The Philadelphia 76ers have released their roster for the 2024 Summer League, which will feature games in Salt Lake City, Utah along with Las Vegas.
As expected, the roster will feature their first- and second-round draft picks, Jared McCain and Adem Bona. Joining them will be the team’s current two-way players Justin Edwards and David Jones. Jeff Dowtin Jr., who recently had his team option declined, will join them for the Utah portion of Summer League. Ricky Council IV, now in his second year, will also suit up alongside them.
This roster also features some familiar names, including Tony Bradley who played (well) on the 2020-21 Sixers. Both Romeo Langford and RJ Hampton are former first-round draft picks and intriguing additions.
There’s plenty of intrigue to be found outside of the bigger names as well. Judah Mintz, a 20-year old guard out of Syracuse, went undrafted in the 2024 draft which came as a surprise to some. He plays as a bigger guard and has serious playmaking skill for his 6-foot-4 frame. If he shows out, he could make a serious case for their last two-way contract spot.
Keve Aluma is a Virginia Tech (2020-22) product who has played professional basketball overseas for the past few seasons. Darius Days out of LSU is another rangy forward who had a short two-way stint with the Houston Rockets in 2022-23.
Max Fiedler was one of several undrafted guys the Sixers came away with out of the 2024 NBA draft; signing an Exhbit-10 deal which means he’ll likely remain around the Sixers and Delaware Blue Coats post-Summer League. A fun fact about Fieder: He’s the all-time leader in rebounds (1,144), assists (571), field goal percentage (.658) and games played (148) and games started (135) for his alma mater, Rice University. He’ll likely backup Bona, alongside Tony Bradley as a reserve big.
Rounding out the roster is Justin Powell, who most recently played in the G League with the Cleveland Charge. Powell is a well-built shooting guard with an excellent perimeter shot and all-around game. Jaylen Sims shined during his time with the Greensboro Swarm as a rangy 6-foot-6 guard capable of providing a little bit of everything. Last but not least is Jordan Tucker, a 6-foot-7 wing who has spent time in the G League and playing overseas for the past few seasons.
Overall, I think the Sixers have fielded a diverse Summer League roster with legitimate talent. We’ll see if Jared McCain and company have enough to dethrone the Summer League super team the Utah Jazz have thrown together. See the Summer Sixers in action starting Monday, July 8, against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
With the NBA Draft having come and gone as well as free agency now underway, it might be hard to keep up with who is actually on the Philadelphia 76ers roster right now. Not to worry, we have you covered.
Stay up to date with the Sixers roster with this post that we will be updating as things continue to develop and change!
Current Sixers’ standard roster (8 of 15 filled)
Joel Embiid, C
Andre Drummond, C
Paul Reed, PF/C*
Paul George, SF
Kelly Oubre Jr., SF
Ricky Council IV, SF**
Tyrese Maxey, PG
Eric Gordon, SG
Current Sixers’ two-way contracts (2 of 3 filled)
David Jones, SF (undrafted free agent, Memphis)
Justin Edwards, SF (undrafted free agent, Kentucky)
Current unsigned draft picks (2)
Jared McCain, SG (2024 NBA Draft, first round pick)***
Adem Bona, C (2024 NBA Draft, second round pick)****
Current Sixers’ free agents
(Only includes those not yet reportedly signing elsewhere)
Robert Covington, F (UFA)
Buddy Hield, G (UFA)
Kyle Lowry, G (UFA)
KJ Martin, F (UFA)
Cameron Payne, G (UFA)
*Reed’s $7.7 million deal is not guaranteed for 2024-25
**Council’s $1.9 million deal is not guaranteed for 2024-25
***McCain is likely to be given a standard NBA contract for $4.0 for 2024-25
****Bona is likely to be given the final two-way spot, but could also be signed using the second-round exception
If you’re not excited about the Paul George signing because of concerns about how the contract will look a few years down the road, or just because the Philadelphia 76ers have hurt you too many times in the past, let me illustrate how much worse things could be.
Your franchise could owe $65 million to someone not to coach the team.
The team could have won no more than 23 games in any of the past five seasons, but picked no higher than fifth overall in any of the past three drafts.
Your team could have just signed Tobias Harris for two years, $52 million.
Sorry, Detroit Pistons fans.
Tobias Harris has agreed to a two-year, $52 million deal with the Detroit Pistons, sources tell ESPN.
Of note, the second year is fully guaranteed with no option.
