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, a league source confirmed to The Inquirer late Tuesday. The deal comes out of the nontaxpayer mid-level exception, and will hard cap the Sixers at the first apron.
Wade was one of Gansey’s success stories in his previous job as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ general manager. The 29-year-old 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.
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 entered unrestricted free agency. Yahoo! reported Tuesday night that Oubre planned to meet with at least the Sixers, Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers, and Portland Trail Blazers.
The Sixers have between $5 and $6 million remaining of the mid-level exception to use on an outside free agent. They are $16.6 million total under the first apron.
Unsurprisingly, multiple reports surfaced over the weekend that the Sixers were among the teams interested in signing Wade. Yet the offseason transaction cycle began quietly for the Sixers — even as significant NBA moves swirled around them.
In the past nine days, stars Giannis Antetokounmpo, LaMelo Ball, and Ja Morant have been traded. Earlier Tuesday, the Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors agreed on a deal sending Kawhi Leonard back to the team he led to the 2019 NBA championship.
Dean Wade helps fill a void in the frontcourt for the Sixers.
Also on Tuesday, LeBron James, an all-time great who is still an All-Star at age 41, informed the Lakers that he would join another team as a free agent. That potentially held up other business across the league — and indirectly affected the Sixers.
Outsiders naturally linked James to another reunion with his hometown Cavaliers, who are coming off an Eastern Conference finals appearance and also are reportedly working on re-signing former Sixer James Harden to a multiyear deal.
To accomplish all of that, the Cavaliers need to clear cap space. The Stein Line reported that the Cavaliers were exploring options to trade Max Strus and Dennis Schroeder. Yet if a Cleveland pursuit of James does not pan out — or even if it does — one could have viewed using that cap space to re-sign Wade as a potential Plan B before he instead opted to join the Sixers.
Andre Drummond, Trendon Watford, and Kyle Lowry (who is expected to retire) are the other free agents for a Sixers team with limited financial flexibility. All-NBA guard Tyrese Maxey ($40.8 million), former MVP Joel Embiid ($57.7 million), and former perennial All-Star Paul George ($54.1 million) all remain on max contracts, accounting for the vast majority of the nearly $165 million salary cap.
That top-heavy roster requires shrewd complementary moves, in addition to hoping Embiid and George can be healthier in 2026-27. Backup center becomes the positional priority as free agency continues. Rebounding and shooting will always be welcomed skills for a team that has struggled in both areas.
Gansey began his first Sixers offseason by drafting Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr., in the first round. Monday, he picked up the team options in Dominick Barlow and Dalen Terry’s contracts for the 2026-27 season.
And now, Gansey has begun his first Sixers free agency by adding a player with whom he is quite familiar.
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.
Starting October 30, all 30 teams will compete for the Emirates NBA Cup with 8 teams advancing out of groups into the knockout rounds, with the Championship held at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, December 11! pic.twitter.com/OiBSSVkxpm
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 Detroit Pistons have offered what the franchise believes is the most lucrative contract possible for their All-Star restricted free agent Jalen Duren, are not interested in any sign and trade deals and will match any potential offer sheet he signs, sources @espn@andscape.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Free agent sharpshooter Tim Hardaway Jr. will be signing with the Miami Heat to provide the organization with the spacing needed for Giannis Antetokounmpo, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/ZS5wLdcCeG
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.
Bones Hyland has agreed to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves next season, sources told @TheAthletic. Hyland established himself as a rotation player, teaming with Ayo Dosunmu in the "Twin Turbos" backcourt.
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.
Free agent DeAndre Jordan has agreed to a deal to return to the New Orleans Pelicans for his 19th NBA season, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/gmAULFUi2r
The National Basketball Association announced today that the Salary Cap for the 2026-27 season has been set at $164.961 million. The Tax Level for the 2026-27 season is $200.428 million. pic.twitter.com/1bp31NCH8c
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
BREAKING: LeBron James will continue his NBA career for the 2026-27 season and has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/zzVk6xUVF1
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.
