Trust the process. This is the mantra that the Philadelphia 76ers have lived by over the past few years, as they practically built their team from the ground up. With Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons now approaching the respective peaks of their careers, it does seem as though that this very process is likewise nearing its culmination.
The Sixers are a great example of how a well-run team is able to find success by taking a rather meticulous and expertly calculated approach, with the willingness to suffer through a few forgettable seasons on the onset. Philly's performance in free agency has been pivotal in their current rebuilding process, but it is actually a fact that the Sixers have been doing this throughout the organization's storied history. Today we take a look at the 76ers' Top 5 free agent signings of all time.
Honorable Mention: Allen Iverson
No, the Sixers did not originally acquire the great Allen Iverson as a free agent. They picked him first overall in the 1996 draft. What we're talking about here is his stint with the team the second time around.
In December of 2009, a 34-year-old Iverson signed with the Sixers after being waived by the Memphis Grizzlies after playing just three games with the squad. The 6-foot guard was a shell of his former self, and his signing with the Sixers was purely emotional. While he did not provide much value for the team, this signing was greatly appreciated not only by Philadelphia fans, but by Iverson himself as well.
The Sixers legend called it a career the following summer — as a Sixer.
5. Al Horford
Philadelphia is not exactly the most attractive destination for free agents. Nonetheless, this did not prevent five-time All-Star Al Horford for signing with the team last summer. The 6-foot-9 center came to Philly not because it's a big-market team, but primarily because he believed in what the Sixers was trying to do. Oh, and the $109 million the team was willing to pay probably also played a pivotal role in his decision.
Despite already nearing the twilight of his career, Horford is still an excellent addition to the current 76ers side. Along with Embiid, their pairing is one of, if not the most formidable frontcourt duos in the entire Eastern Conference. There's little doubt that Horford will have a big role to play for the Sixers in the years to come.
4. J.J. Redick
Another player that came to Philly as part of the process is sharpshooting two-guard J.J. Redick. The 6-foot-3 guard already had a reputation of being an excellent shooter prior to signing with the Sixers in the summer of 2017, but it was in Philadelphia where Redick would absolutely shine.
The former Duke standout had the best season of his career last term with the 76ers, averaging a career-best 18.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 3.2 triples (also a career-high mark) on a 39.7-percent clip.
If you're still having doubts that Redick should be on this list, then perhaps this will change your mind: he currently holds the franchise record for most 3-pointers made in a single season with 240 triples last year.
3. Robert Covington
Outside of Embiid and Simmons, there is perhaps no other Sixers player that embodies the process more than Robert Covington. The 29-year-old now plies his trade with the Houston Rockets following a mid-season trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves, and there's no denying that he has been making a splash with his new squad. Well, that's pretty much the Covington the Sixers had when he played with the squad for four and a half season. That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but the point we're trying to make here is that the 6-foot-7 forward was a beast for Philly.
Covington is widely regarded as one of the best 3-and-D players in the league today, and it was in Philadelphia that he cut his teeth. Playing for the team between 2014 and 2018, he boasts career averages of 12.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 2.4 3-pointers per game.
Aside from the talent he brought to the team, what makes the Covington signing so special is how he was practically a nobody when the Sixers plucked him from the waiver wire in 2014 after he was waived by — ironically — the Rockets. He is simply the greatest undrafted free agent signing in Sixers history.
2. George McGinnis
As mentioned earlier, success in the free agency market is nothing new for Philadelphia. Case in point is Hall of Famer George McGinnis.
Following a four-year stint in the ABA with the Indiana Pacers, McGinnis signed with the Sixers as a free agent in 1975. He also happened to be the reigning ABA MVP when he joined the team. Playing alongside another 76ers legend in Julius Erving, McGinnis would help lead the Sixers to three straight playoff appearances during his time with the team, including a trip to the Finals in 1977.
At the conclusion of the following season, however, the Sixers would decide to trade away McGinnis, ending a memorable three-year stint in Philly. McGinnis is one of the most decorated free agent signings the 76ers has ever had, with him being a six-time All-Star, a two-time All-NBA team member, and a two-time ABA champion.
1. Julius Erving
As far as the greatest players who have ever dawned the Sixers jersey, there's no doubt that the legendary Julius Erving will be right up there in any list. This is why it may come as a surprise to some that Philadelphia actually acquired Dr. J via free agency. Well, technically the team purchased his rights from the New York Nets of the ABA in 1976, but still, he has to be on our list here.
Erving would spend his entire 11-year NBA career with the Sixers, and boy was it a memorable career. His credentials speak for themselves: 16-time All-Star (five in the ABA), seven-time All-NBA team member, one-time All-Defensive team member, a two-time All-Star MVP, and a four-time season MVP (three in the ABL).
The last time the Sixers won the NBA title was in 1983, and this was thanks in large part to Erving and his dominance. For his tremendous contribution to the game, Erving was enshrined to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.
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