The Sixers made their big free-agent splash overnight Monday, agreeing with Paul George on a four-year, $211.6 million maximum contract. They’ve also agreed to re-sign Kelly Oubre Jr. (two years, $16.3 million), Andre Drummond (two years, “$10-plus million”) and Eric Gordon (one year, $3.3 million veteran minimum), which means they’ve already burned through most of their spending power this offseason.
From here, the Sixers must get creative to round out their roster. KJ Martin might be their best lottery ticket in that regard.
Martin is an unrestricted free agent, but he has a tiny $2.1 million cap hold, and the Sixers have his full Bird rights. They’d slightly cut into their cap space if they kept him on their books instead of an incomplete roster charge ($1.15 million), but having Bird rights on him allows them to re-sign him to anything up to his max salary.
The Sixers could take advantage of that cheap cap hold to both their own benefit and Martin’s. They could keep it on their books, spend the rest of their cap space and then overpay him on a two-year contract with a non-guaranteed second season. They could later look to flip him as salary filler in a midseason trade.
The Indiana Pacers gave Bruce Brown a two-year, $45 million contract last offseason, only to ship him to the Toronto Raptors six months later in the package for Pascal Siakam. The Sixers were reportedly open to emulating that strategy with Klay Thompson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope this offseason if they struck out on George, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports.
Martin could enable them to do a miniature version of it.
If the Sixers had a specific midseason target in mind, they could do an exact dollar-for-dollar match on Martin’s new contract. That would enable both the Sixers and the other team to trade those contracts in a straight one-for-one deal and not trigger a hard cap. If they were instead just looking to add a tradable contract to their books, they could use the dollar amount of the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.168 million), room MLE ($7.983 million) or non-taxpayer MLE ($12.822 million) as options.
The Sixers could try to sign-and-trade Martin if they’re looking to fill that void more quickly, although as cap specialist Yossi Gozlan noted, Base Year Compensation rules would complicate that. Only 50 percent of Martin’s new contract would count as outgoing salary, which would make it more difficult for the Sixers or whichever team trades for him to avoid triggering a hard cap at the first apron. They’d be better off signing Martin to a balloon deal and preserving his contract for a midseason trade.
The only downside to this strategy is if the Sixers plan to hard-cap themselves at either apron with another move. They won’t be adding unnecessary salary to their books in that case. Otherwise, there’s no reason not to do this. They’re going to be over the luxury-tax threshold when they fill out their roster either way, so they might as well go deeper into it to increase their midseason flexibility.
Without Martin factored in, the Sixers can still create roughly $9.2 million in remaining cap space even if they keep Ricky Council IV ($1.9 million) but waive Paul Reed’s $7.7 million non-guaranteed contract. If they keep Martin’s cap hold as well, they could still have around $8.3 million in cap space. Based on the prices for Derrick Jones Jr. (three years, $30 million), Naji Marshall (three years, $27 million) Goga Bitadze (three years, $25 million) and Gary Harris (two years, $14 million), that should be able to net them at least one more solid player.
Once the Sixers used the rest of their cap space, they’d use a minimum exception to sign Gordon, officially sign Tyrese Maxey to his five-year, $203.9 million extension (without a player option!) and presumably use the $8.0 million room mid-level exception to sign Oubre. That means George and Drummond are the only two who are going into the Sixers’ cap space.
The Sixers could also take advantage of expanded salary-matching rules and look to flip Reed’s contract for a more expensive salary—they can take back up to $7.5 million more than they send out as long as they stay below the first apron. Staying below the first apron might be a challenge once they finalize Maxey’s new max deal, though. (Keep that in mind regarding any Dorian Finney-Smith trades you cook up over the coming days.)
They’d be better off spending the remainder of their cap space and then signing Martin to a 1+1 balloon deal with the intention of potentially moving him at the trade deadline. Signing him to such a deal would give the Sixers a way to upgrade midseason that they otherwise wouldn’t have. Again, the only risk here is if they hard-cap themselves some other way.
If not, the Sixers owners should be willing to foot a larger tax bill to improve their new Big Three’s chances of winning a championship. There are no more half-measures after signing George. The Sixers are all-in on winning now.
With some creativity, Martin—and his next contract—could help them do just that.
Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.
As of 6 p.m. ET on June 30, the 2024 free agency period is underway. The Philadelphia 76ers have the opportunity for a pivotal offseason with decent cap space and draft picks at their disposal. The Sixers also have a number of players entering free agency that they will have to make tough decisions on.
In this post, we will keep you updated on Sixers’ signings, the destinations of their free agents, trade rumors and more.
Signing agreements
Paul George
Nine-time All-Star Paul George is set to become a Sixer. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news at 3:30 AM ET Monday morning that George and the Sixers had reached an agreement on a four-year, $212 million contract.
BREAKING: Free agent F Paul George has agreed on a four-year, $212 million maximum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN. George committed in a meeting with Sixers officials and returns East to join Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in pursuit of an NBA title. pic.twitter.com/pkCfGu3hyp
The Sixers have agreed in principal to a maximum contract extension for Tyrese Maxey. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the news just hours after the Sixers reached their agreement with Paul George. Talk about a huge morning.
ESPN Sources: Philadelphia 76ers All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey has agreed in principle on a five-year, $204 million maximum contract extension. pic.twitter.com/rBT8Tpkvg8
Andre Drummond will return to Philadelphia on a two-year, $10 million deal, a source confirms to Liberty Ballers. Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto was the first to report the news.
Eric Gordon
The Sixers will sign veteran guard Eric Gordon to a minimum contract, a source confirms to Liberty Ballers.
Sixers’ free agents news
Tobias Harris
After five long seasons, Tobias Harris is no longer a Sixer. As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports, Harris is set to return to the Detroit Pistons on a two-year, $52 million deal.
Tobias Harris has agreed to a two-year, $52 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, sources tell ESPN.
Kelly Oubre Jr. has earned himself a bit of a raise and at least one more season with the Sixers after spending last season in Philadelphia on a veteran minimum. A source confirmed to Liberty Ballers that Oubre will re-sign with the Sixers on a two-year, $16.3 million deal with a player option for 2025-26. The news was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Nicolas Batum
The Athletic’s Kelly Iko reported shortly after the opening of free agency that Nicolas Batum would not be returning to Philadelphia.
Nicolas Batum will not be returning to the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell @TheAthletic.
That being said, there has been no further reports on Batum’s next destination. Early Monday afternoon, Yahoo’s Jake Fischer reported that the San Antonio Spurs were interested in Batum.
Having already signed future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul, another veteran the Spurs are targeting in free agency is French forward Nic Batum, sources said, who would join countryman Victor Wembanyama.
Kyle Lowry
Kyle Lowry returning to Philadelphia is still up in the air, Marc Stein reported just before the opening of free agency:
One source close to the process told The Stein Line that a return to Philly is merely one option under consideration and that Lowry is expected to receive external interest from multiple interest once free agency officially beings.
Terquavion Smith
The Sixerswill not extend a qualifying offer to Terquavion Smith, a source tells Liberty Ballers. That means the two-way guard becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Other Sixers’ free agents with no reports so far:
Robert Covington
KJ Martin
De’Anthony Melton
Mo Bamba
Cameron Payne
Buddy Hield
Meetings with other free agents
Klay Thompson
Klay Thompson is set to meet with multiple teams early in free agency, including the Sixers, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Klay Thompson plans to have discussions with the Mavericks, Lakers, Clippers and 76ers in the opening hours of free agency, sources tell ESPN.
League veteran Reggie Bullock has been fielding his options after it was reported by The Athletic’s Kelly Iko that the Houston Rockets were unlikely to re-sign him. Iko further reported that Bullock has begun meeting with teams — including the Philadelphia 76ers.
Trade rumors
Nothing yet on the trade rumor front Sixers-wise. We will keep you posted.
Just days after the 2024 NBA Draft, and days before the free agency period, the Atlanta Hawks and the New Orleans Pelicans have made a big trade.
After two seasons, the Hawks are pulling the plug on the Trae Young-Dejounte Murray backcourt. And the New Orleans Pelicans have swooped in, sending out draft capital and Larry Nance Jr. in exchange for the former Spurs’ 2022 All-Star, Murray.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the story in bits and pieces on X: “Full trade on ESPN: Dejounte Murray for Larry Nance Jr., Dyson Daniels, 2025 first-round pick (via Lakers), 2027 first-round pick (least favorable of Bucks-Pels),” Woj reported.
