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Author: Gina Mizell

  • NBA free agency news: Sixers add Dean Wade, making Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes returns less likely

    NBA free agency news: Sixers add Dean Wade, making Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes returns less likely

    • What you should know
    • NBA free agency had its soft launch Tuesday evening, as teams were allowed to begin negotiating with other teams’ players beginning at 6 p.m.
    • The Sixers agreed to a four-year, $39 million deal with Cavaliers forward Dean Wade, one of Mike Gansey’s succeess stories in Cleveland.
    • The Sixers didn’t have much money to spend entering the day, as Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George account for nearly $155 million of the projected $165 million salary cap. Here’s a breakdown of some options.
    • The Sixers picked up the team options for Dominick Barlow and Dalen Terry on Monday, but not Trendon Watford.
    • Elsewhere in the NBA, LeBron James informed the Lakers he will play for a different team next season. And Kawhi Leonard was traded to the Raptors.

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 11:11pm

    Source: Sixers, Dean Wade agree to four-year deal

    The Sixers are signing Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade.

    Mike Gansey’s first free-agency move as the 76ers’ president of basketball operations is adding a player with whom he is quite familiar.

    Dean Wade has agreed to a four-year, $39 million contract with the Sixers, a league source confirmed to The Inquirer late Tuesday. The deal comes out of the nontaxpayer mid-level exception.

    Wade was one of Gansey’s success stories in his previous job as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ general manager. Wade evolved from undrafted player to rotation forward, and last season averaged 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 22.3 minutes across 59 games. His 6-foot-9, 230-pound frame allows for defensive versatility, and he is a career 36.7% three-point shooter.

    Unsurprisingly, multiple reports surfaced over the weekend that the Sixers were among the teams interested in Wade.

    Wade’s addition makes it less likely that the Sixers will be able to bring back starting forward Kelly Oubre Jr. and sixth man Quentin Grimes, who also have entered unrestricted free agency. Andre Drummond, Trendon Watford, and Kyle Lowry are the other free agents for a Sixers team with limited financial resournces because Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George all remain on max contracts.

    Wade joins first-round draft pick Labaron Philon Jr., as the Sixers’ additions so far this offseason. They also picked up the team options in Dominck Barlow and Dalen Terry’s contracts for the 2026-27 season.

    Source: Sixers add Dean Wade on first night of free agency

    — Gina Mizell

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 10:04pm

    Sixers get tough draw in NBA Cup group

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 8:01pm

    The Jalen Duren saga takes another turn

    Jalen Duren is from Delaware County and went to Roman Catholic.

    After a few days of reports pointing otherwise, it seems Pistons center and former Roman Catholic star Jalen Duren could be staying put in Detroit.

    On Tuesday, ESPN’s Marc J. Spears reported that the Pistons have offered the most “lucrative contract possible for their All-Star restricted free agent,” adding that the team will match any other team’s offer.

    The news comes a day after NBA insider Chris Haynes reported Duren was set to meet with the Sacramento Kings at the start of free agency. Haynes added that Duren’s camp and the Pistons were a “sizable distance apart” in contract negotiations, and Duren was hoping to depart Detroit in a sign and trade.

    This past season, the Delco native was an All-NBA Third Team selection, averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds. Duren, 24, helped spearhead the Pistons’ defensive effort, which catapulted the team to the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed. However, Duren struggled to produce in the playoffs as the Pistons fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round.

    Because of Duren’s All-NBA selection, he is eligible for a five-year supermax contract worth up to $287 million.

    — Conor Smith

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 7:43pm

    Are the Sixers waiting on a LeBron decision?

    A potential LeBron James return to Cleveland could have a ripple effect on the Sixers.

    Could LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers be indirectly holding up the Sixers’ potential free agency moves?

    After James told the Los Angeles Lakers earlier Tuesday that he intended to sign with a new team, he naturally became attached to another reunion with his hometown Cavaliers. Cleveland also is reportedly aiming to work on a new multi-year deal with James Harden, whom they traded for at the February deadline.

    All of that would require clearing cap space to add James. To do this, The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer reported earlier Tuesday that the Cavaliers were exploring options to trade Max Strus and Dennis Schroder.

    How does this potentially connect to the Sixers? One of Philly’s reported free-agency targets is Dean Wade, whom new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey helped uncover as an undrafted player who became a key rotation piece for the Cavaliers. If a James deal with Cleveland does not pan out — or even if it did — re-signing Wade could be part of Cleveland’s Plan B with that cleared-out space.

    Where Wade lands, in turn, could impact the likelihood that the Sixers pursue bringing back Kelly Oubre Jr. and/or Quentin Grimes.

    The slow start to free agency — other than the massive Kawhi Leonard trade, of course — is an indication that James’ decision could be putting multiple teams’ plans in a holding pattern, which then halts the domino effect across the league.

    — Gina Mizell

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 7:07pm

    NBA Cup championship heads to Hinkle Fieldhouse

    The NBA Cup championship will head to a more intimate venue for the 2026-27 season.

    Previously held in Las Vegas, it will be held in Hinkle Fieldhouse on Butler’s campus in Indianapolis, which holds only 9,100 spectators.

    Called Indiana’s Basketball Cathedral, the arena was constructed in 1928 and has hosted the Butler basketball and volleyball programs for nine decades.

    The New York Knicks are the reigning champions of the NBA Cup, where they defeated the San Antonio Spurs. That matchup was recreated in the NBA Finals — with the same result.

    — DeAntae Prince

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 6:40pm

    Tim Hardaway Jr. to join Giannis in Miami

    Sharpshooter Tim Hardaway, who Gina Mizel identified as a possible target for the Sixers, is taking his talents to South Beach, according to multiple reports.

    — Matt Mullin

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 6:38pm

    Bones Hyland returning to Timberwolves

    Timberwolves guard Bones Hyland is staying in Minnesota.

    Delaware native Bones Hyland, a potential option for the Sixers, was one of the first signees of free agency, inking a one-year, veteran-minimum deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

    Hyland agreed to return next season after reinventing himself as part of a stacked backcourt with Anthony Edwards and Ayo Dosunmu. LaMelo Ball was also added to that group in a trade that sent Naz Reid and picks to the Charlotte Hornets.

    After a few tough seasons with the Denver Nuggets, he averaged 8.5 points and 2.6 assists in Minnesota. He also shot 38.8% from three.

    — DeAntae Prince

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 6:28pm

    Former Sixer DeAndre Jordan headed to New Orleans

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 6:02pm

    NBA sets new salary cap just under $165 million

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 5:33pm

    Get ready for the 6 p.m. frenzy. Will the Sixers be involved?

    Sixers President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey greets reporters as he sits down to speak about the Sixers first round draft pick, Labaron Philon Jr., from the teams practice facility in Camden, N.J. on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.

    Though we are about 30 minutes from the official opening of free agency, agreed-upon deals between players and their current teams have been trickling in for the past few days. Teams can begin negotiating with their own free agents when the season ends, aka once the New York Knicks won Game 5 of the NBA Finals to clinch the title.

    None of that news has involved the Sixers, who have five free agents in Kelly Oubre Jr., Quentin Grimes, Andre Drummond, Trendon Watford, and Kyle Lowry.

    That is not entirely surprising, given the Sixers have limited financial flexibility. The front office must weigh how much it would cost to bring Oubre and/or Grimes back vs. outside players it could get on a midlevel exception. And depending on how all the dominoes fall, the Sixers could have the non-taxpayer midlevel exemption of about $15 million (plus the $5.5 biannual exception), or the taxpayer midlevel of about $6.1 million.

    The Sixers did pick up the team options for Dominick Barlow and Dalen Terry, and declined Watford’s team option, by Monday’s deadline.

    Will the typical flurry of reported moves right at 6 p.m. include the Sixers? Stay tuned.

    — Gina Mizell

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 4:24pm

    It looks like Trendon Watford ‘Ain’t Coming Back’ to Sixers

    Did Trendon Watford hint that he does not plan to return to the Sixers?

    Though the Sixers on Monday afternoon declined the forward’s $2.8 million team option for 2026-27, that did not prevent him from coming back on a new one-year or longer-term deal.

    But after news broke of the Sixers’ decision, Watford posted to his Instagram story. The photo inside a UCLA gym — where several NBA players train and play pickup games during the offseason — was nothing out of the ordinary. But his song choice was Future’s “Ain’t Coming Back.”

    A screenshot of Trendon Watford’s Instagram story suggesting he’s moving on from the Sixers after they declined his team option.

    It all could be a massive coincidence. But now, Watford is set to hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent Tuesday evening, after averaging 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 53 games last season.

    It is well known that Watford has been one of All-NBA guard Tyrese Maxey’s close friends since they were teenagers. But he also became a lively presence throughout the Sixers’ locker room. During the playoffs, he was the unofficial DJ who set the mood with his playlist before games.

    That was most apparent before the Sixers’ Game 7 upset at the Boston Celtics. Before shootaround, he coaxed strength and conditioning coach Emily Zaler (who typically sets the tunes for that morning session) to put on Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.” And as the pregame locker-room period open to the media wound down that evening, teammate Justin Edwards eagerly asked Watford, “Where’s the music?!”

    “Not the time,” Watford said, waiting for reporters to leave. “Gotta keep the routine.”

    — Gina Mizell

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 4:09pm

    What Kawhi Leonard’s reported return to Toronto means for the Sixers

    Most Sixers fans would rather forget Kawhi Leonard’s time with the Toronto Raptors, especially the 2019 playoffs.

    If the Kawhi Leonard trade from the Los Angeles Clippers to Toronto Raptors crosses the finish line — and it reportedly has — that is good news for the Sixers. Not necessarily in the short term, given that could catapult the Raptors into the upper tier of the Eastern Conference.

    But if the Clippers go into a full rebuild, the 2028 unprotected first-round pick and 2029 pick swap that the Sixers acquired in the 2023 James Harden blockbuster will become much more valuable.

    Even before this potential Leonard deal, the Clippers were trending in this direction. They traded Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers and standout center Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers at the deadline. They also have lost Norman Powell and, of course, Paul George in recent years.

    Consider that consolation for Sixers fans who may already be having four-bounce flashbacks to the last time Leonard was a Raptor.

    — Gina Mizell

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 3:34pm

    LeBron fans are already turning on the Lakers

    LeBron James’ decision to leave the Lakers will have ripple effects that shudder throughout the league for years to come.

    One immediate impact in Los Angeles will be the loss off LeBron fans who have already started to share their disenchantment with the franchise.

    One fan called Luka Doncic a “fraud” for deciding to sit out of the Lakers’ postseason series with a hamstring injury. Another shared social media posts of LeBron taking off a Lakers jersey with the caption, “Ight, Lakers fans. It’s been real. WE OUT.”

    The latter chorus was a common refrain as many fans followed James as he played for the Cavaliers and Heat and intend to do the same when he leaves the Lakers.

    Ironically, the late Kobe Bryant was the only other player to earn that status, bringing fans from all over the country to the Lakers’ fan base.

    We’ll soon see where the LeBron contingent lands.

    — DeAntae Prince

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 2:46pm

    Remembering the time the Sixers had a chance to land LeBron

    LeBron James embraces Ben Simmons before the start of a 2019 game between the Sixers and Lakers.

    For the first time since the 2018 offseason, LeBron James is on the move, after informing the Lakers he won’t return and will look to play his 24th NBA season elsewhere.

    The last time James was seeking a new team, the four-time MVP gave Philadelphia a look.

    Although many considered James to Los Angeles to be a done deal at the time, he did consider joining the 76ers in 2018. In an interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols after signing with the Lakers, James mentioned that he chose the Lakers over the likes of the Sixers and the Houston Rockets — two teams that boasted more talent than LA at the time — to help cement his legacy as a great.

    “I definitely thought long and hard about the possibilities of lining up alongside Ben [Simmons] and [Joel] Embiid, or lining up alongside [James] Harden and Chris [Paul],” James told ESPN in 2018. “I felt like at this point in my career, the ultimate for me — just like when I went to Miami, everyone kind of looks at me joining a super team.

