An Early Look At Priority List For Philadelphia 76ers Offseason

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It’s never too early to be prepared for the offseason; with just two games left in their regular season, the Philadelphia 76ers know they’ll have some decisions to make before the 2023-24 season.

The first focus is the playoff run. The 76ers will look to advance past the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2001, when they lost to the Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in the NBA Finals.

Right now, there shouldn’t be any focus within the team on anything but winning playoff games. However, this offseason is going to be a big one for Philadelphia. Here is an early preview of what some of the 76ers top priorities should be this offseason.

1. Bring Back James Harden

Last offseason, the Sixers retained James Harden on a 2-year deal, but he has an opt-out for this offseason that he is extremely likely to use.

Harden took somewhat of a pay cut last year so the team could make additions like PJ Tucker, Danuel House and De’Anthony Melton. This year, they’re going to have to pay up.

Most reports indicate that Harden wants a max deal, which the 76ers can offer him at north of $200 million. The tricky part is if he’ll be worth that money; Harden will be 34 at the beginning of next season and has shown some signs of slowing down as he’s aged.

At the same time though, he’s still an All-NBA caliber guard that has elevated the Philadelphia offense to another level. The 76ers won’t be able to easily land another guy that can pass, shoot and run an offense at the level that Harden can.

It may be concerning to give Harden a big deal as he gets older, but that’s the only way the 76ers can maximize their title window with Joel Embiid. Embiid will be reaching the wrong side of 30 soon as well, so the team has to do anything they can to bring in win-now talent around him.

Harden is the best player they can realistically acquire that will fit next to Embiid for years to come. If they fail to bring him back (the Rockets reunion rumors are never-ending), it could be an imploding offseason for Philadelphia.

2. Unload Tobias Harris Contract by Any Means Necessary

Assuming they bring back Harden, the next step for the 76ers would be to ship off Tobias Harris.

Harris will be an expiring deal next season, meaning his large contract will be easier to trade than it has been in the past. A rebuilding team with cap space, or a competing team that needs a scoring wing, could look to pry him away and get some kind of draft capital attached with him.

Harris has had some solid years and moments with Philadelphia. But most of the time, he’s been a frustrating player to watch. His scoring is his calling card, but it can be inconsistent, and he hasn’t been the kind of shot-maker the team needs to draw attention away from Embiid.

This year, Harris has struggled to find a consistent role in the offense with Harden and Embiid dominating touches. The team has needed him to be an off-ball shooter, but he’s proven that isn’t something he can succeed at.

If Harden’s back in town, Harris has to go. He’ll be making a whopping $39 million next season, which would dominate the Sixers’ cap space and limit what they can do with their offseason.

It won’t be easy to move Harris with his big contract. But if the 76ers can pull it off, they’d be much better off having more cap space or getting players in return that fit the team better than he does.

3. Explore Resigning Key Bench Pieces

Among other 76ers free agents this offseason are Danuel House, Georges Niang, Shake Milton, Jalen McDaniels and Paul Reed.

All five of those players have found some level of success with the team. For the right price, all five would be worth considering bringing back.

McDaniels is the newest addition, coming from Charlotte at the trade deadline, but he might be the best fit for the team of that bunch. His athleticism, youth and shooting ability make him a natural fit next to Harden, Embiid and Tyrese Maxey as a wing.

House and Niang both have their strengths, but would have to return on very cheap deals to be worth resigning. Niang offers great shooting, but not much else, while House is a solid two-way bench forward.

Milton and Reed are interesting players to watch in the offseason. Milton, who’s 26, could gain some interest from other squads. However, he isn’t worth spending a lot of money on for the 76ers, especially if Harden comes back.

It wouldn’t be too hard to replace Milton with another backup guard in free agency. Meanwhile, Reed is just 23 years old and will be a restricted free agent. The 76ers can match any offer sheet he signs with another team.

Reed has been a good jolt of youth and energy for Philadelphia, and has only gotten better as a big man every year. He’s worth bringing back as a backup center, barring two things: the team doesn’t find a better option, and he isn’t too expensive.

There are a lot of question marks for next year’s bench in Philadelphia, but resigning a few of the current players would be beneficial.

4. Begin Extension Talks with Maxey, Melton

76ers offseason — Tyrese Maxey and De’Anthony Melton could be a big part of the 76ers’ future guard rotation. (Photo courtesy of Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

Two 76ers guards are free agents in the 2024 offseason: Maxey and De’Anthony Melton.

Both have become excellent players in Philadelphia. Since being drafted in 2020, Maxey has transformed into one of the league’s best scorers from all three levels of the floor. He’s a big piece in the future of the franchise.

Meanwhile, Melton is in his first year with the 76ers. However, in that one season, he’s been a perfect fit, bringing a unique combination of ball handling, length, shooting and defense. Melton is second in the league this season with 126 total steals.

Both guards are under 25 years old, making them prime candidates for an extension.

There’s still a lot of time to sign both to an extension, so it doesn’t have to be the first priority, like retaining Harden. But negotiating a deal with Maxey and Melton will help set up the next three-to-five years for the 76ers, and both have earned it.

This is a win-now team though, so finding a way to improve next season’s roster will come first. Once that is accomplished, Daryl Morey and the front office should be looking to lock up the two young guards to long-term deals.

Featured image courtesy of Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

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