In a follow up tweet, Woj added:
“New Orleans was 0-24 when trailing entering the fourth and 2-14 in close games and see Murray as a player who can generate offense late in games. Pels remain committed to core that includes Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum. Pels are trying to find common ground with Brandon Ingram contract.”
Woj said there is still more work to be done in Atlanta, remaking the young core in place there. Is Nance Jr. now a name the Sixers could eye? Daryl Morey and co. once showed some interest in acquiring the versatile and bouncy forward back in 2021.
But it’s that last line from Woj above about Ingram that will likely have most Sixer fans attention… will the Pelicans ultimately find common ground on a new extension with Ingram? I think most insiders would still guess that Ingram will be traded and not wind up extending with the team who traded for him five years ago in the Anthony Davis Lakers’ blockbuster. But this certainly gives them a bit more optionality.
The Pelicans have a chance to do something special with Ingram now and are not limited to securing a guard.
Possibilities are vast. Including the possibility he stays on a sub max!
PG has things on hold for at least another handful of hours
Photo by Tim Heitman/NBAE via Getty Images
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, speaking earlier Friday on ESPN’s “Get UP:”
“[The Sixers] have the most cap space out there, around $60M. They are obviously interested in signing Paul George. They have to hold their other business, their other free agent aspirations, until they see what Paul George’s decision is. That decision could come [Friday or Saturday] it may not be into free agency.”
So the Sixers may have real interest in trading for Brandon Ingram here. We’ve heard that he’s atop some of their fallback plan options in the past. But Daryl Morey and Co. likely won’t want to part with the precious draft assets for Ingram (they can still trade up to four first-rounders following their selection of Jared McCain Wednesday) until they know where they stand with PG.
Signing PG into Philadelphia’s cap space for a $212M max four-year deal would not only allow them to acquire a player more feared by defenders and scorers than Ingram, but additionally retain their significant draft haul to target even more help via trade between July and February’s 2025 NBA Trade Deadline.
But in the more likely event that PG remains on the West Coast, this big move by the Pelicans should:
probably signify a willingness-acceptance to move on from Ingram without any positional needs (the good part) and
give them more leverage in a potential deal — since their own fans will likely want to see how the current core looks together (the bad part).
Ingram has never played more than 64 games for the Peli’s in a single season, but the 26-year-old can create his own shot, pass, draw free throws, space the floor and knock down triples at a respectable clip.
We’re all waiting to see what happens with George. And before that, we’re keeping a close watch on names like Chris Paul and Andrew Wiggins, to see if the Warriors can find a way to thwart Morey’s plans just like the Clippers would love to do.
But New Orleans making a move like this could certainly be interpreted as a team that has accepted the very real possibility of moving on from the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft and 2020 All-Star.
There’s plenty of trade activity to come, just like Detroit’s deal for Tim Hardaway Jr. that we had to scrap from what was filed last night! More on the shaping offseason landscape @YahooSports: https://t.co/4e2SdvkL3k
Earlier Friday, Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer wondered if three first-round picks might be enough for Morey to land Ingram.
Could the Murray deal, sending out two picks, increase NOLA’s appetite to restock their future draft coffers? Or does GM David Griffin think they can work something out to keep BI around, having now added one more key piece to this Pelican puzzle?
Woj’s wording that New Orleans remains committed to Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum is probably the most interesting nugget from the Sixers’ POV. Keep watching that clock to see what Paul George does… he has until Saturday at 6 p.m. Eastern to make up his mind. Because Woj did not say they’re fully committed to building around BI, and Murray’s presence may be further evidence they’re ready for a retool. I wonder if B-Ball Paul Reed might appeal to them now that Nance Jr. is in Hotlanta. I guess they could use a low-priced athletic big.
The New Orleans Pelicans are now $2.6 million below the $171.3 million luxury tax line with 12 players, but more moves could follow.
They need a center, and are down one by moving Larry Nance Jr.
Brandon Ingram or CJ McCollum could be trade candidates to help acquire a big man.
