and has great energy transfer in his mechanics pulling up in transition. The Sixers may look to develop his ability to shoot off movement because McCain’s apparent lack of burst will put a strain on the kind of playmaking he was able to accomplish at the NCAA level…
As for picking Bona in round two, Chau was slightly cooler on the selection, giving the Sixers a B-, partly due to need concerns. But there’s still no denying how impressive Bona’s explosiveness, speed and lateral quickness are. He’s one of the very best athletes in the draft with serious defensive talent, even if Chau questions the Sixers’ need for this kind of player:
Though a bit undersized at the 5, Bona’s remarkable 7-foot-4 wingspan and seamless ability to change direction laterally make him one of the easier projections as a switch big. Outside of the occasional P.J. Brown–esque midrange jumper, Bona’s offensive game is mostly limited to explosive rim runs, but a pathway to success in the modern NBA has been paved for a player of that archetype. Bona is a real defensive talent, but it’s fair to wonder how much Philadelphia needed this type of player specifically.
However, as Daryl Morey continues to make clear, he’s going to take the best player available, regardless of fit. And if the Sixers aren’t happy with Paul Reed at backup 5 long term or if he gets moved at some point, having Bona onboard for his athleticism, versatile defense, energy and simple yet effective finishing gives them another interesting option.
Adem Bona — the Sixers’ newest backup center — was one of the quicker big men in this entire draft class.
Extremely versatile defender and capable of beating slower bigs off the bounce when given space. pic.twitter.com/8UBRRdfEZp
Bona is still only 21 years old and started basketball late too, which bodes well for how quickly he’s developed already and could continue to do so. For instance, with skills like the face-up ability he’s flashed thanks to his speed, quick elevation, and length to rise up and finish over/past opponents.
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor is even higher on not just Bona’s ability, but his potential to fit in different lineups for the Sixers.
Adem Bona will be the best backup in Joel Embiid’s Sixers career. Pure energy and hustle.
But Bona’s versatility could also enable him to play WITH Embiid for two-big lineups. Embiid can space on offense, Bona can handle perimeter matchups on defense. pic.twitter.com/oldR69gO7Q
Apart from knocking the Sixers’ first-round grade slightly as star Tennessee wing Dalton Knecht was still on the board (and ultimately went to the Lakers next at 17), Kyle Boone and Adam Finkelstein at CBS Sports were still high on the team’s picks overall:
If Dalton Knecht weren’t on the board, I’d bump this up a grade. But I love what McCain brings as a shooter and scorer and personality. Defensively, he and Tyrese Maxey may not be ideal as two smaller guards who focus on offense. But there’s a lot to like, and adding shooting around Joel Embiid makes sense. And his competitive spirit is worth betting on.
As for their thoughts on Bona, they understandably highlighted the rookie’s energy, massive wingspan, and presence he can offer as a finisher and rim protector:
Philly has been trying for years to find viable frontcourt support next to Joel Embiid, and it might have stumbled into something here. Bona’s a high-flier with relentless energy as a big who brings a 7-4 wingspan and can be impactful around the rim on both ends.
Yahoo! Sports
Grade: A
Short and sweet analysis from Yahoo! Sports’ Krysten Peek, but yet another top grade for Philadelphia’s picks:
The 3-point shooting from McCain (42% from deep at Duke) and the physical presence of Bona (6-8, 245 pounds) will pair nicely with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid.
Well, B’s and A’s across the board is a rather good result!
Now, it’s a time to dig into more analysis of the Sixers’ new rookies. We’ve already got you covered here at Liberty Ballers, with articles like Sean Kennedy’s look at Jared McCain’s fit with the Sixers, with comments from McCain himself and Daryl Morey. Plus Josh Grieb’s piece on how ready McCain is for anything that comes his way in Philadelphia.
The Sixers are heading into a kind of important offseason, in case you haven’t heard.
Joel Embiid is the Sixers’ only player under guaranteed contract beyond the 2023-24 season. Tyrese Maxey will join him soon enough, but Paul Reed’s $7.7 million salary for next season is now non-guaranteed since the Sixers didn’t win a playoff series. Ricky Council IV, whom the Sixers signed to a four-year, $7.4 million deal at the end of the regular season, is fully non-guaranteed for next season, while the Sixers have a team option on Jeff Dowtin Jr.