Can confirm the Pistons and Tobias Harris have agreed on a two-year, $52 million deal. @wojespn first.
Sources tell The Athletic that there are no options.
Detroit gets shooting and, again, availability. With $24-ish million in cap space left.
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) July 1, 2024
For a long time, Tobias Harris ending up in Detroit was a running joke here at Liberty Ballers and seemed set in stone. But when the franchise parted ways with general manager Troy Weaver at the end of May and hired Trajan Langdon, I really thought that ship sailed. Now, the thinking was, they would assuredly be wiser with the cap space. Langdon even said the right things about using it to take on unwanted contracts to acquire assets. The trade to bring in Tim Hardaway Jr. from Dallas in exchange for three second-round picks seemed like a step in that direction, although if you are high on Quentin Grimes you still may not have liked the trade. Unfortunately for Pistons fans, the Harris connection to Detroit, where he previously played parts of three seasons, remained too strong.
I mean, who was really bidding against Detroit here for Tobias that could offer $26 million per year? Utah’s Danny Ainge is too smart for something like this. At the very least, how do you not make the second year a team option so it could be viewed as essentially a potentially useful, large expiring contract at the trade deadline, should you desire?
To look at the other side for a moment, Harris is a good locker room presence. I’m sure there’s some value in his teaching the young guys how a 401(k) works and starting a book club. He’s also durable, having played in at least 70 games in each of the last nine seasons (excepting the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season). He’ll probably average 18 per game with decent percentages and there will be some analytic showing Tobias is worth the money that Torrel Harris can use for his powerpoint presentation the next time a contract negotiation rolls around.
But as anyone who watched the Sixers in recent years knows, for every 25-point game Harris has, there will be a few where he’s just out there getting cardio (and not even hard cardio, but the sort of cardio where you’re interested in paying attention to the ball game that’s on the treadmill so you set it to 70 percent speed). Tobias may be able to teach the young guys some good lessons off the court, but he’s teaching them on the court that you can go five years without drawing a charge (officially) or grabbing a contested loose ball (unofficially, but I’m sure there weren’t many), and still get paid.
I hold no personal animosity towards Tobias Harris and I’m sure some of that money will generously go towards worthwhile charitable endeavors. But, I sure am glad to be out of the Tobias Harris business and I’m shocked that another franchise was this eager to sign up for it.
It appears James Harden did not scare away the Sixers’ “Plan A.”
Paul George will be a Sixer. The nine-time All-Star is leaving the Clippers and plans to sign with Philly for a four-year, $212 million max deal. ESPN’S Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the news. The fourth and final year of the contract is a player option, per Woj.
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
While reports circulated about the Sixers’ interest waning and George perhaps opting into his deal with L.A., Daryl Morey got it done the cleanest way possible by signing the four-time All-Defensive Team pick into the team’s cap space. There was much to consider for George, a Palmdale native, leaving the West Coast, but the Sixers’ offer likely proved to be one he couldn’t refuse. Several reports indicated that L.A. was unwilling to offer George a fourth year.
In signing George, the Sixers get the player many believed to be the team’s “Plan A” with its cap space plan. George, a six-time All-NBA selection, adds size, scoring, playmaking and defense on the wing. With his ability to make threes at a high volume (41.3% on 7.9 attempts per game last season) and add complementary scoring, he is an ideal running mate for Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
The concerns with George will be mostly tied to his age. He turned 34 in May, meaning he will be 37 entering the final year of his deal with the Sixers. On top of that, there are some durability concerns. While he played in 74 games last season, that was his highest amount played since he was a member of the Thunder in 2018-19. In the previous four years, George played 189 out of a possible 318 games — or less than 60%. On a team that features Embiid, that could loom large.
So, what’s next? The Sixers will still have cap space to spend and draft assets to play with. Now that they’ve got their three stars locked in, it’s time to finish building out the roster around them.
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
Now that the draft has come and gone, it’s time to see these guys take the court. The NBA announced today its schedule for this year’s Vegas Summer League, a tournament in which all 30 teams participate it.
The Sixers’ first contest in Vegas this year will be on July 13, three days after they’ll conclude the Salt Lake City summer league.
Their first contest will be against the Detroit Pistons at 7 p.m. ET. They’ll take on the Portland Trail Blazers next on the 15th at 8:30 and the Minnesota Timberwolves the next day at 8. They’ll wrap up the round robin portion of play on the 19th when they take on the San Antonio Spurs.