Finally, the Hawks, still owe unprotected picks in 2025 and 2027 plus a swap to the Spurs San Antonio from the 2022 trade when they landed Murray. The Hawks may be thinking fire-sale if Morey wants to place a call and offer future draft ammo there too. Names like Trae Young, De’Andre Huter, Bogdan Bogdanović, Onyeka Okongwu, could all be left wondering about their future now as well.
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
Day one of the 2024 NBA Draft is in the books and the Philadelphia 76ers chose Duke’s Jared McCain, No. 16 overall — and no, they did not trade him….yet!
Daryl Morey, known to partake in more than a bit of gamesmanship, has already spoken about the 20-year-old, 6-foot-2 sniper as a player the team hopes is around for a long-time.
And McCain himself sounds like he’s prepared for a fanbase that can be notoriously love-hate: “Obviously [playing at Duke] comes with a lot of hate and a lot of scrutiny wherever you go,” McCain said, “but I think that’s preparing for where I’m at, especially with Philly, so I think I’m ready for it.”
So the Sixers have a couple of players on the roster. Three or four down, just need another 11 or 12 and they’ll be ready to roll.
One player whose name has come up is Portland Trailblazers forward Jerami Grant. Ten years ago, Grant was the No. 39 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Former Sixers’ President Sam Hinkie took Grant 36 spots after he landed Joel Embiid and 27 spots after selecting Dario Sarić.
On Thursday, before the start of the second day of the draft (where the Sixers are set to pick No. 41) Zach Lowe hosted “The Lowe Post” with fellow ESPN NBA Insider Jonathan Givony.
With the draft’s first round behind them, how will the Sixers fill out what’s nearly a full team’s worth of roster spots?
Lowe speculated about three names in particular in case Los Angeles Clippers’ star Paul George doesn’t end up joining them. Per Lowe:
“[Jimmy Butler may be] going back to Miami, OG Anunoby re-signed with the Knicks, other players that would have been free agents this year never got to free agency, notably Jrue Holiday. Philadelphia is running out of targets for the cap space. And the biggest story now in the NBA will get some clarity on Saturday — I wouldn’t say clarity, some version of clarity. And that’s when Paul George’s deadline is to opt in or opt out of his player option for next year…. I now have officially no feel for what’s gonna happen with Paul George…
Well, I guess his having no idea offers a little more hope they can still sign George than ESPN’s Brian Windhorst offered Wednesday. Notice Windy’s recent use of the past tense, and even tire violence:
“I’m not so sure Paul George really wanted to leave the West Coast. I think that was something that Philadelphia kinda ran into when they kicked the tires there.” — @WindhorstESPN
“….And I know Philadelphia is sitting there with this cap space and 25 percent of an NBA roster, sitting there knowing ‘we’ve gotta do something with that space to compete with Boston and now New York, and probably Milwaukee and maybe Indiana, and Cleveland…,the rest of the East. I’m sure they’ve got plans D, E and F. People have whispered Brandon Ingram, people have whispered Jerami Grant, neither of those are as exciting to me as Paul George. I don’t know what the hell is gonna happen here but we’re gonna get some clarity there on Saturday….”
Lowe goes on to mention that the Golden State Warriors will provide some clarity by Friday, when Chris Paul’s $30M salary could become guaranteed, and “obviously” they’ll look to trade the 12-time All-Star. Golden State is connected to George now as well, in the event George opts in and seeks a trade. Lowe says that CP3 decision will impact Klay Thompson’s free agency, and that while Lowe has “given up trying to read the tea leaves” on PG, another option is for the Sixers to look to sign a couple players like a Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, plus a “player X, Y, and Z.”
We’ve discussed Ingram and KCP at length in the past, but we have not heard many (if any) of these Jerami Grant whispers. Grant, now 30 years old, shot over 40 percent from distance, on over five 3PA per game in 117 games with the Blazers since 2022.
He averaged 21 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists on 45-40-82 shooting splits. It’s probably pretty tricky to truly evaluate players on 21-win teams (Grant comically coming full circle from his Process days) now up in Oregon. But there has been some sentiment that his defense has slipped in recent years (hovering around 112-114 def. rating in Denver and Detroit, now just 120 Drtg in Portland).