So, where does that leave the Sixers heading into the offseason? We’re partnering with SalarySwish to use their data and help answer every question you have about the Sixers’ financial situation and what it might mean in free agency.
We’ll make updates here as the offseason rolls along, so bookmark this page to keep up on the latest changes moving forward.
Sixers Roster, Salaries, Draft Picks, Cap Space and More
Here’s a table with all of the Sixers’ salary information, courtesy of our friends at SalarySwish:
That’s a lot of information to sift through, so let’s dive into a few key notes.
FAQ
Let’s start with the one on everyone’s mind.
How much salary cap space can the Sixers have this offseason?
The Sixers can generate up to nearly $65 million in cap room this summer. To do so, they’d have to waive Reed and Council, decline their option on Dowtin, trade No. 16 overall pick Jared McCain without taking any salary back and renounce every free agent they have, including Buddy Hield, De’Anthony Melton, Nic Batum and Tobias Harris. (Sixers fans will surely be devastated about the last name there.)
Barring a surprise trade, it seems like the Sixers plan to keep McCain. There’s no reason to waive Council, either, as his salary ($1.9 million) isn’t much more expensive than an incomplete roster charge ($1.2 million). If the Sixers do keep both McCain and Council, they can still create up to $61.3 million in cap space this summer.
They could also operate as an over-the-cap team by keeping their free agents’ cap holds on their books until they re-sign in Philly or head elsewhere. That could give them access to the $12.9 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception and $4.7 million bi-annual exception, but using either one would subject them to a $178.7 million hard cap for the rest of the season.
The Sixers figure to split the difference by opening some cap space but retaining a few of their free agents along with Maxey. It’s unclear which players they’ll prioritize or how much they’ll be willing to spend on each of them, but they’ll have plenty of external options to pursue as well.
That isn’t just limited to free agency, either. In fact, cap space could be more valuable than usual this summer if some teams decide to shed quality players for financial reasons. We’ve already begun to see that with the likes of Davion Mitchell, Wendell Moore Jr. and AJ Griffin.
How much will the Sixers pay in luxury taxes this year?
As of now, nothing. The Sixers did everything in their power to keep it that way, too.
After signing Darius Bazley, Kai Jones and DJ Wilson to 10-day contracts worth roughly $116,000 each, Dowtin to a rest-of-season contract for $127,000 and Council for an extra $864,000 this year, the Sixers were projected to finish roughly $755,000 below the $165.3 million tax line at the end of the regular season.
The problem from the Sixers’ perspective was the $1.1 million in unlikely-to-be-earned incentives in Hield’s contract. If he achieved all of those—one of them was making it to the NBA Finals this year, for what it’s worth—the Sixers could have finished a little too close to the tax line for comfort. That’s why the Sixers staggered their signings to ensure that they were at no risk of going back into tax territory.
One silver lining of the Sixers’ first-round exit is that they will officially stay below the tax this year, which means they’ll reset the clock on the repeater tax. They now can’t be subject to it until 2027-28 at the earliest, which should give the new-look core that they assemble this offseason a 3-4 year window.
What draft picks can the Sixers trade?
The Sixers can currently trade first-round picks in the following drafts:
2026 (their own, protected 5-30, or the OKC/LAC/HOU pick)
2028 (their own, protected 9-30, or an unprotected LAC pick)
2029 OR 2030 (not both)
2031 (if they don’t trade 2030)
The Sixers owe a top-six-protected pick to the San Antonio Spurs in 2025 and a top-eight-protected pick to the Brooklyn Nets in 2027. The Stepien Rule, which prohibits teams from going back-to-back drafts without a first-round pick, limits what other picks they can trade.
They also have the right to swap first-round picks with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2029 (top-three protected). Considering that all three of the Clippers’ stars are in their mid-30s and two of them are set to become free agents after a disappointing first-round exit, those could wind up being valuable swap rights.