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.”
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.
This summer has brought back the NBA’s offseason fireworks, with star players being traded all over the league in anticipation of free agency and a 2026-27 season that could be anybody’s for the taking.
The 76ers don’t look like a team that will participate in much of the action on the trade market or when free agency opens at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. They are pot committed to Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey, who will all play on max contracts into the foreseeable future.
So what could this summer look like for the Sixers? How will they improve on the margins in a league where teams are constantly jockeying for position? Let’s take a look at the biggest storylines facing the Sixers entering NBA free agency …
How can the Sixers improve this summer?
The contracts of Embiid, Maxey, and George continue to hamper the franchise. VJ Edgecombe emerged sooner than expected and remains on his rookie deal. So the Sixers will enter Tuesday’s free agency with only so much they can accomplish. They have no choice but to run it back with their three stars and hope for better health and better support on the margins.
They’ll also need better performances from their stars, who were superb against the Boston Celtics as they manufactured a three-games-to-one comeback in the first round of the playoffs but struggled in the quick turnaround to the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks. Embiid missed Game 2 because of right hip soreness and a sprained right ankle, Maxey missed every shot he took from three in Game 1 (15.8% on 4.8 attempts per game for the series), and George missed the second half of multiple games after he failed to sustain hot starts. Those things can be changed in the summer only by rest, recovery, and returning to the drawing board.
Sixers guards Kelly Oubre Jr., and Quentin Grimes are both set to hit free agency.
Will they be able to re-sign Kelly Oubre Jr., and Quentin Grimes?
This is the biggest question facing the Sixers this summer. They entered the summer $14.5 million below the tax and $22.5 million below the first apron. They’ve since declined the option of Trendon Watford. If they sign Oubre and Grimes, they’ll likely hit the first apron with the same team that finished seventh in the East last season.
Based on the Sixers’ history of avoiding the luxury tax — including last season when they traded Jared McCain despite Embiid’s public plea — that result is unlikely. For reference, Oubre signed a two-year, $16.3 million deal and Grimes signed the one-year, $8.7 qualifying offer after failing to come to a deal as a restricted free agent. Both players expect a raise.
Andre Drummond and Adem Bona juggled a tough situation last season. Neither player knew what to expect from night to night because of Embiid’s health issues and sudden shifts in their roles. When Embiid did not play, Bona started and Drummond served as the backup. But when he was available, Drummond stepped into the backup role and Bona often didn’t play at all.
That might not be the most tenable situation for Drummond, who will enter free agency this summer. It’s also not ideal for the Sixers, who are aware that the ideal backup will have the combined skills of Drummond and Bona.
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.
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.
“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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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?
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
Could Mike Gansey’s first veteran roster addition be the return of an old friend?
In a new Men’s Health story, Ben Simmons said he’s eyeing an NBA return after a year away.
“I plan on getting as strong as I can physically, getting my ass on the court, and then the team realizing that my abilities will be needed,” he said.
Simmons spent his most recent NBA season of 2024-25 with the Nets and later the Clippers, playing 51 games and averaging five points, 5.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 22 minutes per game. Simmons has been hampered by various injuries, including a nerve impingement in his back.
Over the last year, Simmons stepped away from basketball, instead spending some of his time off winning a professional fishing tournament with the South Florida Sails, a team of which he is also part owner.
But now, feeling healthier, the 29-year-old Simmons hopes to launch an NBA comeback. With his size and basketball IQ, Simmons said coaches told him that if he got healthy there would be plenty of interest from teams.
“I don’t have a plan on where,” Simmons told Men’s Health, but he had a few spots in mind.
“Maybe I’ll go back to Philly,” he said. “Miami would be nice. And not because it’s Miami — I like Erik Spoelstra, I like the Heat, I like their organization, I like the culture.”
Could Ben Simmons (left) and Joel Embiid coexist as members of the Sixers?