Sixers’ Las Vegas Summer League schedule:
-vs Pistons on Saturday 7/13 @ 7:00 PM ET -vs Blazers on Monday 7/15 @ 8:30 PM ET -vs Wolves on Tuesday 7/16 @ 8:00 PM ET -vs Spurs on Friday 7/19 @ 8:30 PM ET
Philadelphia could have a pretty intriguing squad this summer, one that’ll likely feature Terquavion Smith and Ricky Council IV. On top of draft picks Jared McCain and Adem Bona joining the squad, the team just added two more undrafted free agents on the wing in Justin Edwards and David Jones.
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 isKentucky’s Justin Edwards.
Justin Edwards was named Pennsylvania’s Mr. Basketball in 2023 after leading Imhotep to a second straight state championship. The Philadelphia native, joined by Camden’s D.J. Wagner, was part of yet another impressive recruiting class for Kentucky. Though Edwards was one of the top recruits in the country, he had an inconsistent lone season with the Wildcats.
Edwards has legitimate NBA wing size at 6-foot-6 and a 6-10 wingspan. His lefty stroke is smooth. He has a quick and high release with the ability to shoot over defenders. After a slow shooting start, he hit over 46% from deep over his last 18 games (albeit on just 2.6 attempts a game). Though he didn’t test great at the combine, he looks athletic on the court. He showed legitimate slashing ability and good touch around the rim. He also displays decent instincts as a cutter and off-ball mover.
He showed flashes as an off-ball defender, getting into passing lanes and racking up deflections. His point-of-attack defense looked good in certain matchups, using his length well to bother smaller opponents.
Weaknesses
For such a high recruit, there was a lot of inconsistency from Edwards. It’s fair to wonder if it was a product of Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham — both projected to go high in the first round — outshining him or a bigger issue. Either way, he got lost in the shuffle a lot last season. He’s very left-hand dominant on drives and there wasn’t much as far as playmaking for others.
Defensively is where you wonder if that lack of elite athleticism will show up. While he did have moments as an on-ball defender, he did look stiff against shiftier players. It’s something that could potentially improve, but he’ll have to work at it.
Positional Fit
Edwards is clearly a wing. What type of wing remains to be seen. His shooting stroke should allow him to stick in the NBA. How he develops the rest of his game — ball handling, playmaking, defense — will determine his role at the next level.
Draft Projection
Second round
This does sort of feel like the type of player Daryl Morey would draft. His draft record suggests he won’t take players because of positional fit or whether they can help right away. He’s going to take the best player available, likely with the highest upside. Edwards is a guy you can talk yourself into because big wings that can shoot will likely never go out of style in the NBA.
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 Kentucky’s Robert Dillingham.
Coming off his freshman season, most draft analysts had Rob Dillingham as a surefire lottery pick. However, with the top of this draft’s murkiness, combined with other prospects rising, many around the league are thinking he could fall out of the lottery entirely. If he’s available at 16, should the Sixers take him despite not being the best fit? Let’s break it down.
High School: Donda Academy (Simi Valley, California)
Strengths
Rob Dillingham shines offensively as a shot creator. He’s shifty and is more than capable changing directions on a whim. He gets to where he wants more times than not, finishing with runners or crafty layups. Dillingham also is a proven shooter, who hit nearly half of his catch-and-shoot threes during his freshman season. Whether it’s off movement or standard spot-ups, he’s solidified himself as one of the best shooters in this draft. Off ball, he’s more than willing to cut or even set screens, which could pair great with a playmaking big (cough, Joel Embiid, cough). Dillingham’s four assists per game don’t scream playmaker, but he’s very skilled; he’s capable of cross-court kickouts or wraparound passes. At Kentucky, Dillingham drastically improved as a passer, passing out of pick-and-rolls in 57 percent of possessions (per Synergy). Defensively, Dillingham plays with effort and chases shooters through screens and handoffs.
Weaknesses
Dillingham’s commendable defensive effort has come back to bite him at times. He’s been erratic at times, getting too handsy, lost, or out of position too often. Dillingham’s frame is small, both in size and weight. Unlike other guards (such as Tyrese Maxey who is 6-foot-2 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan), he doesn’t have a big wingspan which may limit his defensive potential even if he does add some weight or size. While Dillingham has improved as a passer, there’s still some room for more improvement — his passes often require his teammates to catch and adjust accordingly. At the college level, Dillingham proved to be a capable finisher but the NBA’s increased size and length may challenge his ability.