Additionally, the Sixers can currently trade the following second-round draft picks:
2027 Bucks pick
2028 Pistons pick (top-55 protected)
2029 Sixers pick
2030 Sixers pick
They can’t trade their 2027 or 2028 second-round picks for now because they’re tied up conditionally in the first-round picks that they owe to the Spurs and Nets. If their 2025 first-round pick conveys to the Spurs next summer, they will be able to trade their 2027 second-round pick afterward. The same goes for their 2028 second-round pick if their 2027 or 2028 first-rounder conveys to the Nets.
If you found this page useful, please bookmark it and/or share, and if you have any questions or information you’d like to see included, let us know in the comments below!
Before the 2024 NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for the Sixers at Nos. 16 and 41. Next up in this series is the G League Ignite’s Ron Holland.
Ron Holland was one of several prospects who opted to play with the G League Ignite rather than playing overseas or in the NCAA. After one year at a professional level, he’ll now make the jump to the NBA, where several analysts predict he could fall on draft night.
Athleticism, athleticism, athleticism. Holland is an explosive finisher around the rim and can hang in the air and score through contact. With the Ignite, he also showcased an ability to hit floaters as well. He’s a decisive attacker, often cutting to the rim, driving against closeouts and recognizing when backdoor cut opportunities are available. From a playmaking perspective, he’s a selfless passer that is capable of making fast decisions.
Defensively, he’s versatile with the mobility to switch onto a multitude of players. He hustles consistently and has good timing on chasedown blocks. Holland is one of the youngest players in this draft and will actually be 18 on draft day, but has plenty of experience with the G League and with USA Basketball’s junior teams, winning two gold medals.
Weaknesses
Holland’s biggest weakness revolves around his shooting. When spotting up, he has a stiff shot that doesn’t convert consistently. His free throw shooting, which is typically a good indicator on where a prospect’s shot is, is lackluster at 68.2 percent. I wouldn’t say his shot is fully broken, but there will definitely need to be some refinement in the coming years. Holland also struggles to convert when isolating; he’s better as a straight-line driver rather than creating his own shot.
Positional Fit
Ron Holland’s size, agility and playmaking should allow him to slot into several positions over time— especially if he can refine his shooting. For the first few years, I’d expect him to mainly slot in as a forward. Holland’s game has shades of a more skilled Gerald Wallace, or for younger fans Houston’s Tari Eason, or a younger Andrew Wiggins.
Draft Projection
SB Nation Mock Draft: No. 9, Memphis Grizziles
Many mocks have Holland going comfortable within the lottery, but there’s smoke out there that he could slide into the late lottery or out of it completely. If he’s available at 16, it’s hard to find a better talent that’ll still be on the board. Holland would also slot in nicely alongside Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid.
For more on Holland, check out this feature from SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell.
Finally, we have another key piece to this puzzle. Just as it felt like “Paul George to the Sixers” might actually have some legs, Shams Charania dropped off the turnbuckle to elbow-drop superteam-hungry Sixers fans.
Charania tweeted that suddenly the Sixers’ interest in Paul George has “significantly waned.”
So wait? That nine-time All-Star we’ve heard was your primary option all offseason long? Ya’ll just WANED like a crescent moon?! What happened? Did you finally listen to his whining on podcasts about having to do too much heavy lifting and too much dirty work and also not having enough help? Just too much Doc Rivers energy for ya’ll?
Many of us spent some time Thursday evening working through possibilities because no further context was provided from Shams or any other top reporters.
Did the team just get a hard ‘no’ from PG’s camp and decide to get ahead of the news cycle with some you can’t dump us we’re dumping you jawn? Is it remotely possible Daryl Morey and the Sixers actually just lost interest?
Did another more exciting player suddenly drop in price? But even still, why not leave the idea you can go grab PG using cap space alive while you haggle with Danny Ainge for Lauri Markkanen?
