What moves will the Philadelphia 76ers make in the 2024 offseason? The answer to that question carries much more weight than it does for other teams.
Armed with a heap of cap space and plenty of future first-round picks to trade, the Sixers can remake their roster into a much more dangerous unit around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The open market can provide them with upgrades in their supporting cast, which will be much-needed as Eastern Conference teams look to reload and challenge the Boston Celtics. The Sixers have their own bundle of free agents and should look to bring some of them back, too.
Obviously, the biggest move the 76ers can make is to land a star. But they'll have to add more talent, too, using their salary cap exceptions and potentially their glut of available cap space if they strike out on a star. As much as landing Paul George would give the Sixers a three-headed monster, going seven or eight players deep with reliable, versatile options could be a recipe for great success.
Here are five options for the 76ers in 2024 free agency.
Kris Dunn
The ideal type of guard next to Maxey is one who can set him up for shots on offense and take the main defensive assignment. Dunn, a former fifth overall pick who played for the Utah Jazz last season, checks those boxes and is likely going to find a new home as Keyonte George takes over Utah's starting point guard spot and rookie Isaiah Collier joins the fold, too.
Dunn is a stud on defense. He gets into his opponents' space and doesn’t give up on plays when he trails behind. His combination of quick hands and a 6-foot-9 wingspan make it tough for opponents to dribble around him or put the ball in front. Point-of-attack defense is something Philly badly needs and that Dunn could provide at a high level. His 2.6 steals per 100 possessions ranked in the top 10 of the NBA leaderboard last season.
One of Dunn's biggest question marks, his three-point shooting, has come around a lot in the past two seasons with the Jazz. It should only get better in Philly, though expecting him to become a legitimate threat from deep is a hefty wish. Also promising is his shooting around the rim improving over his last few seasons, too. He scored really efficiently on a floater from the deeper half of the paint.
Another upside of Dunn is his playmaking. He reads the floor well and can drive into the paint to draw defenders before dishing it to whoever becomes open. Opposing teams could dare Dunn to score one-on-one, which he isn’t super adept at doing. He has yet to prove his scoring can thrive in high-intensity settings. If defenses can shade far away from him in crunch time, his effectiveness diminishes.
However, there is reason to believe Dunn is good enough of a threat (especially playing off of two All-NBA-level stars) to not be played off the floor. That would be a great thing for the Sixers, especially when they need to generate stops.
Naji Marshall
The New Orleans Pelicans' desire to trade Brandon Ingram suggests that they are looking to keep their other wings intact, which would mean extending Trey Murphy III and re-signing Marshall, which could be a bigger goal of theirs after sending Dyson Daniels in a trade to land Dejounte Murray. But perhaps a better chance at competing for a championship could draw Marshall away from NOLA.
Marshall, who’s roughly 6-foot-6 with a wingspan a little longer than seven feet, would slide in very nicely as a 3-and-D option. His three-pointer is a bit unproven at the NBA level so far, as he just had his first season shooting above the league-average percentage from three. If the 76ers buy that as a legitimate, sustainable improvement, they should be all over him in free agency. Even if they’re not sure, Marshall has other skills that make him worth a roll of the dice.
Although Marshall has shot poorly at the rim throughout his career, he does a pretty good job of drawing shooting fouls and has been an efficient scorer in the midrange. Most of his midrange attempts come from within 15 feet, meaning that he's rarely settling for long twos and instead attacks downhill.
Defensively, Marshall gets after it. His on-ball defense is pesky and persistent, just what any team would want from its wing players. Whoever tries to get anywhere on him will have to work overtime. He's even taken a few pages from the book of his inbound-stealing-extraordinaire teammate, Jose Alvarado.
There will be a slate of 3-and-D wings up for grabs in free agency, though each player’s strength as either a shooter or defender varies. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Klay Thompson, Royce O'Neale, and Gary Trent Jr. are a few of the many other possibilities. Marshall can play small forward but it would be best for the Sixers to think of him as a two-guard next to Maxey, where his height and length advantages can shine brighter.
Simone Fontecchio
Would the Detroit Pistons facilitate a sign-and-trade with Fontecchio, a restricted free agent, after trading for him this past season — or perhaps even let him walk? It sounds crazy but it might not be totally impossible. They did just draft another wing in Ron Holland and ship off Quentin Grimes, another midseason acquisition, for a worse veteran and a bunch of second-rounders.
