The Philadelphia 76ers had high hopes for a deep playoff run this season, but their journey ended sooner than expected. Despite the early exit, there’s a silver lining for the Sixers: Tyrese Maxey’s breakout season. Both Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer and Tim Bontemps of ESPN point to Maxey’s growth as a promising sign for the future, suggesting he could become a second star alongside Joel Embiid.
“He was amazing this year,” said Embiid, praising his teammate. “One of the 10 best players in the world this year. … He’s gotten so much better. I think there’s another step he can even take.”
Maxey will be a restricted free agent this summer, but that’s not a major concern for the Sixers. His current contract counts against the team’s salary cap for just $13 million until he signs his new deal. This allows Philadelphia to use their cap space before offering Maxey a maximum-salary extension. The projected max deal for him is between $35 million and $42.3 million in 2024/25, depending on whether he makes an All-NBA team.
Due to the Sixers’ early playoff exit, Paul Reed’s $7.7 million salary for 2024/25 remains non-guaranteed. This means the Sixers could enter free agency with only Embiid’s salary ($51.4 million) and Maxey’s $13 million cap hold counting towards the cap. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, this setup gives Philadelphia up to $64.9 million in cap space with just those two salaries on the books. If Reed is retained and the Sixers keep their first-round draft pick, the cap space would be around $55 million.
So, what will the Sixers do with all this cap space? Sources tell Tim Bontemps that Jrue Holiday was a top target until he signed an extension with Boston. OG Anunoby is also on their radar, but he’s likely to re-sign with the Knicks. On ESPN’s Get Up, Brian Windhorst identified Paul George as the Sixers’ number one priority, suggesting that they might offer George a maximum-salary deal if he hasn’t already re-signed with the Clippers.
If no top-tier free agents are available, Daryl Morey and the Sixers may turn to the trade market, where they can use their cap space without needing to match salaries. Windhorst mentioned Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler and New Orleans Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram as potential trade targets for the Sixers.
Alternatively, Bontemps notes that the Sixers could focus on building a balanced roster of complementary role players around Embiid and Maxey, similar to what the Nuggets did with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. In this scenario, the Sixers could look at re-signing their own free agents like Kelly Oubre, De’Anthony Melton, Nicolas Batum, and Kyle Lowry. However, according to Bontemps, it’s unlikely that Tobias Harris will return next season.
David Aldridge of The Athletic believes that a reunion with Jimmy Butler seems improbable, but he argues that Butler is the type of “alpha” player who could help the Sixers get to the next level. Meanwhile, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald suggests that the Heat wouldn’t accept a trade offer centered around draft picks for Butler unless they planned to flip those assets for another star.
Bobby Marks of ESPN and Mark Deeks of HoopsHype have both published their previews for the Sixers’ offseason, examining the key decisions the franchise faces.
Veteran sharpshooter Buddy Hield, who becomes an unrestricted free agent, has expressed interest in returning to Philadelphia. Hield had a strong Game 6 performance with 20 points in 21 minutes, despite limited playing time in earlier games. Kelly Oubre also wants to re-sign with the Sixers, indicating he feels there’s unfinished business after the team’s first-round playoff loss. “I just wanna be loved,” Oubre said about his free agency priorities, according to Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire. “I want to go somewhere where they respect and love me. It’s been nothing but love here.”
On a broader scale, Danny Chau of The Ringer explores what another early playoff exit means for Joel Embiid and his legacy.
