The Philadelphia 76ers still had the makings of a contender heading into the season, but few anticipated them to start as strong as they have. Joel Embiid has been Joel Embiid (but better), and Tyrese Maxey has taken THAT leap, but one of, if not the, most important reason for the team’s strong start to the season has come from their supporting players.

Kelly Oubre Jr. is one of those crucial pieces, and his stint in Philadelphia has been nothing short of amazing. After being signed to a minimum, prove-it deal last offseason due to a lack of suitors, the swingman has turned his perception around and is prepared to fetch a sizable sum next year.

That raises the question of whether the 76ers should bring him back next season.

Should the 76ers re-sign Kelly Oubre next season?

According to most observers, the 76ers should work hard to maintain Kelly Oubre next season. As a resident gunner off the bench and a quality spot starter, he’s shown to be a fantastic fit in Nick Nurse’s offense and has done an excellent job relieving burden off the team’s key options. He has also not been a liability on defense, as he had been in his prior stops.

That being said, his fate in Philly will probably be decided by his market value. Should he prove to be too expensive of a retainer, the 76ers may prefer to consolidate their cap space and funnel it for a huge acquisition while filling out the roster with minimum signings, as they have done last summer. Otherwise, the front office would be foolish to let him go.

Realistically speaking though, it’s likely that the 76ers’ intention to bring him back may not even matter in the grand scheme of things. Oubre will definitely have suitors who can pay him at a higher premium, and he will — and should — prioritize money over fit at this stage of his career.

Of course, the Philadelphia 76ers should do whatever it takes to retain Kelly Oubre Jr.’s services beyond this year. Thta’s simply due diligence. But as long as he keeps up this level of production, don’t bank on the franchise managing to keep him next year if they truly embark on a pricey free agency spree.