    “I like the challenge of being able to help a team get to some places they haven’t been in a while, and obviously the Lakers haven’t made the playoffs in a few years,” he added.

    Representatives from the 76ers did meet with James’ camp but James did not attend the meeting. The meeting was led by then-Sixers head coach Brett Brown, who was also serving as the team’s interim president following the resignation of Bryan Colangelo.

    Leading up to free agency, Philadelphia made an all-out push for James with Embiid taking to social media to pitch his team to James. The then-24-year-old center wrote on Twitter (now X), “Trust The Process!!!! Find a new slant @KingJames.”

    Meanwhile, Philadelphia-based company Power Home Remodeling purchased three billboards outside of Cleveland to court James, who played for the Cavaliers at the time. Two of the billboards read “Philly Wants Lebron” and “Complete The Process” — referring to the Sixers’ motto spearheaded by former president Sam Hinkie. The third billboard featured LeBron’s number 23 on the court alongside the numbers of the Sixers’ starting lineup.

    The rumor mill around James joining the Sixers mainly revolved around his well-known relationship with Simmons, who was known to workout with James on occasion. Both former first overall picks, the two shared an agency in Klutch Sports — founded by James’ longtime friend and agent Rich Paul. Coming out of the draft and early in his career, Simmons, a 6-foot-10 point guard, also received a hefty comparison to James because of his playmaking ability and size.

    While James landing with the 76ers this time around is almost certainly not happening, Simmons recently displayed interest in returning to Philadelphia in an interview with Men’s Health.

    — Conor Smith

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 1:55pm

    Lakers thank LeBron as he leaves L.A.

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 1:07pm

    Where will LeBron land in free agency?

    LeBron James is leaving the Lakers.

    LeBron James informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he will not re-sign with the team after 8 seasons and one title in Tinseltown.

    So where could he land? A number of suitors have emerged through various reports, including the two franchises with which he spent the first 15 seasons of his career.

    According to NBA Insiders Chris Haynes (NBA on Prime), Jake Fischer (SteinLine), and Brian Windhorst (ESPN), the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors could all be in play.

    Windhorst previously discussed rumors of the move for a Big 4 in Golden State — a pairing of James, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis — as a “leverage play” for James and Davis to gain better standing with their current teams, but has since reversed course.

    “I think the focus right now is can they get LeBron James away from the Los Angeles Lakers? That’s something they’re going to try to get done, today,” he said on ESPN’s Get Up.

    James’ son, Bronny, appears set to stay with the Lakers. His contract with the team became fully guaranteed on Monday. He will play out the remaining year of his deal at $2.3 million.

    — DeAntae Prince

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 12:54pm

    Backup center market drying up early

    Sixers center Joel Embiid (right) drives to the basket against New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson.

    We are still hours away from free agency officially opening, and the backup center market is already shrinking.

    Robert Williams and Jock Landale earlier Tuesday reportedly agreed to terms to return to their respective teams, the Portland Trail Blazers and Atlanta Hawks. Landale’s deal is for one year and $14 million and Williams’ is for three years and $44 million, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

    So who else could still be in play for the Sixers?

    • Mitchell Robinson, an elite rebounder and rim protector, is perhaps the sexiest name, given his role on the NBA champion New York Knicks.
    • Sandro Mamukelashvili, coming off a strong season for the upstart Toronto Raptors, is a sneaky option.
    • Veteran Nikola Vucevic was once an All-Star, but his decline was glaring during the Sixers’ upset of the Boston Celtics.
    • Marvin Bagley, the former second overall draft pick who was productive for the Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks, is a solid rebounder (and his brother, Marcus, was a Delaware Blue Coat and on two 10-day contracts with the Sixers).

    And, of course, there is Andre Drummond, whose role fluctuated last season with the Sixers.

    — Gina Mizell

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 12:17pm

    John Collins and more frontcourt options for the Sixers

    Los Angeles Clippers forward John Collins is an option for the Sixers.

    As the Sixers search for ways to bolster their roster, keep an eye on these six players as options at forward and center …

    John Collins

    Collins could slide into a starting forward spot if Oubre leaves. The sensational athlete has become an improved shooter since getting off the perpetual trade block with the Atlanta Hawks, connecting on 40.6% of his three-point attempts last season with the Los Angeles Clippers.

    Rui Hachimura

    The 6-foot-8, 230-pound Hachimura boasts a more traditional power forward frame and versatile skill on both ends of the floor. He shot 44.3% on 3.9 long-range attempts per game last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, while averaging 11.5 points and 3.3 rebounds. The Lakers reportedly committed to signing Austin Reaves to a max contract, and must make a free-agency decision on all-time great LeBron James.

    Robert Williams III

    Another supreme athlete who can rebound (7 per game last season) and finish lobs. But the 28-year-old now has a lengthy injury history with the Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers, which might be a risky investment for a center to play behind Embiid.

    [Update: Williams is returning to the Blazers on a three-year deal worth $44 million.]

    Marvin Bagley III

    Bagley’s career has fallen far below original expectations as a former No. 2 overall draft pick. Yet he is coming off a productive season for the Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks, averaging 10.5 points per game. His career average of 6.5 rebounds — including 2.3 on the offensive end — in 22 minutes is also a sound number.

    His brother, Marcus, played 10 games for the Sixers and also played for the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats during the 2024-25 season.

    Jock Landale

    A floor-spacing big man with defensive versatility, Landale was an impactful trade-deadline pickup for the streaking Hawks until an ankle sprain prematurely ended his season. He averaged 5.7 rebounds in 22.1 minutes with the Memphis Grizzlies and Hawks last season.

    [Update: Landale is returning to the Hawks on a one-year, $14 million deal.]

    Mitchell Robinson

    The competition could be steep for the newly crowned NBA champion — including from the Knicks. Robinson is a fantastic rim protector and rebounder, especially on the offensive end (4.2 per game last season). The knocks on him are his injury history and poor shooting, prompting the Hack-A-Mitch strategy for opposing teams.

    Other options: Sandro Mamukelashvili, Nikola Vučević, Mo Wagner, Jaxson Hayes, Kelly Olynyk, Nick Richards

    Sixers free-agency primer: Players who could depart, possible outside targets, and more

    — Gina Mizell

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 12:07pm

    LeBron James is leaving the Lakers

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 11:56am

    What kind of contracts can the Sixers actually sign?

    Sixers managing partner Josh Harris and HBSE president of sports Bob Myers meet with the media.

    This is tricky to determine right now, because it could be dependent on if Kelly Oubre Jr., and/or Quentin Grimes returns.

    If both players depart, the Sixers are likely to have the non-taxpayer midlevel exception (approximately $15 million) and the biannual exception ($5.5 million). If they re-sign one or both players, they likely will only have the $6.1 taxpayer midlevel exception.

    For what it’s worth, earlier this month Bob Myers specifically referenced the non-taxpayer midlevel exception as a free-agency tool, suggesting the Sixers are using that as a starting point and will weigh the players they could sign on that deal vs. the return of Oubre or Grimes. And if the Sixers cross into the “apron” penalties, it will limit their ability to make in-season trades because of new collective bargaining agreement rules.

    The Sixers will also have veteran minimum contracts to fill out their 15-man roster.

    — Gina Mizell

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 11:48am

    Cash-strapped Sixers taking it one move at a time

    New Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey is looking to improve his roster with little money to spend.

    If the Sixers are going to improve, it’s going to need to be on the margins.

    That is the reality facing new 76ers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, whom Myers led the search to hire, and the remaining front office as NBA free agency begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday. All-NBA third-team guard Tyrese Maxey ($41 million), along with former perennial All-Stars Joel Embiid ($59.5 million) and Paul George ($54.1 million), remain on max contracts accounting for nearly $155 million of the projected $165 million salary cap. And the latter two players are considered difficult to trade because of their age and recent injury history.

    So the Sixers must again hope for better health with that top-heavy roster during the 2026-27 season, which could turn that flash from the playoff upset of the Boston Celtics into more consistency. Yet that postseason run, which ended in being swept by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks, also exposed that the Sixers must bolster their depth, requiring shrewd around-the-edges moves with limited financial flexibility.

    The Sixers already have begun to build their roster by drafting Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr., in a potential first-round steal, and picked up the team options for Dominick Barlow ($3.4 million) and Dalen Terry ($2.6 million, nonguaranteed until Jan. 10) on Monday. They will aim to address positional needs at wing and in the frontcourt, as well as with shooting and rebounding.

    “You can make a great [draft] pick, [or] you can sign a minimum player that really moves things further,” Myers said. “ … You can have minimum players that really do a great job for your team. You can have a $4 million [player]. It doesn’t have to be the big-spending guys. You get 5%, 10% 15% better, it makes a big difference.”

    — Gina Mizell

    These five Sixers are headed for free agency (or retirement)

    Sixers wing Kelly Oubre Jr. is one of the team’s five unrestricted free agents.

    The Sixers don’t have much money to spend in free agency this offseason, and what little they do have could be used to re-sign some of their own players who are about to hit the open market when the negotiating period begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Here’s a look at the members of last year’s Sixers squad who will be unrestricted free agents …

    • Kelly Oubre Jr. — Oubre, 30, averaged 14.1 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 50 games last season and shot a career-best 36% from three-point range. The 6-foot-8 starting forward spent the last three seasons with the Sixers, and made $8.3 million in 2025-26.
    • Quentin Grimes — Grimes, the Sixers’ sixth man for most of last season, averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists, all down from his breakout season in 2024-25 after the Sixers shifted into tank mode. The 26-year-old, who struggled to find a match last free agency period before returning to the Sixers, shot a career-low 33.4% from three-point range.
    • Andre Drummond — The 32-year-old center made $5 million while taking on an odd role most of last season: starting in place of Joel Embiid when the former MVP was injured, but falling out of the rotation entirely when Embiid was healthy. Drummond, one of the games best rebounders, averaged 6.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 63 regular-season games.
    • Trendon Watford — Watford, who has been a close friend of Tyrese Maxey’s since they were teenagers, averaged 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 53 games last season, but injuries played a role. The Sixers declined Watford’s $2.8 million team option for next season on Monday.
    • Kyle Lowry — The former Cardinal Dougherty and Villanova star is expected to retire after 20 NBA seasons. Following the 2024-25 season, Lowry, a North Philly native, said he wanted to play one more year.

    — Matt Mullin

    // Timestamp 06/30/26 11:31am

  • Sixers free-agency primer: Players who could depart, possible outside targets, and more

    Sixers free-agency primer: Players who could depart, possible outside targets, and more

    Weeks before Giannis Antetokounmpo, LaMelo Ball, and Ja Morant were traded, Bob Myers understood the allure of a blockbuster move.

    “Those are obviously things that look to appear to be the most meaningful,” said Myers, the president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment and former lead executive during the Golden State Warriors dynasty. “But it’s just one good decision at a time as far as change.”

    That is the reality facing new 76ers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, whom Myers led the search to hire, and the remaining front office as NBA free agency begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday. All-NBA third-team guard Tyrese Maxey ($41 million), along with former perennial All-Stars Joel Embiid ($59.5 million) and Paul George ($54.1 million), remain on max contracts accounting for nearly $155 million of the projected $165 million salary cap. And the latter two players are considered difficult to trade because of their age and recent injury history.

    Sixers pick up team options for Dominick Barlow and Dalen Terry; Trendon Watford’s option declined

    So the Sixers must again hope for better health with that top-heavy roster during the 2026-27 season, which could turn that flash from the playoff upset of the Boston Celtics into more consistency. Yet that postseason run, which ended in being swept by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks, also exposed that the Sixers must bolster their depth, requiring shrewd around-the-edges moves with limited financial flexibility.

    The Sixers already have begun to build their roster by drafting Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr., in a potential first-round steal, and picked up the team options for Dominick Barlow ($3.4 million) and Dalen Terry ($2.6 million, nonguaranteed until Jan. 10) on Monday. They will aim to address positional needs at wing and in the frontcourt, as well as with shooting and rebounding.