But the Sixers would obviously have to watch the tape to see how much of a 3-and-D player there is here and wonder if he couldn’t slow down names like Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum in playoff environments. Grant signed a $160M five-year deal just over a year ago. Many fans interpreted that move as a silly, failed attempt to keep Damian Lillard, now in Milwaukee, happy in Portland.
Grant is set to earn $29.7M in 2024-2025, and his annual raises bring his player option for the 2027-2028 up to $36.4M. Grant will turn 31 just four days before Joel Embiid will, as the two Pisces were born just days apart after swimming in different career directions.
Fun fact-story…. Hinkie drafted Grant then later Bryan Colangelo traded JG to OKC for a future pick. Colangelo quickly used that pick to move up to draft some dude who never came over (for the Sixers) named Anžejs Pasečņiks It was the same year Colangelo traded Hinkie’s bequeathed No. 3 pick and prized Kings’ 2019 pick to Boston for Markelle Fultz. By 2018, when Burnergate broke and Fultz busted, acting GM Elton Brand traded Markelle for the pick that would eventually become Tyrese Maxey. So thank you to Hinkie, Jerami, Elton, and, of course, Mike Muscala.
Grant isn’t a sexy name. He’s substantially overpaid and he’s a stunningly poor rebounder for a player with his size and athleticism.
But when you begin to consider that names like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope may be eyeing their own $25M contracts, maybe this one isn’t regarded as terribly as it was one summer ago?
Another way to sell yourself on a move like this would be to ask questions like the following:
How much worse might JG really be than PG? Could that gap narrow over the next four years?
How much better if at all is Brandon Ingram? How much cheaper would JG be to obtain?
How much better than JG is Mikal Bridges? Mikal posts some pretty comparable statistics, and yet the Nova stud fetched the Nets an even larger haul from the Knicks than they once got for Kevin Durant. Could Grant be an “arbitrage Mikal,” who allows you to save or even add picks, still leaving another ~$30M in salary?
Who else could you pair with JG with this summer that you couldn’t if you splurge on names like PG, OG or BI? Could a Grant-KCP duo, while retaining the picks, be better than BI acquired via some of those draft picks?
Would the Blazers offer flippable assets or even another helpful player in order to get that salary off their books?
How am I doing? Am I selling too hard? Whose idea was it that cap space and the thought of playing with Embiid and Maxey under Nick Nurse was going to lure stars to Philly anyway?
All food for thought, and again, this is just whispers. But I can tell you this…. if Grant returns to Philly, the Process coming full circle bits will be lit. And we’ll be forced to once again revisit how far the Colangelo takeover set this team back.
Heading into this year’s NBA draft, one of the bigger questions for the Philadelphia 76ers was whether they would even keep the 16th overall pick, or trade it away for a player perhaps better suited to help the team win immediately. However, with Jared McCain still on the board, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey decided to stay put, holding the belief that the Duke guard would help infuse the franchise with youth while also being able to contribute during the 2024-25 season.
One of the biggest reasons is how McCain’s game will complement Sixers stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, helping make their lives easier. During his press availability, Morey discussed the fit between his newest draftee and those All-Stars, first addressing concerns about a Maxey-McCain backcourt being small:
“I think that’s a valid concern. Obviously your backcourt, in a perfect world, you’d have taller. But I think you have to compensate that with strength. He’s got a strong frame — very strong. Good rebounder. We think he’ll be a solid defender in the league over time. He started off at Duke … he was being targeted at Duke and as the season went on, he became someone that was actually one of their better defenders. He’s got the attitude that Coach Nurse likes to bring, which is just get a little bit better every day. He’s got a 95th percentile approach to the game — teammate, work ethic. We’ve had some good luck taking the kids with a real base of potential and a strong work ethic. We were really happy. I’m excited for Philadelphia to get to know him.”
Morey also mentioned how McCain’s shooting will benefit the team:
“We really value shooting given the rest of the roster — especially Joel. We just think Joel’s unguardable when he has shooting around him. It doesn’t mean we don’t put tough-nosed guys out there. … I mean, early on, obviously Jared’s not going to be playing with Maxey a whole lot. It’s just hard for a rookie, but that elite shooting from two guys out on the floor is pretty hard to guard, and both of them make it really tough on if you try to guard them tight. I don’t have to sell Tyrese Maxey, but Jared can attack a closeout and make a play.”
