The Philadelphia 76ers did it. They have come to an agreement with Paul George, bringing them another star to play with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, who himself is in line to sign a maximum contract extension. Things are looking sunny in Philadelphia as they look to compete at the highest level.
The Sixers also retained Kelly Oubre Jr. while signing Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon, two decent depth pieces that still don’t move the needle a ton. Philly has to figure out who will start along with its new star trio and fill out the rest of the bench.
The biggest need for the 76ers now is to add more size on the wing. Their guard room is in fine shape (and all previous reporting about Kyle Lowry has him staying in Philly for what should be a minimum deal) and they have plenty of options at center. But to match up against the other titans of the conference, they can’t depend on Embiid to provide the muscle. They would also be smart to add more playmaking to the starting lineup, stretching defenses even more with the absurd scoring talent of a Maxey-George-Embiid triumvirate.
Oubre showed last season that he can play solid defense and move off the ball but the Sixers should get a more sturdy defender on the wing while he plays solid minutes off the bench. Fortunately, there are plenty of options out there for both positions in both the trade and free-agent markets.
76ers must acquire physical forwards to pair with Paul George
Whoever plays the four for the Sixers doesn’t necessarily have to be tall or big but they have to be strong and provide value as a defender and rebounder. Shooting would be welcome, of course, but Philly has to get someone to do the dirty work and defend the best opposing stars, which George isn’t suited to do for long stretches anymore. Oubre can do those things but as more of a backcourt presence than a frontcourt one.
It remains to be seen exactly how the Sixers will structure their new contracts using their cap space and mid-level exception but they still only have so much room to operate. However, of the remaining free agents, there aren’t many great options. They could target Precious Achiuwa or Chimezie Metu but neither player is proven yet as a full-time starter. They could sacrifice defense and look to get Dario Saric for his shooting, passing and rebounding but his ability to hold up further down the line in the playoffs is questionable at best. So, it's off to the trade machine!
The Sixers can trade Paul Reed for a player(s) making $15 million next season, giving them a good range of options. The additions of Andre Drummond and Adem Bona spell doom for Reed's chances of sticking around in Philly, as his salary, youth and talent make him an obvious trade candidate. Philly has a bunch of draft picks to use in trades, too.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kenrich Williams, who might get squeezed out of playing time to make room for youngsters Dillon Jones and Ousmane Dieng, would be a nice fit with Philly. They may be content to just swap Reed and Williams, though the signing of Isaiah Hartenstein may make them less hungry for more size down low. Kenny Hustle is a physical defender who shot 38.5 percent from deep over the last two seasons.
Dorian Finney-Smith is bound to be traded after the Brooklyn Nets' decision to truly rebuild. His defense is very, very solid and his three-point shooting, while nothing super special, would be great with all of the Sixers' stars. The amount of open shots he would get is through the roof. A super simplified role on offense invites him to put even more effort into his defense.
The Sixers could hit up the Charlotte Hornets and try to land Grant Williams, who provided physical defense and shooting in playoff settings for years with the Boston Celtics. Other options for the Sixers include Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke or Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt. Both forwards are versatile on defense and, while neither is a strong shooter, can still find ways to attack the gaps on offense.
Of course, while adding another forward in the starting lineup is key, so is adding the right backcourt partner for Maxey.
Defensive-minded point guard would pair best with Tyrese Maxey
The report on Oubre's new deal with Philly, which came from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, described him as the team’s “starting two-guard.” Whether that language was innocuous or a specific point of intel, the Sixers shouldn’t be set on Oubre as a starter. They would be better off bringing him off the bench and starting a physical power forward and a point guard who can pass and defend next to its big three.
Oubre fits better off the bench as a play-finishing scorer — someone who shoots a spot-up three or cuts baseline to get a lob — than he does in the starting lineup, where the need for playmaking around Maxey, George and Embiid is high. All three stars can create their own offense but having a high-IQ passer to ignite ball movement and manipulate defenses will make the Sixers a tougher team to defend. The options are dwindling but not totally dry.
Free agent Kris Dunn would satisfy both needs really well. He's a hound on defense, specifically at the point of attack, and has improved as a shooter and scorer. Even if he’s only scoring a handful of points per game, he's comfortable enough with the ball to get into his spots and keep the defense moving. And, again, his own defense is great.
Former Sixer Markelle Fultz has shown great potential on defense and, if he can tap into it again, would fit really nicely next to the player that the Sixers selected with the draft pick they got when they traded him. Fultz, a free agent, puts pressure on the rim, which could unlock Maxey and George's shooting even more. Since he’s still not comfortable as a three-point shooter, he may have to be used as a screener/rebound hunter on offense to get off-ball production from him on that end.
While Cody Martin of the Hornets isn’t necessarily a point guard, he would be a nice backcourt mate with Maxey, too. His playmaking has grown over his years in the NBA and he has the size to defend guards of various sizes. The Sixers could formulate a trade using Reed's salary to lure him away from the rebuilding hive.
The 76ers may have the talent to stack up with the likes of the Boston Celtics but what they may not be able to do is win in the margins like Boston can. Securing a contested rebound, making the extra effort on defense, driving into space and finding an open teammate, moving off the ball — the Celtics do those things exceptionally well, which allows them to maximize their elite talent. Finding role players who make those types of plays is pivotal for Philly.
High-end talent is obviously good to have but games aren’t always won based on who has the most dazzling scorers. In the playoffs, it takes guts, hustle and tenacity to make it all the way through. Maxey, George and Embiid will provide that in their own ways — perhaps Embiid can focus more on defense and rebounding with another high-level scorer to ease his burden on offense — but it will take more than just three stars. It takes a village of at least five tough, talented players to make a run to the championship plus whoever can step up as a reserve. Three starters down, two to go.
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