    “You can make a great [draft] pick, [or] you can sign a minimum player that really moves things further,” Myers said. “ … You can have minimum players that really do a great job for your team. You can have a $4 million [player]. It doesn’t have to be the big-spending guys. You get 5%, 10% 15% better, it makes a big difference.”

    How could the Sixers attack the coming days? Here is a primer on where they sit entering free agency.

    Sixers free agents

    Kelly Oubre Jr.

    Oubre rebuilt his NBA career in three seasons with the Sixers. He was a starting forward who impacted both ends of the floor, while averaging 14.1 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 50 games in 2025-26. The 6-foot-8 wing used his athleticism in a more controlled way on offense, shot a career-best 36% from three-point range last season, and had the willingness to take on challenging perimeter defensive assignments.

    Oubre’s salary was $8.3 million in 2025-26, the player option on a two-year deal signed in 2024. Though Oubre said “I love it here” in Philly during his end-of-season news conference last month, his length and positional archetype are typically valued leaguewide. Oubre also said he hopes he “did myself a good service” by putting a concerted effort into a more efficient playing style.

    Ben Simmons eyes NBA comeback and contemplates a return to the Sixers: ‘Maybe I’ll go back to Philly’

    “I learned so much,” Oubre said of his time with the Sixers. “The game of basketball has reinvented itself to me through different lenses and different eyes throughout my tenure here, and I’m forever appreciative for the opportunity to play for this city.

    “Obviously I don’t like how [the season] ended. I always say I like to finish what I start, and this is a bit sour for me. But at the end of the day, it’s already written.”

    Yet the 30-year-old also has previous experience with the harsh realities of free agency. He reminded during his end-of-season news conference that, after averaging 20.3 points per game with the Charlotte Hornets in 2022-23, he “still found myself barely getting any contracts” until the Sixers signed him to a veteran’s minimum deal in September.

    It will be interesting to see what this version of Oubre commands on the open market.

    Sixers guard Kelly Oubre Jr., and teammate guard Quentin Grimes celebrate in a game against the Brooklyn Nets.
    Quentin Grimes

    Grimes was primarily the Sixers’ sixth man during a 2025-26 season he described multiple times as “solid.”

    The 26-year-old was part of a terrific three-guard lineup, and reignited his aggressive scoring ability when Maxey missed three weeks in March with a finger injury. But Grimes shot a career-low 33.4% from three-point range, while also averaging 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 29.4 minutes in 75 games. And other than an excellent Game 5 performance on both ends in Boston, he was not good enough during the playoffs for a Sixers second unit that desperately needed scoring production.

    When asked shortly after last month’s season-ending Game 4 loss to the Knicks about how he viewed his free agency and ideal basketball setup, Grimes was not exactly forthcoming.

    “I haven’t even really thought about that, honestly,” he said. “… Talking to my agents and everything, we’ll kind of figure out what’s the best situation moving forward.”

    NBA reveals Sixers’ Las Vegas Summer League schedule, which includes Labaron Philon’s expected debut

    After joining the Sixers at the 2025 trade deadline, Grimes became a go-to scorer for an injured team that had shifted to “tank” mode to increase odds of landing a high draft pick. He averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals in 28 games with the Sixers in 2024-25, including a 46-point outburst at his hometown Houston Rockets.

    Grimes then entered restricted free agency, which turned into a messy, monthslong saga. He eventually signed his one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Grimes parted ways with agent David Bauman and is now represented by Creative Arts Agency.

    Does any of that impact Grimes’ decision-making as he enters the open market? And does Philon’s arrival diminish the Sixers’ need (or desire) to retain Grimes?

    Andre Drummond is looking for more consistency next season.
    Andre Drummond

    The veteran center professionally handled a fluctuating role in 2025-26.

    For the bulk of the season, Drummond was the starting center in the games Embiid did not play — and was out of the rotation when Embiid was available. During the playoffs, though, Drummond recaptured the role as Embiid’s backup while postseason first-timer Adem Bona struggled. Drummond averaged 6.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 63 regular-season games.

    The 32-year-old Drummond is still a stout rebounder and big-bodied presence. His corner three-point shooting has elevated from fun novelty to legitimate offensive weapon. But he is not the most mobile, making him a liability on defense.

    It is possible Drummond, whose salary was $5 million this season, desires a playing destination where his role is more defined and consistent.

    First-round pick Labaron Philon Jr. will make the Sixers more fun, and that counts for something
    Trendon Watford

    The Sixers on Monday afternoon declined Watford’s $2.8 million team option for the 2026-27 season, making him an unrestricted free agent.

    Watford, a versatile forward who recorded a triple-double last season, averaged 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 53 games. Injuries, though, impacted his ability to stick in the Sixers’ rotation. Watford has been a close friend of Maxey since they were teenagers, and was a lively presence inside the Sixers’ locker room.

    The Sixers declining that option does not eliminate Watford’s ability to return on a new deal.

    Kyle Lowry

    It is presumed that Lowry, who did not conduct an end-of-season media session, will retire. At the end of the 2024-25 season, the Philly native said he wanted to play one more season to reach 20 for his career, though he was more coy when asked about that plan in recent months.

    Lowry, who played in 14 games last season, was almost exclusively a trusted and enthusiastic veteran on the bench and locker room, particularly for Maxey. His knowledge and respect are invaluable, but the Sixers also could have benefited from having another player on the roster who could contribute on the floor more than the 40-year-old version of Lowry.

    (Note: Adem Bona’s $2.3 million salary for 2026-27 becomes guaranteed July 7.)

    President of basketball operations Mike Gansey and Harris-Blitzer president Bob Myers (right) will lead the Sixers’ free-agent decisions.

    Types of contracts available

    This is tricky to determine right now, because it could be dependent on if Oubre and/or Grimes returns.

    If both players depart, the Sixers are likely to have the non-taxpayer midlevel exception (approximately $15 million) and the biannual exception ($5.5 million). If they re-sign one or both players, they likely will only have the $6.1 taxpayer midlevel exception.

    For what it’s worth, earlier this month Myers specifically referenced the non-taxpayer midlevel exception as a free-agency tool, suggesting the Sixers are using that as a starting point and will weigh the players they could sign on that deal vs. the return of Oubre or Grimes. And if the Sixers cross into the “apron” penalties, it will limit their ability to make in-season trades because of new collective bargaining agreement rules.

    Free agency comes into focus for Sixers with draft in rearview

    The Sixers will also have veteran minimum contracts to fill out their 15-man roster.

    Potential free-agent targets

    Frontcourt help

    John Collins

    Collins could slide into a starting forward spot if Oubre leaves. The sensational athlete has become an improved shooter since getting off the perpetual trade block with the Atlanta Hawks, connecting on 40.6% of his three-point attempts last season with the Los Angeles Clippers.

    Rui Hachimura

    The 6-foot-8, 230-pound Hachimura boasts a more traditional power forward frame and versatile skill on both ends of the floor. He shot 44.3% on 3.9 long-range attempts per game last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, while averaging 11.5 points and 3.3 rebounds. The Lakers reportedly committed to signing Austin Reaves to a max contract, and must make a free-agency decision on all-time great LeBron James.

    Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (left) defends Sixers forward Justin Edwards during a game earlier this year.
    Robert Williams III

    Another supreme athlete who can rebound (7 per game last season) and finish lobs. But the 28-year-old now has a lengthy injury history with the Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers, which might be a risky investment for a center to play behind Embiid. (Reportedly agreed to deal to return to Portland on Monday)

    Marvin Bagley III

    Bagley’s career has fallen far below original expectations as a former No. 2 overall draft pick. Yet he is coming off a productive season for the Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks, averaging 10.5 points per game. His career average of 6.5 rebounds — including 2.3 on the offensive end — in 22 minutes is also a sound number.

    His brother, Marcus, played 10 games for the Sixers and also played for the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats during the 2024-25 season.

    Daryl Morey planned on the decline of Paul George and Joel Embiid with the Sixers as the Heat land Giannis
    Jock Landale

    A floor-spacing big man with defensive versatility, Landale was an impactful trade-deadline pickup for the streaking Hawks until an ankle sprain prematurely ended his season. He averaged 5.7 rebounds in 22.1 minutes with the Memphis Grizzlies and Hawks last season. (Reportedly agreed to deal to return to Atlanta on Monday)

    Mitchell Robinson

    The competition could be steep for the newly crowned NBA champion — including from the Knicks. Robinson is a fantastic rim protector and rebounder, especially on the offensive end (4.2 per game last season). The knocks on him are his injury history and poor shooting, prompting the Hack-A-Mitch strategy for opposing teams.

    Other options: Sandro Mamukelashvili, Nikola Vučević, Mo Wagner, Jaxson Hayes, Kelly Olynyk, Nick Richards

    Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. is an option for the Sixers.

    Shooting

    Tim Hardaway Jr.

    Hardaway has been a top veteran role player on win-now teams in three consecutive seasons with the Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, and Denver Nuggets. He finished third in voting for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year, after shooting 40.7% on 6.9 three-point attempts per game and averaging 13.5 points for the Nuggets last season.

    Luke Kennard

    Kennard has been a deadly three-point shooter for years, connecting on 44.2% of his career attempts. He also has a more well-rounded offensive game than he gets credit for, and was a useful trade deadline pickup by the Lakers last season.

    Get to know Sixers’ first-round pick Labaron Philon Jr. away from the court
    Bones Hyland

    The Delaware native would give the Sixers another wiry guard. He underwent a bit of a career renaissance as a key bench player for the Minnesota Timberwolves, shooting 38.8% on 4.2 deep attempts last season.

    Gary Trent Jr.

    Trent is another knock-down shooter from beyond the arc (career 38.7% on 6.1 attempts per game) who can also create off the dribble. Nick Nurse previously coached Trent with the Toronto Raptors, though they may not have had the best rapport after Nurse publicly critiqued his defensive performance and Trent acknowledged a lack of regular communication during their time together.

    Other options: Kenrich Williams, Keon Ellis, Javonte Green, Bogdan Bogdanović

    Could Nico Batum make a return to Philly?

    Connections

    (Other than Ben Simmons, who said in a recent Men’s Health story that he would welcome a return to the Sixers in his attempted NBA comeback.)

    Dean Wade

    Wade was one of Gansey’s success stories with the Cavaliers, evolving from undrafted player to rotation forward. His 6-9, 230-pound frame allows for defensive versatility, and he is a career 36.7% three-point shooter. Unsurprisingly, multiple reports surfaced over the weekend that the Sixers are among the teams interested in Wade.

    Guerschon Yabusele

    A rare feel-good story during the Sixers’ disastrous 2024-25 season, Yabusele parlayed his NBA comeback into a pay raise with the Knicks. To say things did not work out in New York is an understatement, and he was traded at the deadline to the Chicago Bulls. Could he successfully slide back into a complementary role with the Sixers? Or will his performance two seasons ago go down as a career anomaly on a bad team?

    Labaron Philon Jr. believes adaptability is one of his ‘biggest traits.’ Applying that with the Sixers begins now.
    Precious Achiuwa

    Achiuwa also played under Nurse in Toronto, and offers the defensive mobility to switch and block shots as a center or power forward. Though he averaged a career-best 10.1 points per game on a bad Sacramento Kings team last season, his offensive game is more limited.

    Nico Batum

    The Clippers on Monday declined Batum’s $5.9 million player option, making him an unrestricted free agent. Nurse (and Embiid) had an affinity for Batum’s veteran savvy during his time with the Sixers during the 2023-24 season, when he swung the play-in game against the Miami Heat with his three-point shooting and even became the team’s designated inbounds passer. But he is 37 years old, and feels deep family connections to Los Angeles and the West Coast.

    Other options: Matisse Thybulle, Kevon Looney, Gary Payton II

  • Sixers pick up team options for Dominick Barlow and Dalen Terry; Trendon Watford’s option declined

    Sixers pick up team options for Dominick Barlow and Dalen Terry; Trendon Watford’s option declined

    The 76ers have picked up the team options in the contracts of Dominick Barlow ($3.4 million) and Dalen Terry ($2.6 million) for the 2026-27 season, the team announced Monday evening.