During his own press availability in Brooklyn after being selected by Philadelphia, McCain also responded to questions about playing alongside Embiid and Maxey (quotes courtesy of NBA Public Relations).
“During all your career, you have been an excellent scorer, catch-and-shoot off the screen, and now you have the opportunity to play alongside one of the best big men in the league right now. Talk about the chemistry with Joel Embiid.”
“Yeah, I’m just excited to learn from him, learn from both Maxey and him. Obviously they are elite scorers, so I think I can space the floor and create space for them. I’m excited to get to know them and learn as much as possible from them.”
“I wanted to ask you about Maxey. He’s an extremely hard worker and I know how hard you work, too. I know you two are probably going to be fighting to go to the gym together. Talk about that, playing with Maxey, being able to space the floor. And was it a surprise going to Philly? I feel like a lot of people had you going here and felt like this was a great fit. Was it a surprise to you as well, too?”
“Yeah, I’m excited. Obviously Maxey, I’ve heard great things (about) him. Watching him on the court, he’s an elite player. Being able to play alongside him and learn from him. On draft night, there’s surprises everywhere. So I didn’t know where I was going. I tried not to get attached to any teams. So yeah, I guess it is a surprise, but I’m happy to be here.”
McCain seems like an easy guy to root for, and if his 41.4 percent three-point shooting at Duke carries over to the NBA level, he’ll certainly help the Sixers this season. We’ll hopefully get a first look at him in a Sixers uniform within the next couple weeks during Summer League action.
Kicking off a crucial offseason, Philadelphia stayed pat in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, using the 16th pick on Duke sharpshooter Jared McCain. The combo guard at Duke became known for his 40% three-point percentage, the TikToks he posts, his painted fingernails, and the shared journey he’s gone on with his brother.
Only minutes after his selection, McCain spoke to Sixers reporters for the first time. Spoiler alert: he mentioned cheesesteaks in his first answer.
McCain, who comes with a reputation of being a hard worker, thinks coming to Philadelphia should be an easy transition after playing off a big man during his freshman year at Duke.
“Obviously playing through [Kyle Filipowski], I learned to create space for him and just be able to let him do his work and find gaps and find ways to get open,” he said. “So I think it’s a great transition for me.”
Not only does he believe the on-court transition will go well, but he thinks his experience as a Duke Blue Devil and the reputation that comes with that will help his transition as a Philadelphian as well.
“Obviously that comes with a lot of hate and a lot of scrutiny wherever you go,” he said, “but I think that’s preparing for where I’m at, especially with Philly, so I think I’m ready for it.”
He was already asked about his TikToks and fingernails, and isn’t worried about how people will perceive him in a hard-nosed city.
“Yeah, you know I do the social media, the nail painting, I do all that stuff, but basketball is my main focus and this has been my dream since I was 4 or 5 years old,” he said. “So I’m going to do whatever I can just to win and bring a positive attitude and just have fun, man. I’m joyful with life and I try to bring that everywhere I go.”
McCain credits his family for his positive personality. He repeatedly mentioned that whatever hate he may face, he’s going to fight it with positivity.
“It’s gotten me this far, so I won’t stop now,” he said. “And even if there’s a bunch of hate coming my way, I try to be as positive as possible and just continue to work and trust my work.”
He’s essentially seen the draft process as a journey he’s gone on with his brother. Jayce McCain had to stop playing basketball due to blood clots, and went to Duke to become a grad assistant to be at the same school as his brother, Jared.
“It was our dream to get drafted, and so we both did it,” he said.
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.
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 isUSC’s Bronny James.
Most of the talk surrounding Bronny James involves his dad LeBron (who you might have heard of). But let’s address the question at hand: Should the Sixers draft Bronny James with likely no commitment from his dad to join him?
Bronny James checks a lot of boxes in the intangibles department: he has NBA-level athleticism, a selfless passing ability, and defensive tenacity at his size. James’ time at USC was limited due to health concerns and playing time, but he did show potential on several fronts. He made 43.8 percent of his pull-up jumpers at USC, albeit only on 32 attempts. Defensively, he has a wide, chiseled frame that he uses well. If he’s able to get playing time early, it’ll likely be for his defensive ability. He has quick hands and good reaction time that allows him to rack up deflections. Bronny’s young age and lack of experience could suggest that there’s plenty of room for him to grow.