Simmons’ breakup with the Sixers in 2022 was messy. The three-time NBA All-Star refused to play for the team after the second-round playoff loss to the Atlanta Hawks in 2021, and was ultimately traded for James Harden. Would he even be welcomed back?
Simmons famously feuded with center Joel Embiid before he was dealt to the Nets in the middle of the 2021-22 season.
“The situation is weird, disappointing, borderline kind of disrespectful to all the guys that are out here fighting for their lives,” Embiid said back in 2021 training camp of Simmons’ refusal to play for the Sixers. “Some guys rely on the team being successful to stay in the league and make money somehow. Because if you’re on a winning team, you’re always going to have a spot in the league, just because you’re on a winning team and you contributed.”
But it’s been four years, and if Simmons is healthy he could be a depth piece for a capped-out Sixers team in need of help off the bench.
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.
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.
The West Powelton Steppers and Drum Squad, in celebration of their 35th anniversary, endured the weather and took to the streets, drowning out the sound of rain with the beating of drums on Saturday.
Kicking off at 41st and Filbert and circling back around to 40th and Powelton, the Steppers — known by many in the region for their work as the Sixers Stixers — led a parade to start the day, followed by a ceremony renaming the 4100 block of Powelton, which will now be known as West Powelton Steppers Way.
“The West Powelton Steppers and Drum Squad’s drum beat is Philly’s heartbeat,” Jamie Gauthier, City Councilmember of Philadelphia’s 3rd district, said.
The West Powelton Steppers and Drumline march down the street on Saturday.
Other drumlines and squads, as well as family and friends, joined in the celebration while vendors lined the street in recognition of the group Elsie Wise founded in 1991. Her grandson, Antoine Mapp, is now the director of the West Powelton Steppers.
When Mapp’s grandmother founded the drumline, the hope was to give young people in the community a safe place to go, while instilling core values of discipline and hard work, a legacy Mapp now continues through his work.
Gauthier helped unveil the street renaming and presented Mapp and the steppers with a key to the city. Mapp was also honored with an honorary badge from the sheriff’s office.
“I know that your grandmother is looking down on you right now and is so unbelievably proud,” Gauthier said while addressing Mapp. “You have taken this squad to heights no one could have imagined 35 years ago.”
The West Powelton Steppers march in an event honoring their 35 years entertaining the community.
In their 35 years, the Steppers have become the city’s official steppers, as well as the official steppers for the sheriff’s department and the Philadelphia International Airport. As the Sixers Stixers, they became the official steppers for the 76ers in 2013.
Gauthier commended the Steppers for their ability to “electrify” the crowd anywhere they went, from Sixers games to community rallies. Along with their affiliation with the Sixers, the drum squad also performed in the Eagles Super Bowl parade, the Phillies World Series parade and at some Phillies games where they’re billed as the Bass Line. They’ve performed at Philadelphia Union and Philadelphia Soul games, during halftime for Penn basketball and football, and New Jersey Devils games as well.
Outside of the realm of sports, they’ve performed at amateur night at the Apollo, on America’s Got Talent, and opened for Boyz II Men and *NSYNC, along with countless community events, even winning two regional Emmys in the Mid-Atlantic division.
“People used to call James Brown the hardest working man in show business,” Gauthier said “But I think Antoine Mapp is the hardest working man in Philadelphia.”
Antoine Mapp, the director of the West Powelton Steppers and Drumline, cheers during the street renaming ceremony.
The drumline itself has often been called “the hardest working drumline,” practicing 12 hours and performing at multiple events per week.
Guathier said the multiple ways Philly honored the West Powelton Steppers was the least the city could do to show its appreciation for what has become a staple in the community due to its commitment to “artistic excellence, mentorship, and service.”
“Here’s to an even more impactful next 35 years,” Gauthier said.
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.
There’s a downside to the championship-or-bust mentality that permeates this city. The further one looks into the future, the less visceral the present becomes. One of the local radio stations posted a poll the other day. It asked Phillies fans if they were enjoying the team’s current run of success, or if they were waiting for October. The question was more than fair. Incisive, even. Anyway, are you enjoying your summer or is it just a prelude to winter?