Positional Fit
Barring a huge growth spurt, Dillingham will almost certainly be a full-time point guard at the next level. He simply lacks the size or length to defend twos or other positions. Comparing his play style to other players, it’s hard not to draw comparisons to Kemba Walker — a smaller guard who used his quickness, shiftiness and handle to break down defenders.
Draft Projection
SB Nation mock draft: No. 12th, OKC Thunder
Most have Rob Dillingham as a sure-fire lottery pick, however recent rumors and reports suggest that he might slip out of the top-14. If he’s available at 16, I think it would be a borderline no-brainer move to draft him. Dillingham’s talent alone is legit, and while there would be size concerns alongside Tyrese Maxey, they could ease him into the league in a backup/fringe rotation role. Or they could draft Dillingham and use him in a future deal. Several rebuilding teams need up-and-coming point guards and there would be a real market for him if he’s made available.
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.
“I always believed that if we only have this one life, then let’s experiment with it.”
-David Bowie, told to TeleGraph, 1996
I think if you ask most fans, they’d still agree that Michael Jordan, possessing six championship rings, is The Greatest of All Time.
LeBron James has been squarely in the conversation ever since he won his fourth title with the Lakers in the bubble. And there are plenty of experts and fans who’d take The King over His Airness outright. But unless the NBA’s all-time season-scoring leader wins a fifth ring (which would tie the Akron native with names like Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson), I’m not sure that he’ll convince enough people that he’s THE best to ever lace ’em up. One more ring would win over another wave. Two more might just put the whole thing to bed.
Hearing MJ talk over the years, one of El GOAT’s biggest regrets has been the 1997 Bulls management blowing up a dynasty, preparing for the future beyond MJ’s career, saving a few bucks. Jordan wanted a seventh, perhaps somehow knowing he’d one day be competing with players better than any he’d actually gotten the chance to face on a court.
So what’s LeBron’s mindset heading into year 22? One more ring in L.A. and a local might ask “so was he better than Shaq, Kareem, Kobe or Magic?” When you have 17 banners this is just what’s expected. But in Philly, where there haven’t been any banners since 1983? Now we’re talking about some true legend shit.
Sun rays, comfort, hope and a prayer
Sure, it might be comfortable for LeBron and his fam to stay in sunny L.A. Sure, LeBron probably has the confidence to convince himself his team with Anthony Davis (a true top-10ish talent when healthy) can win the title in 2025. Meh.
Sure, there’s the pipedream that maybe the Lakers’ 2024, 2029 and 2031 first-round picks along with several of Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent or Rui Hachimura might land a Jimmy Butler, a Donovan Mitchell or a Brandon Ingram.
But in his heart of kingly hearts, the 20-time All-Star probably does sense his career mortality looming. He probably does understand the Lakers have few paths to land the very big fish they’d need to help him catch Magic let alone Mike.
Alas, the 13-time All-NBA First Teamer could soon become a free agent. But the absence of rumors he might depart, combined with the Lakers already embarrassing offseason, already has fans wondering if he’s not as motivated to win as he once was.
Maybe LeBron can tune them out until the end of the month. But the speculation will only explode assuming he re-signs and begins the twilight of his career mired in mediocrity.
The Philadelphia 76ers (with a true top-six per Bleacher Report’s latest ranking talent when healthy) with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey (a newcomer to the top 20ish players) have about $65M in cap space.
If LeBron extends with the Lakers he can earn $164.3M. If he opts out and signs with the Sixers he’s looking at $157.5M. Pocket pennies for a dude worth about $1.2B.
And unlike L.A., few here are asking about the Sixers (set to drop a full max on Maxey) what BR’s Eric Pincus asked Tuesday: “are the Lakers just … cheap?
Philadelphia could give King a max, trade up to five first-round picks, still come up with another ~$15Mish in space, plus an $8M exception, all while signing a few of his preferred vets on min deals. They still wouldn’t be as top-heavy or expensive as Boston’s roster is built, they could offer ring-chasing vets a significant playing-role since they’d need cheap depth.
Joel, Maxey, LeBron, KCP, Caruso, Lowry, Batum, Drummond, Bronny, and maybe even Oubre or Hield anyone?