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has been our go-to for intel over the last few weeks on this situation. Here is what Windy had to say on Friday morning on “Get Up,” per Austin Krell on Twitter:
“So, this is sort of setting up to the Clippers basically are positioning themselves to call Paul George’s bluff here. They have not been willing to meet Paul George’s price. He remains un-signed. You can’t just look at teams with salary cap space. If Paul George changes teams, it’s very likely going to be a situation where he opts into his contract and requests a trade. The Clippers have an offer on the table that is believed to be similar to what they gave Kawhi Leonard, which is a 3-year deal at just below the max. They believe he doesn’t want to leave LA. They believe he wants to stay in his hometown under those terms. That’s where we’re at. Is Paul George going to actually walk over getting an extra year and more money or does he want to stay where he’s comfortable alongside Kawhi Leonard? That is one of the biggest questions in the NBA as we head toward July 1. The Clippers, they have had a great opportunity here to close this deal with a full offer. They have not made it. We’ll watch how it plays out.
Prior to hearing this, I think many of us concluded the team had simply received some sort of clear signal from PG’s camp he’s not interested. And so they thought about jumping in front of the news bomb to maybe twist the narrative.
Mimics annoying talking head: the Sixers couldn’t sell Paul George or LeBron James on playing in Philadelphia back in 2018 (pauses annoyingly long for emphasis, before basically screaming into your living room) and they STRUCK OUT AGAIN in 2024!!! Daryl Morey’s stubborn pursuit of stars backfires and you in that chair are a loser for cheering for this team! Now Brandon Ingram is the fallback plan! WOMP WOMP.
Maybe they could at least spare us all, themselves, and Ingram 3 percent of that stuff?
But now it seems a lot more nuanced.
If a $221M max offer is not coming fom the Clippers, PG could still position himself for a total all-in number approaching that total if he opted in and then received a max (or near max) extension from an acquiring-via-trade team.
As of now Philly can offer him $212M. If he opted in and they traded for him then extended him the sum would be around that $220M mark.
So this hypothetical new team, if he opts in and gets moved, would then possess PG’s Bird Rights so they could offer him 8% raises — instead of the 5% raises a team like Philadelphia or Orlando can offer. The difference may “only” be about $12M, and would add some injury risk (he wouldn’t be eligible for extension for another six months so he’d have to survive through January at the earliest), but from PG’s POV, maybe you’d prefer the idea of having lots of options instead of just two or three.
Allowing teams like the New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, or perhaps Miami Heat to jump into the mix along with L.A., Philly and Orlando can’t hurt the cause, right? Then the Clippers would at least get some assets too.
“Here lies W.C. Fields: I would rather take $48M and pray for a trade than take $212M to live in Philadelphia.”
So in essence, PG may be saying: I do want a max. But I don’t reallllly want to play in Philly. I think I can get as much or even more money by steering my way to a team like the Knicks or Heat.
And in order to do so, he may have to convince the Clippers that he’d leave them if they did not trade them.
For example, “either sign-and-trade me to the Knicks for Julius Randle and picks, or I sign outright in Philly or Orlando.”
Viewed through that type of lens, assuming the Sixers offered Shams some intel yesterday, maybe you’d describe the “waning interest” bomb as both nearly true and playing some Conference Rival defense.
Throws Morey voice: “Yes, if you’re opting in we do have much, much less interest. We loved the idea of maxing you but not maxing you AND giving L.A. our draft war-chest.”
But the public messaging — leaning on Shams’ voice— also serves (using Windy’s poker bluff metaphor) as a blocking bet.
Throws Elton Brand’s voice: “if he won’t commit to us, we’re not going to let PG leverage our $212M to steer himself to the Heat or Knicks. So Shams, you tell em’ we’re probably moving on.”
Elton hangs up the phone as Morey explains the whole play to Josh Harris: “again that’s IF he opts in. If he opts in, then we’re not involved. They’ll want too many picks. But of course, we’re hoping he opts out and that our Shams bomb here decreases his leverage…then he can still take our money (winks).”
So if you’re weird like me and you have an eight-foot abacus and Ouija board you use to predict this stuff, and you enact imaginary little plays where your stuffed animals are Daryl Morey and Elton Brand talking into cell phones, then I think you have lots more to work with today than you did yesterday.
Before the 2024 NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for the Sixers at Nos. 16 and 41. Next up in this series isCairns Taipans Bobi Klintman.
