76ers will be among the League’s Biggest Spenders in Free Agency with these Top-Notch Five(5) Free Agents on their Summer List

Possessing cap space reckoned to be the most robust in the league this upcoming offseason, the Philadelphia 76ers have a giant opportunity to give the roster a facelift around foundational stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Over the last few months, the front office has done its earnest to maintain and even bolster its financial flexibility in anticipation of a lucrative binge-buying in free agency. And while this summer’s crop of free agents is not as deep compared to previous years, it is definitely one still spearheaded by proven talents and high-end role players at the very least.

To cover that ground, here are five free agents the 76ers should list high on their whiteboard

1. Paul George — SF/SG

Daryl Morey already fired off his notoriously barefaced star-hunting exploits before the trade deadline, so it’s a guarantee that Philadelphia’s brass will exhaust everything in their power to woo a third star to come to the city to round out a fearful troika with Embiid and Maxey.

A pipe dream free agent worth exploring is Paul Greorge. The Clippers seem committed to their current core after re-signing Kawhi Leonard, but their playoff fate could very well shift that should it end up in another disappointment, in large part due to how expensive it would be to sign George and James Harden to new deals.

Having said that, the 76ers should not shy away from even the small shard of possibility that the nine-time All-Star leaves LA. Philadelphia has long desired an All-NBA forward who can be a force on both ends, and George would inarguably raise the team’s floor and ceiling altogether amid a much stronger Eastern Conference.

2. Buddy Hield — SG

Philadelphia has a grand sum of 12 players approaching free agency, and while the safe bet is for most of that collective to find themselves donning new threads next season, one player the front office has openly indicated to wanting to re-sign is Buddy Hield.

The veteran sharpshooter has been a tremendous force since arriving to Philly from Indiana shortly before the trade deadline. He has risen up to the plate for the injury-ravaged 76ers, averaging 19.2 points and 6.3 assists per game so far on a blistering 45.5 percent shooting from downtown on 9.2 aatempts per outing.

Hield, the league leader in made threes since 2018, is undoutedly an elite offensive presence. His gravity-altering prowess is spacing in and of itself — a crucial wrinkle the 76ers should want surrounding Embiid and Maxey. His price tag could be lofty, but he’s the best role player the front office can pursue with their big bucks.

3. Jrue Holiday — PG/SG

Another player whose fate could be tied to his team’s postseason run is veteran guard Jrue Holiday, who’s now in Boston. The Celtics have been far and away the best team in basketball this season, but a foiled playoff slate could force them to shake things up for the nth time, especially with Holiday not exactly coming off as an inexpensive commodity.

Now, Holiday’s camp has indicated that they want to extend with the Celtics, but should talks falter, the 76ers should immediately swoop in. Not only would signing Holiday dampen their biggest rival’s firepower on both ends, but the All-Defensive Team guard is also a seamless fit for the team, particularly as a running mate in the backcourt for Maxey.

Holiday’s offense has taken a nosedive this season — in large part due to him taking less shots than before — but his tertiary scoring and uncanny prowess in the clutch remain valuable. Even if he doesn’t return to his Milwaukee form offensively, his defensive presence is simply too good to ignore.

4. OG Anunoby — SF/PF

One player who underwent a “pre-agency” shift was OG Anunoby who, despite an impending free agency, was willingly sought after by the Knicks for an expected deep playoff push. However, the forward has indicated numerous times before that he’s keen to test the free agency waters, and even a Knicks stint may not change that.

Long renowned for being one of, if not the best perimeter defender in the NBA, Anunoby is the perfect defensive-minded forward the 76ers can incorporate into their team’s dynamic. He’s not the scoring threat that Paul George is, but he is not exactly negligible in that area either, as he’s shooting 38 percent from three this season and tallying almost 16 points a night.

The best thing with Anunoby is he won’t come as pricey as George or other All-NBA caliber players in the market. Hopefully, New York loses grip of the prized forward and Philadelphia finally gets its hands on one of the best defensive backbones in the league.

5. Malik Monk — SG/PG

Re-signing Buddy Hield will be important, but should the market prove to be too lucrative for the 76ers to handle, one player they can zoom in on to fill his void is current Kings combo guard Malik Monk, who’s turning in a strong, Sixth Man of the Year-worthy season for Sacramento.

The Kings will most likely do everything to re-up Monk, who’s been crucial to their scoring attack, but another early playoff exit could force them to seek out bigger and better options than the 26-year-old. After all, they were already rumored to be in the market for significant upgrades at shooting guard, most notably Zach LaVine early in the season.

At a price range assuredly lower than Hield’s, Monk would be an incredible under-the-radar acquisition. He’s among the league leaders in facilitating off pick-and-rolls, and being a microwave scorer himself, he’ll give the 76ers that much-needed juice off the bench to abate their giant hole in second-unit production.