Per Newsweek, DraftKings is already slotting the Sixers in for the seventh-best (+1200, an implied 7.7% chance) odds to win the 2025 championship. LAL is given just the 10th-best odds (+2000, 4.7%), almost half of Philly’s.
If in fact the Lakers and ESPN/Woj were using the Hurley story as a distraction from Redick, leading Woj to then actually want them to hire Hurley, leading them to losing Redick, it is one of the dumbest and greatest sports media stories of all time https://t.co/JjWvrrUjvy
Can you imagine how much higher the Sixers’ title odds would be if LeBron signed in Philly, not LA? Only Boston would have the edge, and with Kristaps Porzingis’ new injuries, I’m not sure it would be an edge at all.
Celtics announce Kristaps Porzingis torn medial retinaculum allowing dislocation of the posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg at 3:27 of the third quarter of Game 2. They say the injury is unrelated to Porzingis’s prior right calf injury.
Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill recently referred to the LakeShow as a “circus:”
“Some folks around the league feel J.J. Redick won’t want to be involved with this circus, and that he won’t want to be a second choice, but he wants to coach.”
ESPN’s Senior Writer Zach Lowe reminded us that the Lakers are a Play-In team almost every year.
Fans are reasonably trying to suss out how much LeBron cares about winning and the current coaching search.
Does King James just want his podcast buddy JJ Redick to coach? Did he secretly prefer UConn’s Dan Hurley or did Rob Pelinka go against James’ wishes again?
Was it all a leverage ploy by Hurley’s camp? Did the Lakers, known playfully as the league’s “mom and pop shop,” just get too cheap?
Interesting info from @ShamsCharania on the Lakers pursuit of Dan Hurley:
– JJ was their first option from the beginning (weeks ago) – Lakers only recently found out (last week potentially) that Dan Hurley was having contract negotiations with UConn – Lakers jumped the gun and… pic.twitter.com/muOzl5TkNP
Why are we hearing “GM LeBron” — one of the most notoriously involved player/GMs ever — isn’t really involved now? Is his focus divided between hoops Cali business interests?
Hmmm….
Just speculation here but this is the first time this offseason I’ve thought LeBron leaving is on the table. Vibes are in the dirt right now.
The markets, media and fans all smell that LA circus popcorn popping, so why doesn’t James? Is he stubborn? Does he feel loyalty?
Kyrie Irving’s Finals run with the Mavs cannot be sitting well
Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
If it’s loyalty, he shouldn’t let that sway him. How much resentment might James harbor against his current franchise’s front office for not topping the Dallas Mavericks offer for Irving when they reportedly had the opportunity?
By 2023, James called his former running mate “the most gifted player” in NBA history.
It’s been reported that the Lakers could have bested Dallas’ offer back in 2023. Per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“LeBron wanted the Lakers to trade for Kyrie Irving when he was on the trade block, a couple of different times in ’22 and ’23….The Lakers actually could’ve created the cap space to beat the Mavericks offer last year, but they elected not to.”
As Sam Quinn put it for CBS Sports: “[Dallas’ offer] was an offer the Lakers could have topped, and the Nets demanded that they do so.”
Marc Stein, via Substack, laid out what Brooklyn asked for and L.A. wasn’t willing to offer: “They didn’t just want the two firsts and Russ [Westbrook]. They wanted [Austin] Reaves. They wanted [Max] Christie. They wanted Rui [Hachimura]….”
I know Irving carried more than a bit of baggage, but talent-wise, if you’re not prepared to cash in (two distant future picks, Rui and Reaves, while netting a dumping grounds for Westbrook’s hilariously bad contract) to capitalize on LeBron f—-g James’ prime, you’re doing something wrong.
LeBron sat down with @RealMikeWilbon to share his thoughts on the Lakers not being able to trade for his former teammate Kyrie Irving:
“I can’t sit here and say I’m not disappointed on not being able to land such a talent.” pic.twitter.com/2smRTk3Y0c
James told coaching candidate JJ Redick on their co-hosted Mind the Game pod:
“There was nothing on the basketball floor that Kyrie couldn’t do…. I am so f—ing mad at the same time that I am not his running mate anymore.”
This reminds me… Tom Brady is considered the GOAT of the NFL, right?
NFL star Aaron Rodgers, after a rare down year in 2019, had to watch his Packers’ franchise draft his replacement over some premier offensive weapons in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Rodgers was furious and responded by bouncing back and winning back-to back NFL MVP’s in 2020 and 2021.
