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As crazy as it may sound, the calendar has turned over from July to August, and the Philadelphia 76ers' roster still isn't technically complete.
Now granted, that is largely a matter of semantics, as eventually, Quentin Grimes will be locked away on a new contract, be that something long-term or the dreaded qualifying offer. But for now, the roster sits at 13 with one very notable restricted free agent unsigned and no real desire to fill that final roster spot with another NBA body.
And yet, even though the start of the 2025-26 NBA season is still weeks away, that doesn't mean fans can't sneak a peek at the 2026 calendar and look at the month of February, when all 30 teams will be looking to make some moves, exchange some picks, and ultimately set themselves up for a better future one way or another.
On paper, the 76ers might be the biggest wildcard in the NBA heading into the 2025-26 season. Philadelphia could win 40 games, 50 games, maybe even 60 games if everything clicks and they can get a full and healthy season from their entire roster, from MVP Joel Embiid to Rookie of the Year candidate VJ Edgecombe. Or, they could see the injuries pile up once more, watch top players fail to live up to expectations, and ultimately be fighting for pick positioning instead of playoff seeding in March and April.
If the season goes well and Daryl Morey is ready to push some chips into the center of the table, then there could be some seriously interesting options on the table to pursue. The Utah Jazz project to be bad once more, and they have a few veteran forwards who could be in play via trade, be that a large point guard like Kyle Anderson or a shooter like old pal Georges Niang, who was just traded, again, this offseason back to his original NBA team.
The OKC Thunder, even after their NBA Championship win, have a few fringe rotational players who they may be willing to give up for the right price, with Kendrich Williams a potential frontcourt starter in Philadelphia alongside Embiid, Paul George, and Ousmane Dieng, one of the most interesting young players in the Association who isn't getting regular minutes.
But if the 76ers decide they are certified sellers or simply need ammunition to pull off a deal for a player with money left don't their contract, they will have to say goodbye to a few familiar faces to get where they want to be, from a struggling center to a fan favorite wing, or even a guard who is about to get paid before opening tip.
3. Andre Drummond
If the 76ers had their way, they would have already moved on from Andre Drummond.
Once considered the best backup center the 76ers have employed behind Embiid, the former $100 million center from the Detroit Pistons struggled mightily last season both in starting and backup duty, keeping up his typical mastery as a rebounder but regressing as both a defender and a scorer.
In 2025-26, the 76ers still have a major need at center, as even if Embiid can play well, he won't be starting every game or playing 35 minutes a night, but is Drummond the guy to make that happen? Considering how Adem Bona played in Summer League, when coupled with Johni Broom's mastery of the position as an undersized option back in college at Auburn, there's a world where Drummond may be C4 when everyone is healthy, and could be moved in almost any deal as an addition by subtraction, regardless of the return.
With an expiring deal worth just $5 million, Drummond could easily be moved in almost any trade, and has enough pedigree that some team may actually be willing to surrender an even asset to bring him to town, especially a squad like the Los Angeles Lakers who had no viable centers in the playoffs last season and only slightly upgraded the unit with the addition of Deandre Ayton earlier this summer.
2. Kelly Oubre Jr.
Outside of their Big 3, is any player on the 76ers' roster more polarizing than Kelly Oubre Jr.?
To some, he's a glue guy who can do a little bit of everything, from shooting 3s to defending at the top of the key, and even serving as a viable rotational man who can switch up and down positions.
And to others? Well, Oubre is an inefficient player who has never been productive on a true contender, as his time in Philadelphia has only confirmed. While Oubre has his fans, and has been willing to work with Philadelphia to remain on the team on various contracts, it's hard to imagine he'll be on the team long-term regardless of how this season plays out, as the 29-year-old likely won't want to stay on a rebuilding team if Philly ends up going in that direction.
Fortunately, the 76ers have four guards who are arguably better than Oubre Jr. right now, including two in Edgecombe and Grimes who are probably better defenders than Oubre, too.
Sitting in the final year of a two-year, $16.4 million contract, Oubre, too, could be an attractive trade chip in February, both for a contending team that needs another guy who can do a little bit of everything, or for a bad team that just needs someone who can make buckets. Either way, unless Oubre starts performing like his pre-bike accident form in Philly this fall, there's little reason to keep him on the roster heading into the spring, as his money could be better used to add a player or an asset on the trade market.
1. Quentin Grimes
And last but not least, when the 76ers sign Grimes to his new contract, be that a multi-year deal that's in the eight-figure range, or the qualifying offer that's just a bit over $8 million, he will instantly become the 76ers' biggest trade chip, with the potential to earn the team at least a first round pick on his own or could headline a deal for the kind of playmaking forward the 76ers have been after for months now.
Originally the second name mentioned in the trade deadline deal with the Dallas Mavericks, Grimes thoroughly outperformed Caleb Williams in Philadelphia, and now looks like the kind of two-way two guard every single NBA team could find a use for in their rotation.
Had the draft fallen another way, Grimes could theoretically be the 76ers' two guard for the rest of the decade. But since he and Edgecombe play a similar game, and Jared McCain is expected to play plenty for Philadelphia this fall, there's a chance the former Maverick will go from the 76ers' biggest free agent to their biggest trade chip, and could fetch a legit power forward who can shoot, defend and be a playmaker like a young Nicolas Batum. Would the 76ers be better off with a player like Tari Eason or Keegan Murray as their long-term power forward instead of Grimes as their fourth guard? In a word: yes.