    Also, the team has declined the 2026-27 option for Trendon Watford ($2.8 million), making him an unrestricted free agent when the negotiation period opens Tuesday evening.

    Barlow was one of the Sixers’ biggest success stories last season. The 23-year-old initially joined the team on a two-way contract, then ascended to a starting forward spot and had his deal converted to a standard contract in February. He averaged 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 71 games, and excelled at important complementary traits such as offensive rebounding and cutting while playing off star center Joel Embiid.

    Ben Simmons eyes NBA comeback and contemplates a return to the Sixers: ‘Maybe I’ll go back to Philly’

    Terry, whose salary is nonguaranteed until Jan. 10, was a late addition to the Sixers’ roster last season, averaging 4.1 points and 1.6 assists in 14 games. The fourth-year guard initially signed a two-way contract in February, then was converted to a standard deal in April when Cameron Payne was released after sustaining a hamstring injury.

    Watford, a versatile forward who recorded a triple-double last season, averaged 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 53 games. Injuries, though, impacted his ability to stick in the Sixers’ rotation. Watford is a close friend of Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers’ All-NBA guard and franchise cornerstone.

    These are the next roster-building steps in Mike Gansey’s first offseason as new president of basketball operations.

    The Sixers drafted Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. 22nd overall last week. Next, they enter free agency with positional and skill set deficiencies to address yet have limited financial flexibility. Embiid, Paul George and Maxey all remain on max contracts for multiple seasons, and the first two players are considered difficult to trade because of their age and recent health issues.

    The Sixers finished last season seventh in the Eastern Conference (45-37), then upset the Boston Celtics in the playoffs’ first round before being swept by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks.

  • NBA reveals Sixers’ Las Vegas Summer League schedule, which includes Labaron Philon’s expected debut

    NBA reveals Sixers’ Las Vegas Summer League schedule, which includes Labaron Philon’s expected debut

    The 76ers will play their first Las Vegas Summer League game July 9 against the Detroit Pistons, the NBA announced Friday afternoon.

    Those games are expected to mark the on-court debut of Labaron Philon, whom the Sixers drafted 22nd overall earlier this week. Johni Broome, last year’s second-round pick, also is expected to play in Las Vegas after missing much of his rookie season while recovering from knee surgery.

    That first game could match Philon against Ebuka Okorie, whom the Pistons acquired with the draft’s 17th overall pick.

    First-round pick Labaron Philon Jr. will make the Sixers more fun, and that counts for something | David Murphy

    The Sixers will only play in Las Vegas Summer League this year, after also participating in Salt Lake City Summer League in recent years.

    Here is the Sixers’ full Las Vegas Summer League schedule:

    • July 9 vs. Detroit Pistons, 5:30 p.m. ET
    • July 11 vs. Indiana Pacers, 5:30 p.m. ET
    • July 14 vs. Houston Rockets, 4 p.m. ET
    • July 15 vs. Orlando Magic, 4 p.m. ET
  • Labaron Philon Jr. believes adaptability is one of his ‘biggest traits.’ Applying that with the Sixers begins now.

    Labaron Philon Jr. believes adaptability is one of his ‘biggest traits.’ Applying that with the Sixers begins now.

    The day before the 2026 NBA draft, Labaron Philon Jr., recalled the “special moment” when he told his Alabama team that he would return for his sophomore season.

    His Crimson Tide teammates and coaches wanted him back, of course. And Philon “put my career in their hands,” he said, “and really trusted they were going to get me better every day.”

    Philon went from a defensive disruptor and guard who complemented former star Mark Sears as a freshman, to Alabama’s bona fide best player and leader as a sophomore. His production numbers organically jumped, but also were a product of deliberately focusing on improving as a three-point shooter (31.5% to 39.9%) and playmaker (3.8 assists to 5 per game) after receiving that feedback from NBA teams.

    “That was the only thing we focused on,” Philon said, “… me just getting better.”

    Daryl Morey planned on the decline of Paul George and Joel Embiid with the Sixers as the Heat land Giannis

    That work turned Philon into a first-round pick whom the Sixers were thrilled to nab at 22nd overall Tuesday night. Now, Philon’s professional work begins. That includes applying the adaptability he believes is one of his “biggest traits,” and will be particularly useful when joining a backcourt already featuring Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

    “I describe it as making the game easy for everybody around you,” Philon said Thursday morning from the Sixers’ facility. “… Being able to play ‘advantage basketball’ and being able to just stay on the right page and be focused within the team and not yourself. That’s something they taught me back at Alabama, and I carried it a long way.

    “Being able to keep playing that way and not changing now, I feel like is really important.”

    Sixers first-round draft pick Labaron Philon Jr. will slot into a dynamic backcourt led by Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

    It was fitting that some of the first Sixers representatives that Philon spoke to on draft night were his new backcourt-mates. Philon said Thursday that he is eager to learn from Edgecombe, who made an instant impact in his first NBA season and finished third on an excellent Rookie of the Year ballot. And Maxey began his NBA journey in a similar spot as Philon, as the 21st pick in the 2020 draft who initially played behind Ben Simmons and then morphed into an All-NBA third-teamer.

    “It’s definitely just getting to that level,” Philon said, “being able to compete every day with those guys is definitely going to be special.”

    Maxey and Edgecombe also were among the NBA’s leaders in minutes played last season, meaning Philon could immediately provide beneficial rest through the 82-game marathon if he can play on and off the ball.

    Philon in college used his shiftiness to get into the paint — and footwork to keep his options open for himself and others — while averaging 22 points in Alabama’s high-powered offensive system. He also boasts a “ball hawk” defensive mentality, which fits coach Nick Nurse’s aggressive philosophy and can generate transition opportunities on offense.

    Free agency comes into focus for Sixers after leaving the draft with Labaron Philon Jr.

    Philon’s on-court debut will be at Las Vegas Summer League beginning July 9, as the expected headliner of that Sixers team. After that, his offseason work could take him to Los Angeles, where Sixers assistant Rico Hines organizes legendary pickup games. Or Dallas, where Maxey has been known to recruit younger teammates for workouts. Or solo gym sessions, where Philon said he relies on imagination and high pace to simulate game-like scenarios.

    But the draft week whirlwind is already requiring Philon to be adaptable. Good thing he believes that is one of his best basketball traits.

    “Keep working hard,” Philon said, “and just stepping forward and really putting my head down.”

  • Free agency comes into focus for Sixers after leaving the draft with Labaron Philon Jr.

    Free agency comes into focus for Sixers after leaving the draft with Labaron Philon Jr.

    During his news conference following the NBA draft’s first round, new 76ers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey vocalized a desire to aggressively explore acquiring a second-round pick.

    “We’re always going to make calls,” Gansey told reporters from the Sixers’ facility late Tuesday, “and try to turn over every stone and see what’s out there. We have roster spots. We have playing time.

    “So trying to get someone that can fit [coach Nick Nurse’s] system and the way we want to play, the character piece, we’re going to try to look at it all and try to get someone who can fit.”

    Inside Labaron Philon Jr.’s draft night and unexpected fall to the ‘perfect spot’ with the Sixers

    Yet Wednesday night’s second round of the draft was uneventful for the Sixers. No move enticing enough materialized for Gansey, even while possessing several future second-round picks. So the Sixers exited the draft with one selection, after Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. surprisingly slipped to them at No. 22 overall.

    Gansey’s first roster-building checkmark is complete. Next up is free agency beginning at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, likely with limited financial flexibility given Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George all remain on max contracts for multiple seasons. Embiid and George are considered difficult to trade because of their age and injury history.

    The Sixers used the prudent best-player-available approach in selecting Philon, who is crafty with the ball in his hands and significantly improved as an outside shooter and facilitator in his second college season. That pick also continued to lean into their dynamic young guard rotation featuring Maxey, an All-NBA third-teamer last season, and VJ Edgecombe, who finished third on a terrific NBA Rookie of the Year ballot.

    Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. is crafty with the ball in his hands and significantly improved as an outside shooter and facilitator in his second college season.

    “Adding me, it’s a blur,” Philon said from Barclays Center after his selection. “You’ve got two guys that are really shifty, two guys that know how to handle the ball, and a guy that can jump out the roof. That means everything in the backcourt. I feel like Coach Nurse is going to have a fun time with that.”

    Perhaps that is another deliberate step in the Sixers establishing an identity, a necessity that Bob Myers, the president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, emphasized the same day the franchise formally introduced Gansey earlier this month.

    Why Mike Gansey’s sound process in selecting Labaron Philon Jr. bodes well for Sixers’ future

    That also means the Sixers still have positional gaps along the wing and in the frontcourt. Starting small forward Kelly Oubre Jr., sixth man Quentin Grimes, and reserve center Andre Drummond all are unrestricted free agents (so is reserve guard Kyle Lowry, but he is expected to retire). The availability of Embiid and George also remains unpredictable, though both former perennial All-Stars expressed optimism about their health entering the offseason last month. Rebounding and three-point shooting were team weaknesses last season.

    So when North Carolina’s Henri Veesaar, a stretch-big man who was widely projected as a first-rounder, continued to tumble down the second round, an outsider could have considered his fit with the Sixers. Instead, the Atlanta Hawks traded for the 52nd overall pick to select him.

    Teams have been permitted to negotiate with their own free agents since the New York Knicks’ title officially ended the NBA season. The Sixers also must make team option decisions on Dominick Barlow ($3.4 million for 2026-27), Trendon Watford ($2.8 million), and Dalen Terry ($2.6 million) by Monday.

    Once the market fully opens, the Sixers will have the nontaxpayer midlevel exception (about $15 million), or could split that salary figure on multiple players. They also will be able to sign players to veteran minimum deals.

    The Sixers will have decisions to make on several unrestricted free agents, including Kelly Oubre Jr.

    Before then, it remains possible that the Sixers agree to terms with undrafted rookies — who typically sign two-way contracts — in the coming hours or days.

    Productive players can be found via that route. Barlow, a starting forward for the Sixers for much of last season, was not selected in the 2022 draft. Neither was former Sixer Julian Champagnie, who eventually morphed into a sharpshooting starter for the San Antonio Spurs team that just advanced to the NBA Finals. And the second round progresses, agents sometimes angle for their clients to go undrafted in order to have more choice in their playing destination.

    Yet the Sixers exited the 2026 draft with a potential first-round steal in Philon, and without a second-round selection.

    Up next: Free agency.

  • Inside Labaron Philon Jr.’s draft night and unexpected fall to the ‘perfect spot’ with the Sixers

    Inside Labaron Philon Jr.’s draft night and unexpected fall to the ‘perfect spot’ with the Sixers

    NEW YORK — Labaron Philon Jr., woke up before 7 a.m. Tuesday, and started playing music.

    Up first on his early-morning playlist was hip-hop artist Lucki. Then rapper NoCap, who also hails from Philon’s hometown of Mobile, Ala.

    “I was bouncing around,” Philon later recalled to The Inquirer. “ … I was just like, ‘Man, it’s really here.’”

    The NBA draft had finally arrived. Philon, the crafty guard from Alabama, had already delayed this life-changing basketball accomplishment by a year, after declaring for the 2025 draft and then taking his feedback from teams back to a second college season. Then, Philon sat in front of Barclays Center’s massive stage for longer than expected Tuesday, as a projected lottery pick who slipped past that portion of the first round.

    Why Mike Gansey’s sound process in selecting Labaron Philon Jr. bodes well for Sixers’ future

    But though that final dose of anticipation created a “kind of long” draft day, landing with the Sixers with the 22nd overall pick was worth the wait.

    “Being able to hear your name is everything,” Philon said late Tuesday from a back-of-house area of Barclays Center. “But the fun stuff around the building — the media and the circus and stuff like that — I feel like it’s really fun to just be able to experience that, especially having two years in college.”