In the 2020 NFC Championship game, the eventual Super Bowl MVP Brady, threw three interceptions in seven plays, uncharacteristically imploding.
But Joel Embiid’s favorite team at the time, the Packers, simply couldn’t capitalize.
Stud receivers the Pack could have selected like Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman fell to other teams, as Rodgers’ future backup stood uselessly on the sidelines in the Conference Finals. GB lost by five points in an agonizingly winnable home game. Brady went on to win his eighth ring in a route the very next game.
The Bulls underestimated how much MJ had left in the tank. The Pack underestimated how much Rodgers had left in the tank. And the Lakers underestimated both LeBron and Kyrie. All left bullets that would have helped in the clip. All paid the price.
So LeBron shouldn’t feel any undying loyalty or obligation here to the Lakers. They’ve made their bed. He certainly doesn’t have to lie in it.
If we’re just evaluating where LeBron would have a better chance of winning a ring, it’s Philly.
The Sixers have Maxey and the Lakers don’t. The Sixers have Nurse and the Lakers don’t. The Sixers have Morey and the Lakers have Pelinka.
Oh, and the Sixers are in the East. https://t.co/dqliUxdmUa
Yes, Anthony Davis makes an elite star-running mate. His 2020 title run was sensational. But like Embiid, he’s no exemplar of health. If both bigs are risky bets, at least Embiid is better when both are healthy.
If LeBron wants to compete for a ring, AND get a max deal, AND get to play with Bronny, then he should come to the Sixers!!!!! pic.twitter.com/8NNJ3dGbl1
Austin Reaves is good. But he’s certainly no Maxey.
The Sixers could in theory (since they’re not as cheap as L.A.) sign LeBron, then target two role players Bron won a chip with in KCP (an FA) and Bulls’ Alex Caruso (via trade). There would still likely be dollars and picks leftover to retain names like Kyle Lowry, Nico Batum, and even go shopping for cheap help like Andre Drummond or Kevon Looney, or a 2025 version of Oubre, looking to resurrect a career.
That may not be a super team, but it might be.
LeBron averaged over 26 points per 36 eleven times in his career. But during three of his four title-winning campaigns, the King averaged 26 pts/36 or less. Playing alongside Joel and Maxey might approximate some of that Big Three dynamic he enjoyed in Miami and Cleveland. He’d have to keep carrying the show in L.A.
Redick or whoever L.A. hires as coach might be good. But in his first season he certainly won’t be 2019 champ Nick Nurse. This Conference is no cakewalk. But Indiana making the East Finals reminds us how open it is. The West? I don’t know.
In some ways, it feels like LeBron is already #OneOfUs.
It isn’t difficult to sniff out where The King would have his most realistic chance to catch Kobe, if not Jordan.
If I’m LeBron James, I go back East.
It makes more sense.
The West & the Lakers ain’t it when the youth is taking over with OKC, Minnesota, Denver, Dallas, Houston on the rise & Golden State is still gonna be there.
— Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) June 10, 2024
Oh right, and all he’d have to do is say the word and Daryl Morey would probably draft his son Bronny James.
Can you even imagine a better storyline than this one:
James won his fifth championship, on his fourth team, delivering a title to every team he’s ever played for, in his 22nd NBA season, while sharing the floor with his soon-to-be-20-year-old son, Bronny James.
#GOAT shit.
If I had LeBron’s confidence, this type of hypothetical might even have me wondering if I could show up in Philly, F-k around and threepeat, topping Jordan’s six rings.
If LeBron wants another ring (as much as MJ would have) then he’d set sail for the Sixers. Rolling the dice on AD’s body holding up isn’t much — if any — safer than betting on Embiid’s.
If James is comfy going out on his own terms, not having to move, padding regular season all-time point stats, scrapping and clawing for the Play-In, then I suspect he’s better off staying put.
But if his own team wasn’t even willing to bet on his remaining window by mortgaging the future for Irving, wouldn’t it make some sense to find a significantly better team that truly believes in him?
Go rewatch “The Last Dance” and tell me MJ would have been content with four rings and some glorious sunshine during his final All-NBA worthy seasons.
One day, far away, someone new will come along and win five rings, and pundits will wonder if this heir apparent is better than James was. And Bron might just regret once opting for the comfy confines of Cali instead of using his remaining prowess to pursue glory alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and his son. Guess we’ll see how badly he wants to be the GOAT in a couple of weeks.
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