Swedish native Bobi Klintman had an interesting path heading into the 2024 NBA Draft. He moved to the U.S. as a teenager and went to high school in Kansas. He eventually committed to playing at Wake Forest as a four-star recruit, but spent just one season with the Demon Deacons. In 2023-24, he played professionally in Australia as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program.
The biggest thing that stands out about Klintman is his size. He’s a legitimate 6-foot-9 with shoes on and boasts a 6-11 wingspan. That’s a jumbo-sized wing. Though he didn’t shoot it great in his lone NBL season, he has a pretty stroke and was known for his shooting as a college recruit. With his size and a high release, he’s able to simply shoot over defenders, reminiscent of Marcus Morris, Sr. While he didn’t show much creation ability, there is definitely potential as a slasher. He also has decent feel, understanding spacing and excelling as a cutter. He looks like a nightmare to handle in transition, able to pull down rebounds and start a break.
The size again shows up in a big way defensively. He seemingly uses length to bait opponents into passes before stepping into the lanes for steals. He has flashes as a weakside rim protector, making him a potential fit as a small-ball five down the road. If he really dedicates himself to improving on the defensive end, he can be a really versatile weapon.
Weaknesses
The shot looks good and he fires confidently, but the fact is he shot 33.7% from deep in an inferior league. The free throw percentage is encouraging, but there’s still a bit of a projection there. Offensively, he’ll have to tighten his handle up a bit if he wants to be more than just a spot-up shooter. He shows flashes, but there are inconsistencies.
He tested just OK athletically at the combine. He relied heavily on his length in the NBL, often getting blown by and then recovering. Will he be able to get away with that in the NBA? He’s also a bit skinny at 212 pounds. He’ll need to add functional strength to compete with bigger threes and fours at the next level.
Positional Fit
Klintman’s positional versatility is what makes him so intriguing. He looks like a big combo forward, but if he can capably guard up and down while tightening up his handle, it could open so much more.
Draft Projection
Late first round, early second
Klintman feels like a modern NBA player. He has elite size but enough skill to dream on. As is the case with so many young wings, shooting is going to be the swing skill. If he can hit from deep consistently, the floor is a hyper-versatile 3-and-D wing.
Before the 2024 NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for the Sixers at Nos. 16 and 41. Next up in this series is Baylor’s Jalen Bridges.
After starting his collegiate career near home at West Virginia, Jalen Bridges transferred to Baylor for his final two seasons. As a redshirt senior in 2023-24, Bridges was a huge part of the Bears’ success, showing off the type of skillset that makes him an ideal 3-and-D wing prospect — and possibly more.
Jalen Bridges has developed into a dynamic shooter with clean mechanics, capable of shooting off of screens or off the dribble. He displayed some level of shot creation in some of his pull-up jumpers, showcasing in-out dribbles on drives and spin moves. He likely won’t ever be a full-time ball hander, but he can at least attack closeouts or take the ball up the court on fast breaks. Bridges is a smart player and moves well off the ball often relocating on the perimeter for threes or cutting at the right time for opportunities at the rim. Defensively, Bridges uses his 6-10 wingspan well and is able to switch onto a variety on positions. He slides his feet well, along with disrupting passing lanes. Baylor liked to use zone defense, with Bridges being effective within it.
Weaknesses
Bridges is one of the more refined prospects slated to go in the second round, meaning there aren’t too many holes in his game. Prior to this year, he was an inconsistent three-point shooter — shooting 34.4 percent from three throughout his first three collegiate seasons. Compared to other multi-year prospects, he was a low-usage player which suggests he’ll never be able to be a full-time creator.
Positional Fit
Bridges has the size and quickness to guard anywhere from 1-3; even capable of guarding smaller fours. On the court, he’ll be best optimized as a true wing next to a traditional point guard. He has a lot of Royce O’Neale to his game — a wing who can guard most players, hit threes at a high clip and provide secondary playmaking.
Draft Projection
Second round
The Sixers currently are slated to pick at 41st overall, which falls right into the range most expect Jalen Bridges to go. Bridges’ age makes his ceiling lower, but most label him as a surefire second-round pick that should be able to help teams fast compared to other prospects.
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