I’m thinking about these things with regard to the Sixers’ decision to spend a first-round pick on Labaron Philon Jr. By all accounts, the organization made a no-brainer of a move in selecting the former Alabama star. Most experts ranked Philon much higher than the 22nd-best player in the draft. An offensive dynamo who averaged 22 points and 5 assists in his sophomore season, the 20-year-old was available to the Sixers thanks to a draft that was deep on overall talent and especially so on talent matching Philon’s profile. It is rare for a playoff team to draft a player as late as No. 22 and expect him to contribute meaningful minutes as a rookie. It is even rarer to expect him to do so in dynamic fashion. The Sixers expect both out of Philon.
“My initial thoughts are he’s a really talented scorer, right?” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said on draft night. “Really, really fast and explosive and can really, really get it in the bucket.”
The Sixers selection of Philon did not come without some raised eyebrows, most of them from folks wondering about the end game. Didn’t the Sixers just trade away Jared McCain, another undersized guard whose upside would be capped by his inability to share the court with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe? Is Philon really the kind of player who will meaningfully improve the Sixers’ chances of fielding a championship team around Edgecombe and Maxey after Joel Embiid and Paul George are gone? Where, exactly, does Philon fit in a world where the best NBA teams are physical and positionless and can switch on defense 1 through 5?
The answer: who cares.
The healthiest way to look at the Sixers right now is to forget about the bigger picture. They are not chasing a championship right now. Not next year, anyway. They are no longer all-in. The mission statement is no longer parade-or-bust. The Sixers have operated in that mode for most of the last decade. It is exhausting even when it is warranted, which it currently is not.
Could they surprise us? Sure, there’s a chance. It would involve a lot of ifs: Edgecombe taking a big Anthony Edwards-sized leap toward his full potential, Maxey continuing to take his remarkably consistent steps toward greatness, Embiid and George consistently being the players they were when they were at their best in the postseason. If all of that happens, then, yeah, maybe the Sixers could belong among the Knicks and the Pacers and the Heat and the Cavs and the Celtics and have as good of a shot as any of them at the NBA Finals. Maybe they could outpace the Hawks and the Hornets and the Wizards and the Raptors. Sure. If everything breaks right, then maybe they could.
Mike Gansey said first-round pick Labaron Philon Jr. has “got good instincts, good hands.”
The more likely scenario is that the Sixers can be a fun team to watch on a nightly basis, a team that can carry a city through late-winter doldrums between the Super Bowl and opening day. That should be their goal right now. Build toward a championship, and put out a good product while doing so.
The strongest argument for Philon is that he can play a significant role in that mission. Can a 6-foot-2, 176-pound guard have a role on a championship team that is built around Maxey and Edgecombe? Sure. Miles McBride had a role on a team led by Jalen Brunson. The Thunder traded for Jared McCain despite having Cason Wallace, and then they drafted Bennett Stirtz. De’Aaron Fox entered the NBA weighing less than Philon with similar length measurements. Likewise with Monte Morris, who averaged over 20 minutes per game in the Western Conference finals while playing alongside Jamal Murray and Gary Harris.
“He’s on the slighter side — he has to get stronger,” Gansey said. “But if you look at his freshman year at Alabama, he really guarded. I think this year he had to carry a huge offensive load, so I think he took a little step back there, but I know it’s in him. He’s got good instincts, good hands. He’s tough. He’ll get into people. He’s competitive. We just can’t have enough guards. In Cleveland, we needed guards, because it’s the playoffs, it’s half court, you need to go get a bucket. I think Labaron can go get one any time he wants.”
That last point is a significant one. Buckets are the point of basketball. It is fun to watch guys who can get them at will. McBride is fun to watch. McCain is fun to watch. If Philon is the guy McCain was for the Thunder this postseason, then the Sixers will at least have two additional years of him plus a few extra second round draft picks.
