PHILADELPHIA — The Sixers are considering adding Paul George, LeBron James or Pascal Siakam.
The Sixers have around $60 million in salary cap space, and with the help of chief of basketball operations Daryl Morey, they can sign one of these stars to a maximum contract. They can also keep restricted free agent Tyrese Maxey and likely bring in enough quality bench players to make a serious playoff run next season.
According to NBA sources, the Sixers have been pursuing George for months, and there might be other options available based on how teams adjust to the strict enforcement of salary cap rules. There was a rumor on social media that LeBron James would join the Sixers and his son, Bronny, would play for Villanova, but reports on Thursday indicated that this move for Bronny would not happen.
There's speculation that Jimmy Butler, who played with the Sixers in the 2018-19 season, could once again be a target for the team.
The Sixers might be able to sign George, James, and Siakam, one of the most versatile forwards in the league. Joel Embiid finds these possibilities exciting.
Embiid mentioned that the Sixers have a lot of cap space and picks, so they have the opportunity to make significant moves. However, they also need to be fortunate that something good comes up through free agency and trades. Having a superstar join the team is exciting for Embiid as he looks to build something great.
Expect unexpected player availability in the NBA this offseason due to penalties for exceeding payroll thresholds that will kick in fully in 2024-25. This will likely force teams flirting with two tiers of luxury tax levels to let go of quality players.
On the flip side, the Sixers only have guaranteed contracts for next season for Joel Embiid and little-known point guard Jeff Dowtin, so they need to make tough decisions to fill out the roster.
It's almost certain that forward Tobias Harris won't return with an average salary of $39 million per season. The Sixers need to decide whether to bring him back using their Bird rights for roughly $10 million a year over three years. They also have Bird rights options on Buddy Hield, Robert Covington, Nicolas Batum, De’Anthony Melton, and Kenyon Martin Jr.
Kyle Lowry, Kelly Oubre, and Cameron Payne are set to become unrestricted free agents without Bird rights, like the previous group.
The Sixers have to make decisions on bringing back Oubre and Lowry, and considering whether to keep the 35-year-old Batum, who may retire. Hield's performance may make him a player the team wants to retain using Bird rights.
The Sixers have potential trade options with the 16th and 41st picks in the draft, and Maxey is staying with the team. The Sixers will offer him a qualifying deal, which means they can match any big offer from another team.
Morey and Sixers general manager Elton Brand have flexibility with the salary cap. The Sixers are expected to be $110 million below the luxury tax threshold. However, the team struggled with injuries and consistency for most of the season. Once again, Embiid was injured nearing the playoffs.
Embiid mentioned that it's not his responsibility to figure out new roster additions, and he doesn't seem happy about integrating many new teammates. He values having Maxey back next season and their chemistry. Losing James Harden after a brief time with the team wasn't enjoyable. Embiid doesn't want another short-term superstar acquisition.
Embiid pointed out that all the short-term acquisitions only lasted one year, which is a problem. He highlighted the long-standing partnerships of successful teams like Denver and Golden State. He emphasized the challenge of assembling a team and hoping it would succeed for only one year.
While change is unavoidable in professional sports, some players handle it better than others. With a significant new addition alongside Maxey and Embiid, the Sixers would hypothetically have enough strength to overcome injuries. However, can they adopt the style of basketball Coach Nick Nurse wants, which relies on consistency? The Sixers' performance in late-game situations was lacking during their six-game loss to the Knicks in the playoffs.
Nurse stated that the season was similar to the playoff series, being tough and challenging. He mentioned the ongoing injury issues, which made it difficult to organize and synchronize the team effectively. Coach Nurse felt that the constant changes made it tough to maintain the desired level of organization and connection.
George turned 34 on Thursday, James will be 40 next season, and Butler will be 35. None played more than 74 regular season games, while Siakam played 80. In a few months, the Sixers will determine who they believe gives them the best chance to progress.
Contact Bob Grotz at [email protected].