    Philon’s solo music session lasted for almost an hour, before an 8 a.m haircut. Then his family members — from parents, Alicia Robinson and Labaron Sr., to his siblings, to his grandmother and cousins and uncles whom Labaron had not seen much while traveling across NBA markets during the predraft process — joined him at that luxury Manhattan hotel for the draft prospects’ luncheon.

    He eventually changed into a black suit and black-rimmed glasses, and slipped on a diamond-encrusted “16” chain that NoCap had loaned him a couple of weeks ago for his big night. Upon arriving at the Brooklyn Nets’ home arena, Philon took in his surroundings.

    Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr., left, took feedback from NBA executives and applied it to his sophomore season.

    As he watched peers go off the board before him for more than two hours, Philon kept his focus on “the main thing”: that his name would be called at some point. A television camera caught Philon nodding when the Sixers were on the clock at 22, his mind “immediately” wrapping around the play style and fit with fellow electric guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Extra serendipitous: The Sixers were one of Labaron’s brother’s favorite teams while they were growing up, another detail that put Philon at ease.

    “Really being confident in myself,” Philon said, “and being confident that they chose a great player.”

    When NBA commissioner Adam Silver called Philon’s name, tears visibly formed in his eyes as he rose from his seat. The hug from Mom — “she was really excited,” he said — is a moment he will never forget.

    The Sixers may have snagged a draft sleeper in Labaron Philon Jr. at No. 22

    He stepped up to the stage, grabbed a black Sixers hat, and shook Silver’s hand. Then he was whisked into a rapid-fire circuit of photos, interviews, and autograph signings. Maxey and Edgecombe FaceTimed in to say congratulations and welcome.

    “Perfect spot,” Philon told them. “Just patience.”

    It was past midnight when Philon finished his formal news conference, with stops still to go.

    He was looking forward to returning to the hotel, to celebrate with his fellow draftees and change into some comfortable clothes. Perhaps he would finally look at his phone, which had been constantly buzzing. Or just “lay down for a little bit.”

    “Being able to breathe, really,” Philon said.

    Tuesday had already become Wednesday. A long-yet-life-changing draft day, and night, and early morning, was reaching its end.

    But it was all worth the wait.

    “The whole week has been special for me and my family,” Philon said. “Being able to experience the beginnings of a new start.”

  • The Sixers may have snagged a draft sleeper in Labaron Philon Jr. at No. 22

    The Sixers may have snagged a draft sleeper in Labaron Philon Jr. at No. 22

    NEW YORK — Bobby Marks was almost hesitant to bring up Labaron Philon Jr.’s name when asked during a Monday panel about potential sleepers in the 2026 NBA draft class.

    Because Marks, the ESPN analyst who once led the New Jersey Nets’ front office, did not believe the Alabama guard would slip past No. 17.

    Marks appreciated that, after Philon declared for the draft last year but then opted to return to school, he applied the feedback he received from NBA teams to his second college season. Fran Fraschilla, the longtime college basketball coach and another ESPN analyst, took Marks’ analysis a step further, declaring that Philon “could end up being the best point guard in this draft.”

    First-round pick Labaron Philon brings ball-handling, shooting ability, and playmaking to the Sixers

    That talent and potential landed in the 76ers’ lap at No. 22 overall Tuesday night at Barclays Center. Philon was a prospect new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey could not pass up selecting. And Philon’s addition further builds out a young and explosive backcourt that already features All-NBA third-teamer Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, who finished third in NBA’s Rookie of the Year voting.

    “Adding me, it’s a blur,” Philon said. “You’ve got two guys that are really shifty, two guys that know how to handle the ball, and a guy that can jump out the roof. That means everything in the backcourt. I feel like Coach [Nick] Nurse is going to have a fun time with that.”

    Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr., left, said Sixers fans will get a dog on the court when he joins the team this fall.

    From his freshman to sophomore college seasons, Philon significantly improved his three-point percentage (31.5% to 39.9%) and assist numbers (3.8 per game to 5.0). He doubled his scoring average from 10.6 points per game to a team-high 22, unleashing crafty moves and a willingness to take on defenders despite his slighter 6-foot-4, 185-pound frame. He was a defensive specialist, of sorts, when not required to carry the primary offensive load.

    And Philon believes that playing in coach Nate Oats’ system — and next to former star guard Mark Sears as a freshman — will prepare him to join the Sixers’ excellent backcourt.

    “Spending two years [at Alabama] just taught me how to play a special way of basketball,” Philon said late Tuesday. “Coach Oats, you know that style of basketball Coach Oats teaches. Being able to learn things under him and the coaching staff, I would say everybody in the program was really just looking forward to getting me better.

    “I would say making the decision to go back [to school] was important. Being able to experience the first year in the NBA [draft process in 2025] but come back and hear your name called [in 2026] means everything.”

    NBA draft news: Sixers take Labaron Philon Jr. with first-round pick; Giannis trade gives Embiid new title

    Philon’s addition also provides the Sixers with some reserve guard insurance. The Sixers lost sharpshooter Jared McCain, their 2024 first-round pick, in a controversial trade at the February deadline. And sixth man Quentin Grimes is about to enter unrestricted free agency, after signing a one-year qualifying offer following a messy restricted free agency period last summer.

    Philon joins a Sixers team in an interesting spot under Gansey, who ran the draft in his previous job as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ general manager. Gansey also kept intact the bulk of the Sixers’ front office that has made strong selections in recent drafts, including Maxey at 21 in 2020 and Edgecombe third overall last year.

    The Sixers finished seventh in the Eastern Conference standings during the regular season, with a 45-37 record. They then rallied from down three-games-to-one to beat the Boston Celtics in the playoffs’ first round, before getting swept by the eventual NBA-champion New York Knicks.

    Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansy said he couldn’t pass up the chance to select Labaron Philon Jr.

    In addition to Maxey and Edgecome, former perennial All-Stars Joel Embiid and Paul George are still effective — even fantastic — when available. But both veterans have struggled mightily to stay on the floor in recent seasons due to injury or, in George’s case, a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug policy. Embiid, George, and Maxey also remain on max contracts for multiple seasons, limiting the Sixers’ financial flexibility this offseason.

    But the first move of the Gansey front office era broke in the Sixers’ favor.

    Because they may have snagged the draft’s biggest sleeper.

    “Whatever the situation I’m put in,” Philon said, “really just growing in it and being comfortable, really. I would say that’s the biggest thing for me.”

  • NBA draft news: Sixers take Labaron Philon, tells fans ‘they’re getting a dog’; Giannis trade gives Embiid new title

    NBA draft news: Sixers take Labaron Philon, tells fans ‘they’re getting a dog’; Giannis trade gives Embiid new title

    // Pinned

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 10:36pm

    Sixers take Labaron Philon Jr. from Alabama with the No. 22 pick

    Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. is heading to Philly.

    NEW YORK – The 76ers have selected Alabama guard Labaron Philon with the 22nd overall pick in Tuesday’s NBA draft.

    This is the first draft pick for new Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, who was hired earlier this month to replace Daryl Morey. And they use it on a player that could be one of the draft’s biggest sleepers.

    Philon declared for the draft after his freshman season last year, but returned to college to use the feedback he received from teams to become a player who shot 39.9% from three-point range and averaged five assists per game. He also upped his scoring average to 22 points per game and is regarded as a strong defensive player.

    In a draft analyst panel Monday afternoon, ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Jay Bilas, and Fran Fraschilla all said he could be one of the more impactful players selected later in the first round.

    “He could end up being the best point guard in this draft,” Fraschilla said.

    With the pick, the Sixers will continue to lean on young (and smaller-statured) guards. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound Philon adds to a backcourt already featuring All-NBA third-teamer Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, who finished third in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting after going third overall last year.

    Philon joins a Sixers team in an interesting spot under Gansey, who ran the draft in his previous job as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ general manager. He also kept intact the bulk of the Sixers’ front office that has made strong selections in recent drafts, including Tyrese Maxey at 21 in 2020 and Edgecombe third overall last year.

    The Sixers finished seventh in the Eastern Conference standings during the regular season. They then rallied from down three games to one to beat the Boston Celtics in the playoffs’ first round, before getting swept by the eventual NBA-champion New York Knicks.

    They boast a dynamic young backcourt in All-NBA guard Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, who finished third on a terrific Rookie of the Year ballot. Former perennial All-Stars Joel Embiid and Paul George are still effective – even fantastic – when available, but have struggled mightily to stay on the floor in recent seasons due to injury or, in George’s case, a 50-game suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug policy.

    The Sixers acquired the 22nd pick in the controversial Jared McCain trade at the February deadline. As of Tuesday night, they do not have a selection in Wednesday’s second round.

    Philon selection will help dictate how the Sixers approach free agency. Starting wing Kelly Oubre Jr., sixth man Quentin Grimes, and reserve big man Andre Drummond are all unrestricted free agents. And the Sixers have limited financial flexibility with Maxey, Embiid, and George still on max contracts for multiple seasons.

    Sixers select Alabama guard Labaron Philon with the 22nd overall pick

    — Gina Mizell

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 11:28pm

    2026 NBA draft picks

    Prospective draftees pose for a group photo with Adam Silver at the NBA draft.

    Here’s a rundown of who’s been taken in the 2026 NBA draft so far:

    1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, forward, BYU
    2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson, guard, Kansas
    3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer, forward, Duke
    4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson, forward, North Carolina
    5. Los Angeles Clippers: Keaton Wagler, guard, Illinois
    6. Brooklyn Nets: Mikel Brown Jr., guard, Louisville
    7. Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff Jr., guard, Arkansas
    8. Atlanta Hawks: Kingston Flemings, guard, Houston
    9. Dallas Mavericks: Morez Johnson Jr., forward, Michigan
    10. Milwaukee Bucks: Brayden Burries, guard, Arizona
    11. Golden State Warriors: Yaxel Lendeborg, forward, Michigan
    12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Aday Mara, center, Michigan
    13. Milwaukee Bucks (via Heat): Nate Ament, forward, Tennessee
    14. Charlotte Hornets: Hannes Steinbach, forward, Washington
    15. Chicago Bulls: Dailyn Swain, forward, Texas
    16. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Bucks): Bennett Stirtz, guard, Iowa
    17. Detroit Pistons (via Bucks and Thunder): Ebuka Okorie, guard, Stanford
    18. Charlotte Hornets: Christian Anderson Jr., guard, Texas Tech
    19. Toronto Raptors: Allen Graves, florida, Santa Clara
    20. San Antonio Spurs: Jayden Quaintance, forward, Kentucky
    21. Memphis Grizzlies (via Pistons): Karim López, forward, Mexico
    22. Philadelphis 76ers: Labaron Philon Jr., guard, Alabama
    23. Atlanta Hawks: Zuby Ejiofor, forward, St. John’s
    24. Los Angeles Lakers (via Knicks): Cameron Carr, guard, Baylor
    25. New York Knicks (via Lakers): Sergio De Larrea, forward, Spain
    26. San Antonio Spurs (via Nuggets): Tarris Reed Jr., center, Connecticut
    27. Boston Celtics: Chris Cenac Jr., forward, Houston
    28. Brooklyn Nets (via Pistons and Timberwolves): Joshua Hefferson, forward, Iowa State
    29. Sacramento Kings (via Cavaliers): Alex Karaban, forward, Connecticut
    30. Phoenix Suns (via Mavericks): Koa Peat, forward, Arizona

    — Rob Tornoe

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 11:25pm

    New Sixers draft pick Labaron Philon ready to get ‘a Philly cheesesteak’

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 10:51pm

    Labaron Philon tells Sixers fans ‘you’re getting a dog’

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 10:16pm

    Could Houston star drop to the Sixers?

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 10:02pm

    Bennett Stirtz joining Jared McCain, not replacing him in Philly

    Bennett Stirtz is heading to Oklahoma City.

    At media availability for the 2026 NBA Draft, The Inquirer talked to Bennett Stirtz about potentially joining the 76ers and replacing what the franchise lost when it traded Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

    Well, he’ll join him instead of replacing him. Stirtz was selected at No. 16 by the Memphis Grizzlies and will be traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a pick swap. That will make him a teammate of McCain in a backcourt full of talent with MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Alex Caruso, Lu Dort and former Sixer Isaiah Joe.