If the 76ers can find a way to snag the Italian forward away from Detroit, they could have one of their two starting forward spots locked down. The 6-foot-8 Fontecchio is a splendid three-point shooter, swishing shots with his high release point and quick, smooth mechanics that he's comfortable shooting off the dribble with. He's nearly perfect as a spot-up specialist who can make a defense pay for committing too hard. Last season, he shot 40.1 percent from downtown on 5.1 attempts per game.
Defensively, Fontecchio puts in the effort but isn’t likely to be the crown jewel of any team's defense. The Sixers would have to find a different wing to make their primary defender for opposing stars or help him more adept at sticking with his assignment around the halfcourt. But his size would give him the chance to be a decent team defender.
Fontecchio is comfortable putting the ball on the floor but isn’t someone who will consistently create his own advantages. What’s good about Fontecchio is that he shoots the shots a team would want out of its role players: threes or shots in the paint. He doesn’t waste much time trying to get off middies, opting instead to space the floor for the lead ball-handlers. Fontecchio may not be as good as a tall shooter like Cam Johnson but can provide similar value at a cheaper price.
Again, the Pistons allowing Fontecchio to walk doesn’t seem super likely. But because of how good of a fit he would be with the 76ers, they should kick the tires.
Trendon Watford
Fewer under-the-radar signings could be as good as Watford, who spent last season with the Brooklyn Nets and is now a restricted free agent. The 6-foot-8 wing with a 7-foot-2 wingspan was one of just eight qualified players last season with per-100-possession averages of 25 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block with a true shooting percentage above 60 percent. The rest are all either established or rising stars.
The stats that group Watford with the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Anthony Davis, and more are very specific but reveal that he's a versatile wing that brings value on both ends of the floor. He'll have to show that he can play that well over a bigger sample size before he's asked to be a starter. For now, he could be an X-factor off the bench. If the Nets aren’t super keen on keeping him, the 76ers should pursue him hard.
Watford can handle the ball and has a good feel for where it has to go. He's a heads-up passer who makes quick decisions and can flick quick passes with one hand. Nico Batum showed last season how valuable a tall, quick-thinking passer can be when the defense has to account for scoring monsters like Embiid and Maxey. Watford isn’t quite as smart as Batum but he could fill that void should the Frenchman not return. Even if he does, having two high-IQ wings would be wonderful.
In each of the last two seasons, Watford shot over 39 percent from beyond the arc, though he shot a very low volume of deep shots. His percentages from the corner in both seasons were below 32 but his above-the-break threes were successful over 40 percent of the time, which is among the best split at his position leaguewide. His free-throw percentage has been good enough (75.6 percent over his three NBA seasons) to suggest his shooting touch is legit.
Watford does a nice job making defensive plays off the ball and has worked to make strides as an on-ball stopper. He turns just 24 in November. As far as under-the-radar moves go, Watford can be a steal for the 76ers.
Dario Saric
The Sixers could use another experienced backup big man besides Paul Reed and someone who can play alongside Embiid while giving Philly a size advantage. A familiar face could provide those options on a very cheap contract.
Saric, one of the most beloved Process Sixers ever, spent last season with the Golden State Warriors. The Homie is unafraid to make passes into tight windows and is adept at keeping the ball moving, which would really benefit the Sixers. He's also coming off one of the best shooting seasons of his career, taking over half of his field goals from beyond the arc and converting 37.6 percent of those looks.
Saric's struggles on defense are only going to get worse as he ages, though the Sixers could soothe those concerns. The Warriors used him a lot as a center, where his lack of athleticism was badly exposed. He could play nicely off of Reed or rookie Adem Bona, allowing the more mobile centers to provide size and deterrence on the perimeter while they utilize the spacing and passing he provides. It's hard to hide Saric on defense but making sure he has big, agile players next to him at all times will help him stay on the floor.
The 76ers need to improve as a rebounding team and find more ways to get size around Embiid. One of his former teammates whom he loved playing with can fill that need while also adding more shooting and playmaking, two skills that teams can never have enough of.
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