The Philadelphia 76ers have been put in a very tough position after forward Nemanja Bjelica informed them of his decision to remain in Europe. Originally, the Sixers thought he could be their final piece this offseason.
The stretch-four has had problems with his Visa, which has complicated his return to the United States — choosing to remain in Europe, closer to his young family.
Philly had signed Bjelica as a replacement for Ersan Ilyasova, another long-range-shooting European big man capable of stretching the floor, as well as a solid rebounder.
Now that Bjelica has walked back that previous agreement, the Sixers still have their $4.5 mid-level exception (which they would have used to sign him), but by this point, the free agent pool is too dry — which makes them a lot more likely to overspend on a player by using it.
According to ESPN Insider Bobby Marks, the Sixers would be best served by holding onto their mid-level exception and riding out the first half of the season until a better player becomes available — something they could use as they did last season by adding the likes of Marco Belinelli and Ilyasova.
Bjelica's walk-back certainly hurts the team's depth, but this could be a blessing in disguise if they managed to get a proven veteran on a bargain, as most teams have already used their MLE at some point or another, making the Sixers likely contenders to warrant a top-notch free agent in case of a buyout or waiver situation.
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