    While Stirtz was excited about the idea of providing space on the court for Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, he’ll surely excited to land at No. 16 and join a franchise one season removed from winning the NBA title.

    It’s been quite the journey for Stirtz so it’s no surprise that his move to the Thunder came with an additional move. He started his career at Division II Northwest Missouri State before standout seasons with Drake and Iowa cemented his status as an NBA draft pick.

    — DeAntae Prince

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 10:00pm

    Another Memphis trade

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 9:55pm

    First trade of the first round

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 9:47pm

    A good break for the Sixers

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 9:20pm

    Pennsauken product Yaxel Lendeborg heading to the Warriors

    Yaxel Lendeborg was selected with the No. 11 pick by the Golden State Warriors.

    Yaxel Lendeborg went from playing one varsity season at Pennsauken High School to an NBA draftee.

    The 23-year-old forward, who starred at Michigan this past season, was picked No. 11 overall by the Golden State Warriors in the first round Tuesday night.

    Lendeborg had an untraditional path to the draft.

    He thought his basketball career was over, until an opportunity arose — thanks to his mother Yissel — at the junior college level with Arizona Western College.

    He spent three seasons at Arizona Western, where he emerged as a star in his third year, averaging 17.2 points and 13 rebounds. In 2023, he transferred to Alabama-Birmingham and played two seasons with the Blazers.

    In his final season, he averaged 17.7 points and 11.4 rebounds. He also named the American Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year and an all-conference selection twice.

    The 6-foot-9 Lendeborg graduated from UAB in 2025 and entered the transfer portal for his final year of of eligibility, which brought him to Michigan, where he won Big Ten Player of the Year and an NCAA title.

    He also averaged 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds in 40 games for the Wolverines under Dusty May, who recently took the head coaching job with the Dallas Mavericks.

    Yaxel Lendeborg’s untraditional path to becoming an NBA draft pick was fueled by his mother

    — Isabella DiAmore

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 9:12pm

    A Michigan reunion in Dallas

    Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. is heading to Dallas to play for his former coach, Dusty May.

    The Dusty May move from Michigan to Dallas has made its first imprint on the 2026 NBA Draft.

    The Mavericks elected to select Morez Johnson Jr. after he averaged 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists for the 2026 National Champions.

    Morez Jr., was asked multiple times at Monday’s draft availability if he was aware of his coach’s move and consistently said he was surprised and didn’t have any inside information.

    Previously slotted around No. 15 in the draft, he interviewed and worked out well and moved up draft boards in recent weeks. And, of course, no one had more of a window into Morez’s skills than May.

    That Michigan squad has drawn comparisons to the ‘Nova Knicks, who entered the NBA in droves after playing for head coach Jay Wright and recently reconnected with the New York Knicks to win the 2026 NBA title.

    — DeAntae Prince

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 8:58pm

    The Darius Acuff Jr.-Allen Iverson connection

    Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. has drawn on-court comparisons to Hall of Famer Allen Iverson.

    Another Philly connection comes off the board at No. 7 as Darius Acuff Jr., goes to the Sacramento Kings.

    Acuff Jr., won MVP at the Allen Iverson Roundball Classic in 2025 and signed a Reebok deal during his lone season at Arkansas, taking pictures with Iverson to celebrate the moment.

    He’s receive on-court comparisons to Iverson as well because of his explosiveness in the paint and ability to finish around the rim. Both were also extremely productive in their brief college careers, as Acuff averaged 23.5 points and 6.4 assists as he led his team to the Sweet 16.

    Acuff said Iverson told him to play every game like his last and it appears like he plans to make good on that.

    — DeAntae Prince

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 8:33pm

    No surprises early in the NBA draft

    Darryn Peterson was taken with the No. 2 pick.

    The early picks of the 2026 NBA Draft went exactly as expected with AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer and Celeb Wilson occupying the top four spots.

    And from there we will have an entirely open night before the Sixers finally make the first selection of the Mike Gansey era at No. 22.

    There are a lot of options available for them, with holes on the perimeter and in the paint. The Sixers need shooting and rebounding so they will wait as names fly off the board and try to pick the best player available.

    They could also make a move and try to move up the board to land a forward to complete their starting lineup or a shooter off the bench. Another approach is to find a big to take the backup spot behind Joel Embiid, who played only 38 games this past season and missed portions of the postseason.

    — DeAntae Prince

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 8:22pm

    A Philly connection to top pick AJ Dybantsa

    AJ Dybantsa is headed to Washington as the No. 1 pick.

    A Philly connection to top overall pick AJ Dybantsa: He played at BYU for former Sixers assistant coach Kevin Young.

    At last year’s NCAA Tournament in Newark, Young called that stretch “the most important time of my life as a young coach.”

    Young had been in the running for multiple NBA head-coaching jobs in recent years, before opting to take the job at BYU backed by lucrative NIL money and the resources to build a pro-style program. Last season, Young coached Egor Demin, who then was drafted eighth overall by the Brooklyn Nets.

    Read more about Young’s tenure with the Sixers (and Delaware 87ers!) and its impact here:

    BYU’s Kevin Young calls Sixers tenure ‘the most important time of my life as a young coach.’ Here’s why.

    — Gina Mizell

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 8:17pm

    Jazz take Darryn Peterson from Kansas with No. 2 pick

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 8:09pm

    Wizards take BYU’s AJ Dybantsa with No. 1 pick

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 8:04pm

    A first look at the 2026 NBA draft class

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 7:40pm

    Adam Silver bullish on new anti-tanking rules that begin next season

    NBA Commissioner Adam Silver ahead of the 2026 NBA draft speaks with Michael Rubin (left) and the Knicks’ Jose Alvarado.

    Appearing on ESPN less than an hour before the start of the 2026 NBA draft, Commissioner Adam Silver appeared bullish on new rules intended to prevent teams from tanking for a better shot at the No. 1 pick.

    “We will not be returning to a system where there’s an incentive to be bad,” Silver told ESPN’s Malika Andrews. “I think it just caught up with us over the years. It was a practice by a very few teams over time.”

    Silver didn’t mention the Sixers, who famously tanked for three straight seasons in the mid-2010s. Several teams were accused of tanking this season heading into a draft filled with a talented group of prospects, including the Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, and Washington Wizards, who landed the No. 1 pick.

    The new “3-2-1 Lottery” rules, which will be implemented next season, expand the lottery to 16 teams but flatten the odds. The three worst teams will be “draft relegated” and their odds of winning the lottery will actually decrease.

    Had those rules been in place this season, it would’ve been harder for the Wizards, Jazz, and Grizzlies to land top lottery picks.

    Silver said the new rules offer “an actual incentive not to be really bad,” and will be in effect for at least the next three seasons.

    “In essence, it’s grandfathered,” Silver said. “We all agree it would give us an opportunity to assess how this is working, and also look at some other approaches.”

    NBA’s revised draft lottery could be huge for the Sixers … in a strange, unadvisable way

    — Rob Tornoe

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 5:04pm

    Prospects begin arriving ahead of 2026 NBA draft

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 3:43pm

    New Blazers coach is the father of a Phillies prospect

    Micah Nori is the father of Phillies prospect Dante Nori.

    Happy belated Father’s Day, Micah Nori.

    On Tuesday, the Portland Trail Blazers announced that Micah Nori will become the franchise’s next head coach. Micah is the father of Phillies outfield prospect Dante Nori, a 2024 first-round pick.

    Nori previously served as the lead assistant coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves, supporting the development of star shooting guard Anthony Edwards. Notably, with head coach Chris Finch sidelined with a ruptured patellar tendon during the 2024 playoffs, Micah took over a majority of the game-day operations that postseason. The Timberwolves would go on to make the Western Conference final.

    Just over a month after the Timberwolves fell to the Dallas Mavericks in that series, Nori was beside his son as Dante was drafted to the Phillies with the 27th pick. Dante, selected out of Northville (Mich.) High School, was just 19 at the time.

    Earlier this week, prior to the Blazers announcement, Dante appeared on The Show before The Show, Minor League Baseball’s official podcast. On the podcast, he talked about the various NBA players he grew up around due to his father’s profession. When Nori coached for the Toronto Raptors, Dante got to hang out with Vince Carter. Then, when his father was hired by the Kings, he learned from DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins.

    More recently, he has taken inspiration from Anthony Edwards’ work ethic.

    “I mean, [Edwards is] a freak,” Dante said. “The most explosive athlete I’ve ever seen in my entire life. You see the way he takes care of his business. …

    “When I go [to the Timberwolves practice facility], I’m always in there [at] like 5:00 a.m. lifting before they get in because I’m on their time. As soon as I’m done, [Edwards] is one of the first ones in. No matter what level you’re at, the work, he never stops. He always wants more.”

    Nori inherits a Blazers team that finished 42-40 and is headlined by 25-year-old All-Star forward Deni Avdija and returning star Damiam Lillard. Portland found themselves in need of a coach after interim Tiago Splitter was hired by the Chicago Bulls. Last season, Splitter was elevated to lead the franchise after then-coach Chauncey Billups was arrested by the FBI following an investigation into illegal sports betting and rigged poker games.

    Meanwhile, across the country, Dante is 52 games into his season with the double-A Reading Fightin Phil. Dante is batting .245 and has registered 53 total hits and 20 RBI.

    Micah Nori, father of Phillies prospect Dante Nori, hired as Trail Blazers coach

    — Conor Smith

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 3:02pm

    A Jared McCain replacement in the first round?

    Duke guard Isaiah Evans shoots over Siena guard Gavin Doty during the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

    NEW YORK – One of the prospects who visited the Sixers last week was Isaiah Evans, a sharpshooting wing from Duke.

    Sound familiar?

    It would be some strange symmetry if the pick the Sixers acquired in the controversial Jared McCain deadline trade was used on Evans. But Evans shot 36.1% on 100 three-point attempts last season, and excelled at on-the-move looks. That would boost a Sixers team that struggled from beyond the arc last season, ranking in the NBA’s bottom third in attempts and makes.

    Evans was a complementary player on two star-studded Duke teams, first with Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel and then with Cameron Boozer. He believes that college environment will ease his transition to the NBA because, he said, “minutes are tight, so you’ve got to scratch and claw for everything.”

    “The bar was really high for competitiveness and how to think [about] the game,” Evans added.

    Evans, who has a wiry 6-foot-6, 180-pound frame, likely will need to develop defensively and as a playmaker at the next level. But he has a bona fide skill that some draft evaluators also compare to Isaiah Joe, the former Sixers’ second-round pick who has since carved out a rotation role for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

    Can’t make this stuff up.

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 1:18pm

    Sixers could find rebounding help in first round

    Washington forward Hannes Steinbach could be an option for the Sixers if they look add rebounding help.

    The 76ers found a few gems at the forward position when they signed Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker to two-way deals and locked them in with standard contracts.

    That said, the Sixers could still use top-end talent at the position. While Barlow and Walker filled a void, more help is needed for a Sixers team that struggled to rebound all season.

    That became even more of an issue in the playoffs, where the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks dominated the boards. The Sixers also often opted for four-out lineup with Joel Embiid accompanied by Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre, and Paul George.

    This is a deep draft with a number of players at the forward position who could help the Sixers if they fall to No. 22 — or if new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey values the position enough to move up. Houston’s Chris Cenac Jr., Washington’s Hannes Steinbach, Santa Clara’s Allen Graves, and Arizona’s Koa Peat are all players could potentially land within the Sixers’ range in the draft.

    Steinbach believes he could be an option to play forward and fill in when Embiid goes to the bench or misses games, the latter of which has also become an important spot with the limitations of Adem Bona and Andre Drummond, who is set to enter free agency.

    “Me being able to play the four and the five and multiple positions definitely allows me to fit in with many teams,” Steinbach said. “It’s important to have a big that puts pressure on the rim and outside and being able to stretch the floor.”

    Steinbach could be gone as soon as pick No. 14, but he has credentials to match this description. The Washington big man averaged 18.5 points and 11.8 rebounds, and knocked down 34% of his threes at 6-foot-10.