Weaknesses
Above all basketball skills, Bronny James’ health is a serious question mark — he missed time earlier in the year, going into a sudden cardiac arrest as a result of a congenital heart defect. He’s been healthy since said incident, but heart issues are nothing to joke about. Switching back to on-court ability, and Bronny’s shooting and efficiency leave a lot to be desired. He struggled shooting the ball and shot a measly 19.6 percent on catch-and-shoot threes at USC, per Synergy. Bronny’s shooting woes date back to his high school days, where he only made 33.8 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes. While he is a willing passer, he doesn’t have the skills to be a primary playmaker at the next level.
Positional Fit
Bronny’s age and genetics suggest he could grow in size, but as is he’s almost certainly locked into being a point guard at the next level. USC listed him at 6-foot-4, but his recent draft combine measurements say he’s under 6-foot-2 without basketball shoes. His defensive ability is his best shot at getting quick playing time, with guys such as Davion Mitchell or Norris Cole being the best-case scenario comparisons.
Draft Projection
Second round
Most people across the NBA would agree that Bronny James is far from being NBA ready and that spending a year or two in the G League or at USC would do him some good. He’ll likely be a project player for whichever team drafts him.
’Tis the season for NBA mock drafts! ESPN’s Draft Analysts, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, posted their latest mock which includes updated intel from around the league — including your Philadelphia 76ers. Givony linked the Sixers to two prospects: Duke’s Jared McCain and Colorado’s Tristan Da Silva.
Starting off with McCain, who Givony mocks to the Sixers at No. 16 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, now just one week away:
“McCain appears to be firmly inside the top 20 at this point, earning a green room invitation and having enjoyed a positive pre-draft process. There’s interest in him from teams in the late lottery, and the Heat, 76ers and Lakers are all possibilities, creating what looks like a narrow range.
As an excellent shooter with impressive intangibles that have bolstered his case in the short and long term, McCain is well-prepared for an NBA adjustment and could be on a faster track to making an impact than your typical freshman. His ability to play both backcourt spots intelligently and provide immediate spacing has plenty of appeal to any team in need of shooting or guard depth.
If the 76ers keep this pick — which they may instead use as a trade chip — that type of skill set would make a lot of sense next to Tyrese Maxey. — Woo”
To get familiar with McCain, check out our draft profile found here.
McCain would be a solid pick for the Sixers, especially if the bigger names don’t fall. McCain is one of the best shooters in this draft and has a well-rounded offensive skillset. He’s more of a shooting guard than a traditional point guard, but he’d be an excellent fit offensively alongside Tyrese Maxey. Defensively, there are some concerns on how that theoretical backcourt would fare in big minutes due to a lack of size but it’s not something that the Sixers would be concerned with in the short-term.
Givony and Woo linked the Sixers to one other prospect in the first round, Colorado’s Tristan Da Silva, who they had going to the Los Angeles Lakers just one pick later:
“Da Silva was a surprising omission from the NBA’s early green-room list, but he may still earn an invitation, with firm interest in inside the top 20. He has interest as high as Memphis at No. 9, but will likely fall into the next range, where an array of playoff-caliber teams, including the Kings, Heat, Sixers, and Lakers, are all interested in his services.
Da Silva’s versatility at either forward spot on both ends and reliable 3-point shooting give him a good pathway to minutes next season, although his ceiling isn’t perceived quite as high as some of the younger players in this range.”
For info on Da Silva, check out our draft profile found here.
Da Silva is arguably one of the safer candidates in the top-20, presenting a higher floor and lower ceiling than other prospects in said range. For his size, he’s a gifted shooter and has drawn comparisons to Cam Johnson. However, he lacks athleticism and defensive tenacity to label him a true 3-and-D forward.
I wouldn’t put Da Silva at the top of my Sixers-centric draft board, but he presents a safe option if the big names go and the Sixers can’t find a deal for a veteran. He’d slot in nicely as a forward next to Embiid, offering floor spacing and a small splash of playmaking.
We’re mere days away from the NBA draft, so expect to get an even better understanding of what the Sixers could do in the near future.
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