“You need as many guards as you can that can go create a shot,” Gansey said. “Tyrese was No. 1 in minutes last year, VJ was up there as a rookie … we need depth at that guard position. I think he can come in and play some minutes and take a load off those two. I think he can play with Tyrese a little bit.”
If that’s what happens, then it is a win, even if it isn’t a direct line to a title.
The NBA has always been the pro sports league whose fans are most susceptible to the existential malaise that can accompany the clear understanding of a team’s place in the grand scheme of things. Only 12 of the last 36 championships have been won by a team that was not led by Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Steph Curry, or Tim Duncan. Dating back to 1991, seven teams account for 28 of 36 titles. That reality is what inspired The Process. The Process led to a desperate quest to make it pay off. The best way to watch the Sixers the next couple of years will be with a little less desperation.
The 76ers weren’t a lock to make a selection in the NBA draft, especially after former president of basketball operations Daryl Morey made it clear that he traded Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder with the intention of flipping the first-round selection they received in return.
But the hiring of Mike Gansey in that same role brought a different philosophy, as the Sixers opted to keep their ears open to potential trades while also eyeing the best player available at No. 22. That turned out to be Labaron Philon Jr., an all-American at multiple levels who slipped on Tuesday night after previously being viewed as a lottery pick.
Philon, a 6-foot-3, 176-pound guard, will join a promising backcourt led by Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Both players FaceTimed Philon on draft night and welcomed him to the team before also posting him on their personal social media profiles.
His brand of basketball will be welcomed by a Sixers team that needed better ballhandling and outside shooting.
We have plenty of time to get to know Philon on the court. Let’s take a beat to learn what he’s like away from it.
After winning Alabama Mr. Basketball, Labaron Philon Jr. found his way to the Crimson Tide.
He’s an Alabama legend.
Philon was a three-year starter at Baker High School in Mobile, Ala., where he picked up every accolade possible. Philon averaged 35 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists as a junior, won Class 7A Player of the Year twice and was named Alabama Mr. Basketball.
He added a little spice to the Alabama-Auburn rivalry.
Philon’s recruitment was a big deal in the state of Alabama as he became the first Mr. Basketball to commit to Auburn. That changed shortly after, however, after changes to the staff led Philon to withdraw his commitment. He then signed with Kansas before reopening his recruitment one final time and joined the Crimson Tide. That, of course, added a little bit more juice to the legendary rivalry between Alabama and Auburn.
The Crimson Tide came out on top this time, though, as Philon played a large part in their Elite Eight appearance in 2025 and shifted to a starring role as they reached the Sweet 16 in 2026. Philon also had a 3-1 record against the Tigers in his two college seasons.
He made a big jump as a sophomore.
Philon has described himself as a “ball hawk” on defense, and that is the role he played as a freshman with Alabama. While star Mark Sears led the Crimson Tide during their Elite Eight run, Philon averaged 10.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals.
That flipped in his sophomore season as Philon became the focal point of the offense. He made a big jump to 22 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.2 steals. A major part of Philon’s rise was his decision to endure the draft process, take feedback, and apply it in his sophomore season, during which he made a concerted effort to improve his three-point shooting and playmaking.
Sixers first-round draft pick Labaron Philon Jr. poses with his family after he was introduced at the team practice facility on Thursday in Camden.
He slipped on draft night.
Philon was considered a potential lottery pick and he appeared on mock drafts as early as No. 16. Yet he sat in the green room watching his peers get selected before him. When the Sixers’ pick came up at No. 22, they considered Philon the best player on the board, and his wait came to an end. The reaction from Philon made it clear that he either expected to be selected or was simply overcome with emotion as tears formed while he hugged family members.
He’s close to rapper NoCap, another Mobile native.
Philon opted for a classic look on draft night, sporting a black and white suit and black-rimmed glasses. One accessory stood out, however, as he sported a large “16″ chain over his chest. Rapper NoCap, a fellow Mobile native, lent him the piece a couple of weeks ago for his big night. So it was fitting that he played music from NoCap and rap artist Lucki to start his day as he prepared for the draft.