    — DeAntae Prince

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 12:35pm

    Joel Embiid earns a new title after Giannis trade

    Sixers center Joel Embiid has been with the Sixers since 2014.

    With Giannis Antetokounmpo heading to Miami, Joel Embiid has a new title.

    The Sixers center, who was drafted by the franchise in 2014, is now the longest tenured player with a single team in the Eastern Conference. Antetokounmpo, the previous title holder, was selected by the Bucks a year prior. Just two players have been with a team longer than Embiid in the entire NBA: Stephen Curry (2009) and Draymond Green (2012) of the Golden State Warriors.

    Led by Embiid, the Sixers have made the playoffs in eight of the last nine seasons. However, come playoff time, Embiid has been repeatedly sidelined by injuries. This year, after returning from an appendectomy to help defeat the Boston Celtics in seven games, Embiid missed Game 2 of the Sixers’ second-round series against the New York Knicks. The Sixers went on to lose the series in four.

    During his introductory press conference on June 8, new Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey was asked if the franchise was committed to sticking with Embiid long-term under his leadership.

    “Obviously we have Joel,” Gansey responded. “I’ve had a lot of good conversations with him so far. Excited to meet with him this week. But with him and the roster we have, that’s who we have. We got to get those guys on the floor. We got to create an identity and just get them to play basketball.”

    “Paul [George] and Joel can still play at a high level,” Gansey added later. “We were 24-14 when Joel played and obviously in the playoffs, coming back from Boston.”

    — Conor Smith

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 12:05pm

    Allen Graves is an ‘analytics darling’ and a Renaissance man

    Santa Clara’s Allen Graves (right) battles for a loose ball with Kentucky’s Mouhamed Dioubate (left).

    NEW YORK — Allen Graves chuckled when asked about the “analytics darling” descriptor that is consistently attached to him in draft scouting reports.

    “I’ll take the title,” Graves said during Monday’s media availability. “I love it. … That’s just how I played my whole life. I pride myself on playing basketball, and if it shows up analytically, I guess that’s what it does.

    “But I’m definitely grateful to have it, because it’s gotten me this far and I know how big of an impact it’s had on NBA scouts.

    So impactful that the 6-foot-9, 225-pound Graves is one of this draft class’ more fascinating prospects — on and off the floor.

    He reshirted his 2024-25 season at Santa Clara and did not start this past season. Yet he has become a rapid riser up draft boards because of his efficiency, basketball IQ, and old-school style that could make him a complementary fit on playoff teams deeper in the first round. He averaged 11.8 points on 51.2% shooting, and added 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists.

    Graves said Monday that natural feel for the game comes from his older brother, Marshall, who played at LSU, and sister, Amoura, who played at Auburn. Allen recalled tagging along to LSU practices, which at the time featured future NBA Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid.

    “My brother and I, we butted heads a lot,” Graves said, “because he’d come home and make me do LSU’s boot camp [workouts] and everything. But [those] definitely prepared me for who I am today and prepared me for my game today.”

    Graves also has eclectic non-basketball interests. He has a collection of around 30 backpacks with cartoon designs, ranging from Anime to Rugrats. He grew up fixing cars with his father, also named Marshall, at the family automotive shop in Ponchatoula, La. His current project? A 1994 Ford F150 he has named Gloria.

    “Fixed her up,” Graves said. “ … Trying to get her back running and in perfect condition.”

    And perhaps Graves’ ability to process quickly showed up in a game an unnamed NBA team asked him to play during his interview circuit at last month’s combine in Chicago. He said it involved taking one or two sugar packets out of a group, and whoever was left with the last one was the loser.

    “I figured out the person that goes first wins every time,” Graves said. “So I told them that.”

    — Gina Mizell

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 11:31am

    Will the next Allen Iverson be drafted tonight?

    Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. has been compared to Allen Iverson.

    While the 76ers won’t be selecting in the lottery this year, there is a Philly connection at the top of the draft.

    Arkansas star Darius Acuff Jr., who is expected to be a top-10 pick, has been linked to Allen Iverson, drawing on-court comparisons to the Hall of Famer after winning MVP at the Allen Iverson Roundball Classic and putting together a stellar freshman season. He also sports braids like Iverson famously has for the better part of 30 years and signed a deal with Reebok before finishing his one season in college.

    And while Acuff doesn’t speak to Iverson often, he did receive valuable advice from the Sixers legend.

    “The first time I ever met him he just told me play every game like it’s your last,” Acuff said. “I definitely take that with me. It’s great to see him. He always shows love to everybody, not just me.”

    He must’ve took that to heart. Acuff did just that as he averaged 23.5 points, 6.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds for Arkansas as he carried them to an appearance in the Sweet 16. And he did that with a little bit of Iverson in his game.

    Asked what he took most from the legendary guard, Acuff said, “I like his midrange scoring, the way he can touch the paint and how he can do different things once he gets two feet in the paint. So just taking different floaters, different fadeaways from him for sure.

    — DeAntae Prince

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 10:57am

    Sixers could add another explosive perimeter player in Dailyn Swain

    Texas wing Dailyn Swain could be a fit for the Sixers at No. 22.

    NEW YORK — Could the Sixers use the draft to continue adding to an explosive young perimeter group already spearheaded by Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe?

    Dailyn Swain would fit the bill, and is projected to the Sixers at No. 22 in ESPN’s most recent mock draft released Tuesday morning. The 6-foot-6, 211-pound attacking wing from Texas averaged 17.3 points on 54% shooting — primarily as an isolation scorer and finisher — along with 7.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Swain also has flashed the defensive playmaking that could excel in Sixers coach Nick Nurse’s aggressive scheme.

    Swain, who turns 21 next month, also would provide some insurance if the Sixers lose starter Kelly Oubre Jr. or sixth man Quentin Grimes in free agency, which begins June 30.

    The biggest question surrounding Swain is his shooting, though that did improve during his college career that began at Xavier before following coach Sean Miller to Texas. Swain shot 34.4% on 93 attempts last season, but still has a slower release. Swain said Monday that, during workouts, he has aimed to prove he can shoot efficiently while tired after a long segment.

    “It’s just confidence and shooting it the same every time,” Swain said from Monday’s media availability.

    Swain had an in-person workout with the Sixers last week, posting a photo on his Instagram of the Philly skyline. He added he has tried to demonstrate his vocal leadership and competitiveness by being “the loudest guy” in those sessions.

    — Gina Mizell

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 10:29am

    Could the ‘Michigan Mavs’ be the next ‘Nova Knicks?

    Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) gives a high-five to Wolverines coach Dusty May, who is now the coach of the Dallas Mavericks.

    NEW YORK – After the ‘Nova Knicks won the NBA title, could the “Michigan Mavs” be next?

    That was a popular topic during Monday’s draft prospect media session, which occurred just after news broke that Michigan coach Dusty May had been hired by the Dallas Mavericks.

    After leading the Wolverines to the national championship in March, Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson, and Aday Mara are all projected to go in Tuesday’s first round. When asked about following in the footsteps of former Villanova standouts Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart — who ended the Knicks’ 53-year title drought less than two weeks ago — Lendeborg grinned and laughed.

    “If we all get to go to the Mavs and we get to do that,” he said through the chuckles, “we’re definitely going to turn the city up, just like they did here. I would love to do that.”

    The Mavericks entered Tuesday with the ninth overall pick. Lendeborg joked that he planned to tell May that “he better pick me up. If he doesn’t, I’m going to be mad. I might block him.” Then Lendeborg’s tone turned sincere, saying “it would be amazing being able to stick with [May].”

    “[The Mavericks are] getting an awesome guy,” Lendeborg said. “A guy who cares about everybody else’s issues rather than themselves, in a way. Just super genuine, super humble, and a hardworking guy. He loves the game. He loves what he does, and I feel like he’s going to be a great team connector

    — Gina Mizell

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 10:07am

    Will ‘role player’ Zuby Ejiofor be available for the Sixers at 22?

    St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino speaks with forward Zuby Ejiofor during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

    NEW YORK — During a Monday gathering of basketball experts that also included ESPN’s Jay Bilas and Bobby Marks, Fran Fraschilla also was asked about St. John’s big man Zuby Ejiofor, who reportedly worked out for the Sixers last week. Fraschilla, a longtime coach, said Ejiofor has “all the attributes you want from a role player.”

    “There’s only 25 stars in the league, and there’s 425 role players,” Fraschilla said. “And he’s the epitome of a guy that will defend, rebound, catch lobs, maybe make a jump shot here and there. But [he’s] a great teammate.

    “I expect that there’s a possibility he could sneak into the end of the first round because he’s going to go to a playoff team more than likely there, where he fits the culture … When you get a kid from Rick Pitino’s program, you’re not worried about how hard he’s gonna work.”

    — Gina Mizell

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 9:50am

    Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz thinks he’s the sharpshooter the Sixers need

    Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz (left) shoots during a game between against Rutgers.

    The 76ers’ season ended with a four-game sweep against the eventual champion New York Knicks.

    After the two teams had battled in a first-round series two years earlier, the expectation was that the Sixers would give the Knicks a tough test just like the Atlanta Hawks had in this year’s postseason.

    Not quite. The Sixers looked like they gave all they had to comeback from a 3-1 deficit against the Boston Celtics, and the most obvious sign of that came at the three-point line.

    The Sixers shot 31.3% for the series while New York knocked down a blistering 44.8% from deep. And the Sixers’ principal players — Tyrese Maxey (15.8%), VJ Edgecombe (26.1%), and Joel Embiid (25%) — struggled to find their legs. Only Kelly Oubre Jr., and Paul George consistently hit open looks.

    Players in this year’s draft were at home watching the postseason and gathering where they might fit with NBA teams. And Iowa sharpshooter Bennett Stirtz saw a clear need for the Sixers, one previously filled by Jared McCain before he was traded at the previous deadline.

    “With that series, kind of release pressure off Tyrese and VJ because I can play off the ball, I can play on the ball,” Stirtz said. “I create space out there on the floor. I just think every team needs another ballhandler and shooter.”

    The interest is mutual as the Sixers interviewed Stirtz twice during the draft process. The Sixers pick at No. 22, however, and there’s a chance he could go sooner after averaging 19.8 points and shooting 35.8% from three in one season at Iowa. Prior to that, he similar success at Drake after transferring up from Division II Northwest Missouri State.

    — DeAntae Prince

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 9:23am

    Two sleeper options for Sixers in Round 1

    Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. could be the “best point guard in the draft” according to Fran Fraschilla.

    NEW YORK – Who are some sleeper prospects who could be in the range for the Sixers to draft at 22?

    That topic was posed to a panel of basketball experts — ESPN’s Jay Bilas and Bobby Marks, and Fran Fraschilla — on Monday afternoon at the Lotte New York Palace hotel.

    Marks, the former general manager of the New Jersey Nets, first mentioned Alabama guard Labaron Philon. Marks said he appreciated that, after declaring for last year’s draft, Philon returned to college to use the feedback he had received from teams to become a player who shot 39.9% from three-point range and averaged five assists per game. Bilas and Fraschilla agreed with that choice, but noted Philon may still go off the board in the lottery.

    “He could end up being the best point guard in this draft,” Fraschilla said of Philon.

    Fraschilla also highlighted Baylor’s Cam Carr, whom he called “maybe the best athlete in the draft.” Bilas mentioned Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz’s shooting and ability to play in the pick and roll, comparing him to former Sixer Kyle Korver. NBC play-by-play broadcaster John Fanta, who hosted the panel, mentioned Houston big man Chris Cenac Jr., saying, “If he’s still there, man, snatch him. Upside is there.”

    — Gina Mizell

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 8:01am

    Sixers 2026 NBA mock draft roundup

    Houston center Chris Cenac Jr.

    Chris Cenac Jr., center, Houston (The Athletic)

    “Cenac has been an exceptionally difficult prospect to find a home for. The consensus seems to be that he’s going to go somewhere in the top 20, and he was among the second batch of players invited to the green room. However, the feedback I get from teams is that he’s more like a late first-rounder. He’s seen as a high-upside swing for teams that can afford to be patient and wait for him to improve his feel for the game.

