The 76ers will shoot for the big stars in free agency, but here are three players on the current roster who deserve to return to the team…..

The Philadelphia 76ers will shoot for the big stars in free agency, but here are three players on the current roster who deserve to return to the team next season.

Currently tabbed to have the second-most cap space this offseason, the Philadelphia 76ers are unsurprisingly pegged as the team to beat in the star-hunting race. The crop of free agents this year’s isn’t exactly overflowing with top-notch talent, but nevertheless, the franchise is already eyed by fans and pundits alike as the team likely to have the most ambitious whiteboard.

On a related note though, it bears credence to point out that the 76ers also have a slew of outgoing free agents. After all, while most of those players are unlikely to remain with the team for various reasons, there are some who have compelling selling points to stay in Philly. Here are three players who deserve another season with the franchise in 2024-25.

1. Cameron Payne

The acquisition of Cameron Payne during the trade deadline at the expense of Patrick Beverley, a crowd darling who immediately left off a notable defensive imprint on the team, was initially met with a lot of puzzled faces. After all, the proverbial upgrade didn’t seem like on on first impression, and the former All-Defensive Team guard has been a siege for the 76ers on defense.

Fortunately, Payne quickly proved his doubters wrong. In 29 appearances for the 76ers so far, the 29-year-old has tallied 9.4 points and 3.2 assists per outing despite logging just 19.7 minutes per game. Amid Tyrese Maxey’s repeated injury-related absences and De’Anthony Melton’s prolonged MIAs, Payne has become a steady backcourt cog who can score, facilitate, and capably defend opposing guards.

Thus, it would be a nifty move for Philadelphia to quickly secure his services for the short term. Payne won’t necessarily require a big financial commitment to retain anyway, so it would be quite a shame should the 76ers skip him over and prefer a more expensive backup guard.

2. Robert Covington

As we mentioned just a while aback, Robert Covington failed to position himself for a great payday this summer. His injury concerns quickly sent him down the drain, but his magnified weaknesses on offense this season have put a dent on his perceived on-court value.

Having said that, Covington remains an infectious defensive presence. Still capable and adept at guarding most, if not all positions, there remains a pressing need for his acumen on the less glamorous end of the floor as one of the league’s best patrol defenders.

Tobias Harris is likely to play elsewhere, Nicolas Batum is a flight risk due to the threat of retirement, and KJ Martin is a near-lock to be let go by Philly’s brass. All of these collaborate to give the 76ers a gaping hole in the forward positions, and regardless if they successfully snag their biggest fish in free agency, Covington would be a great depth piece to shore up the rotation.

3. Ricky Council IV

A two-way player for the 76ers this season, Ricky Council Jr. has understandably received sparse playing time. But despite his cameo sightings, there’s been a lot of clamor from fans for the front office to convert his contract into a standard NBA deal, and it’s not difficult to see why.

Probably the biggest energizer bunny for the 76ers as of late, the Arkansas alum has already flashed his potential as a two-way guy who can score in traffic, drain three-pointers, and cut into passing lanes. He touts good size and ranginess for his position, esily fitting Nick Nurse’s prototypical wing who can play and defend multiple positions.

Despite Philadelphia’s resounding edict to win now, the front office should seriously consider pumping even more youth to their roster. Luckily for them, Ricky Council Jr. is already in-house, and it would be foolish to overlook his promise and the qualities that he’s already shown in limited servings this season.