    The 76ers need another big, and Cenac could potentially slide to the four at times if his feel for the game improves. But he is more of a project than some of the other players the 76ers could take. This is a very difficult team to mock right now, as sources around the league are still trying to figure out what new head of basketball operations Mike Gansey’s type will be.

    Bleacher Report and CBS Sports also mocked Cenac landing in Philly.”

    Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie.

    Ebuka Okorie, point guard, Stanford (ESPN)

    “Okorie has put himself firmly in the first round after going through a wide range of workouts, drawing looks as high as the teens and earning a green room invitation. Some teams love his elusiveness off the dribble and scoring ability, but there are concerns about his size. Whether he can jump Christian Anderson, Labaron Philon Jr. or Bennett Stirtz in the point guard hierarchy remains to be seen, but he’s in the conversation.

    The 76ers brought in a range of candidates for this pick last week and can go best-available at this spot in new president Mike Gansey’s first draft at the helm. Finding an immediate contributor at this spot would be a win, with much of Philadelphia’s salary structure tied up in Joel Embiid and Paul George, and cultivating depth behind them is likely a priority.”

    Arizona forward Koa Peat.

    Koa Peat, forward, Arizona (The Ringer)

    “The Sixers are in the unique situation of having a dominant center who likes to score near the rim sometimes and doesn’t have an appetite for the grittier work in the paint. So I get the sense that they are looking for a convergence of exceptional physicality, the ability to create offense in the paint and near the rim, and skill and versatility at the 4. Luckily, there are a number of candidates who can help them with that at this stage of the draft. Peat has an unusual cross section of lateral quickness and brute strength on the defensive end, and he’s also a pretty terrific passer once he’s caught the ball on the move inside the arc. “

    North Carolina center Henri Veesaar

    Henri Veesaar, center, North Carolina (Yahoo! Sports)

    “Finding a center to play behind Joel Embiid needs to be prioritized. Embiid simply cannot be trusted to stay on the floor. Veesaar is an agile big with real shooting touch, connective playmaking, and baseline big skills with the ability to set screens and catch lobs. He also offers rim protection and is a locked-in help defender. He could even play next to Embiid. In all three of his collegiate seasons, he made a massive leap in production each year. The Sixers would need that ascent to continue.”

    — Rob Tornoe

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 7:55am

    What can the Sixers expect with the No. 22 draft pick?

    Sixers star Tyrese Maxey was selected with the No. 21 pick in the 2020 NBA draft.

    Tyrese Maxey is a prime example of the caliber of player a team could snag in the early 20s of the NBA draft.

    But Jameer Nelson, the 76ers’ newly promoted executive vice president of basketball operations, also was quick to note that Maxey is the exception, not the rule.

    “We got lucky with the person,” Nelson recently said of Maxey, the All-NBA point guard whom the Sixers drafted 21st in 2020. “We got lucky with the player.”

    The Sixers are in a similar spot this year, holding the No. 22 overall pick entering Tuesday’s first round. It has been a sped-up process for new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, who was formally introduced last week after spearheading the draft in his previous job as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ general manager.

    To further illustrate the uncertainty that comes with selecting at this point in the draft, here’s a look back at pick Nos. 21 through 23 the last five years. It offers a collection of success stories, and players who have since fallen out of the league.

    What can the Sixers expect with the No. 22 draft pick? Past drafts illustrate the unpredictability.

    — Gina Mizell

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 7:50am

    Giannis Antetokounmpo trade details

    Giannis Antetokounmpo is headed to Miami.

    Giannis Antetokounmpo wants more championships. So do the Miami Heat.

    Their interests are officially aligned — and the Heat finally have another superstar.

    Ending a marathon watch for the next great Miami get, the Heat landed Antetokounmpo — a two-time NBA MVP and 10-time All-Star — from the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night in exchange for a massive haul of players and draft picks.

    The terms, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the move had yet to receive the required league approval: Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis are heading to Miami for Wisconsin native Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis.

    Milwaukee also gets the No. 13 selection that will be made in Tuesday night’s NBA draft, along with a first-round pick swap in 2030, first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and a second-rounder in 2033, the person said.

    Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee to the 2021 NBA title, was on the NBA’s 75th anniversary list of its greatest players ever, is a nine-time All-NBA selection and is coming off an injury-shortened season in which he averaged 27.6 points per game.

    — Associated Press

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 7:47am

    2026 NBA Draft: Start time, channel, how to watch and stream

    Kevin Negandhi, a Phoenixville native, is back covering the NBA draft.

    The NBA draft begins Wednesday, and for the third straight year it will be divided over two days.

    The first round of the draft begins tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern, while the second round will take place on Thursday beginning at 8 p.m.

    For the sixth straight year, fans will have their choice of watching the first round of draft on two different networks — ABC and ESPN.

    Phoenixville native and Temple alumnus Kevin Negandhi is back to host ABC’s coverage alongside Jay Williams, Richard Jefferson, and TNT analyst Kenny Smith,

    Over on ESPN, Malika Andrews will host alongside analysts Jay Bilas, Tim Legler, Andraya Carter, and front office insider Bobby Marks. The broadcast will also feature news-breaker Shams Charania and King of Prussia native Lisa Salters reporting from the Barclay Center.

    One name not mentioned in ESPN’s coverage plans? First Take host and former Inquirer columnist Stephen A. Smith, who was part of the network’s ABC broadcast with Negandhi last year.

    Here’s everything you need to know to watch or stream the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft:

    • When: Tuesday, June 23
    • Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn
    • Time: 8 p.m. Eastern
    • TV: ABC, ESPN
    • Streaming: ESPN+

    — Rob Tornoe

    2026 NBA draft: First-round draft order

    The Sixers enter Tuesday with the No. 22 pick in Tuesday night’s NBA draft, but no second-round pick.

    The Washington Wizards have the No. 1 pick, and they’re expected to take either BYU forward AJ Dybantsa or Kansas guard Darryn Peterson.

    The last time the Wizards has the top pick was 2010, when they took Kentucky’s John Wall, whose career was slowed by a series of injuries.

    As for the No. 13 pick, it belongs to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, but it will need to be made by the Miami Heat because the deal won’t be official until early July after the start of a new cap year. Ah, the NBA.

    1. Washington Wizards
    2. Utah Jazz
    3. Memphis Grizzlies
    4. Chicago Bulls
    5. LA Clippers (via IND)
    6. Brooklyn Nets
    7. Sacramento Kings
    8. Atlanta Hawks (via NO)
    9. Dallas Mavericks
    10. Milwaukee Bucks
    11. Golden State Warriors
    12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via LAC)
    13. Milwaukee Bucks (via MIA)
    14. Charlotte Hornets
    15. Chicago Bulls (via POR)
    16. Memphis Grizzlies (via PHX)
    17. Oklahoma City Thunder (via PHL)
    18. Charlotte Hornets (via ORL)
    19. Toronto Raptors
    20. San Antonio Spurs (via ATL)
    21. Detroit Pistons (via MIN)
    22. Philadelphia 76ers (via HOU)
    23. Atlanta Hawks (via CLE)
    24. New York Knicks
    25. Los Angeles Lakers
    26. Denver Nugets
    27. Boston Celtics
    28. Minnesota Timberwolves (via DET)
    29. Cleveland Cavaliers (via SA)
    30. Dallas Mavericks (via OKC)

    — Rob Tornoe

    // Timestamp 06/23/26 7:45am

  • The Sixers start the Mike Gansey era with the 22nd pick. Here’s where we stand hours before draft night.

    The Sixers start the Mike Gansey era with the 22nd pick. Here’s where we stand hours before draft night.

    NEW YORK — Dailyn Swain posted a photo of the Philly skyline on his Instagram story last week.

    The Texas wing was in town for a predraft workout with the Sixers and “the city was alive,” Swain recalled, because his visit coincided with Friday’s World Cup match between Brazil and Haiti at Lincoln Financial Field.

    Swain has since joined several fellow first-round prospects at a luxury New York City hotel for the final stretch before being selected Tuesday night at Barclays Center. He is still among the possibilities to be chosen by the Sixers, who enter Tuesday with the 22nd overall pick in a loaded draft and new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey at the helm.

    “I’m very emotional,” Swain said. “I know once I hear my name, it’s going to be a surreal feeling … I’m trying to enjoy the moment.”

    What can the Sixers expect with the No. 22 draft pick? Past drafts illustrate the unpredictability.

    This draft class is packed with top-level talent — AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cam Boozer are all worthy of the No. 1 pick, experts say — as well as depth throughout the first round. That means interesting options should be available, at all position groups, if the Sixers remain at 22.

    It is the first roster-building move for Gansey, whom the Sixers hired earlier this month to oversee daily front-office operations for a team that finished seventh in the Eastern Conference standings, stormed back to upset the Boston Celtics in the playoffs’ first round, then were swept by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks.

    Though Gansey joined the Sixers’ draft preparation late, he ran that process in his previous job as general manager for a Cleveland Cavaliers franchise that was scouting for this year’s 29th pick. When asked during his introductory news conference about his overall draft philosophy, Gansey said the Sixers will make their selection based on a combination of best player available and fit.

    Mike Gansey will handle his first big decisions as Sixers president of basketball operations during Tuesday’s draft.

    The Sixers held in-person workouts in Philly last Tuesday and Friday. Versatile Santa Clara forward Allen Graves and Duke sharpshooter Isaiah Evans confirmed Monday that they were among the participants, while a source confirmed to The Inquirer that Houston big man Chris Cenac Jr., also was in attendance. Physical forwards Koa Peat of Arizona and Zuby Ejiofor of St. John’s also were reportedly part of those workouts. Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz said Monday that he has had two interviews with the Sixers.

    So Monday became a quest to mine the tiniest tidbits from those prospects in media scrums. Evans said his workout with the Sixers was with Swain, and that current Sixers VJ Edgecombe and Justin Edwards also were in the gym. Graves praised the Sixers’ “amazing” facilities in Camden. Stirtz said that, while watching the playoffs, he recognized how he could “release pressure” off standout guards Tyrese Maxey and Edgecombe with his outside shooting.

    “I create space out there on the floor,” said Stirtz, who is projected to go a bit higher than 22nd. “Every team needs another ballhandler and shooter.”

    Mike Gansey should consider drafting Zuby Ejiofor at No. 22, or trading up for Morez Johnson, or …

    Gansey kept some continuity within the Sixers’ front office — including the recently promoted Jameer Nelson — that has executed successful recent drafts. It picked Maxey 21st in 2020, and Jared McCain 16th and Adem Bona in the second round in 2024. Even Paul Reed, Isaiah Joe, and Julian Champagne, who have gone on to succeed with other playoff teams, were either selected in the second round or signed as an undrafted free agent. In 2023, the Sixers traded the 23rd overall pick to the Memphis Grizzlies for guard DeAnthony Melton, a key role player for two seasons when healthy.

    “I’m excited to learn from them,” Gansey said of the remaining front office, “and, obviously, put my vision and put my imprint on the draft. … and try to get the best person and player for the Sixers.”

    As of Monday night, the Sixers do not have a pick in Wednesday’s second round. Yet what they do Tuesday will help dictate how they approach free agency, which begins the evening of June 30. Starting wing Kelly Oubre Jr., sixth man Quentin Grimes, and reserve big man Andre Drummond are all unrestricted free agents. And the Sixers have limited financial flexibility with Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George on max contracts for multiple seasons.

    Sixers guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe are among a long list of recent draft successes for a team that didn’t draft well historically.

    For the prospects assembled Monday in New York City, however, the wait for their NBA destination is almost over. Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who spent his teenage years in Pennsauken and is projected to go somewhere in the middle of the first round, half-jokingly called these final hours “really, really awful.”

    “I’m feeling emotion in the book,” he said Monday. “But I’m getting very impatient, in a way. I want to know where I’m going.”

    The same likely could be said for the Sixers, now beginning the Gansey era with the 22nd overall pick.