An encouraging season that ended abruptly in the second round of the playoffs? Two young pieces showing exciting star potential? Being added to the mix of potential LeBron James suitors? Somehow, 2018 has returned.
While the Sixers have now filled out 14 of their 15 available roster spots this offseason, they are obviously waiting on one more big shoe to drop. The fact that they’re even in the James sweepstakes is such a pleasant shock in and of itself. It would be incredible if somehow Philadelphia ends up being where James chooses to play next season, but he still has plenty of options that just feel more likely.
Regardless of who takes up that last roster spot, the Sixers will only have the veteran’s minimum to offer. Even if they land James, they could probably use one more center or forward to fill out the roster. They’d be able to do so by waiving Dalen Terry, whose contract is not guaranteed yet. With a week of free agency in the books, here are five realistic targets that are not named LeBron James.
Nick Richards
This maybe wouldn’t count as a glut, but Richards would be the fourth center on the roster should they bring him in. Joel Embiid and Adem Bona are already on the roster, and the team signed Ariel Hukporti earlier in the offseason. If the last two years have shown anything, the Sixers can never have enough bodies to throw at that position.
At 6-foot-11, Richards presents a bigger option at that position than Bona. He’s always posted a solid block rate throughout his career, rarely dropping below 2.5%. Last year was no different for both Phoenix and Chicago.
Richards had fallen out of the rotation in Phoenix, only averaging nine minutes a game and appearing in just 28 games before being moved to the Bulls at the trade deadline. Once he got there he played 22 minutes a game and averaged 9.4 points and 7.6 rebounds. Other than size, he might not have a ton more to offer than Bona or Hukporti, but a taking a flyer on him is something this blog has been a fan of for a long time.
Ziaire Williams
The backup big rotation has been shaken up a little bit, but the Sixers’ depth chart on the wing is jarringly different from a season ago. Gone are Paul George, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes. In their place are Jaylen Brown, Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons.
Justin Edwards had an encouraging moment or two in the playoffs, but his sophomore season on the whole didn’t instill a lot of confidence. Williams, who’s spent his five seasons in the league with Memphis and Brooklyn, would provide a different flavor on the wing for Nick Nurse.
The 6-foot-9 wing has made his name in the league so far by causing deflections. This past season he posted a 2.6% steal rate for the Nets, one that put him in the 94th percentile in the league, per Cleaning the Glass. On top of having a skill Nick Nurse has always coveted, Williams’ three-point percentage has increased as he has increased the volume of his attempts.
After making the jump to 4.8 attempts per game in 2024-25, Williams has settled into a 34% three-point shooter the last two seasons. If he can continue hovering around the league average, he could be a forward that fits well into Philadelphia’s system.
Kevin Love
It’s become a tradition of the Embiid era to acquire a washed-up backup center, regardless of the front office. The 37-year-old Love, who will turn 38 when the season begins, fits that bill. His days of being able to provide stout defense are past him, but he could still help a team in a very limited capacity.
His touch and feel for the game haven’t gone anywhere, shooting 37% from three last season in Utah while posting an assist percentage in the 79th percentile across the league. A stretch big just hasn’t been common for the Sixers in this era. Love, like so many true stretch-fives, is certainly an imperfect option, but he could give the offense a different wrinkle. This blog was frankly bummed that Guerschon Yabusele returned to Europe to sign with Panathinaikos in Greece. With Yabusele off the board, Love is the last best option as a toolsy big.
Another part of Love’s game that hasn’t gone anywhere is his rebounding. He posted a 26.1% defensive rebounding rate, which is still good enough to be in the 97th percentile. The Sixers, who have been a below average rebounding team for nearly half a decade now, can take whatever help on the glass they can get.
Larry Nance Jr. (reportedly signing with Pacers)
This is really getting into flyer territory with Nance having only played 59 games over the past two seasons. While he’s not the bouncy forward he used to be, Nance is still a big body who will at least get his hands on the ball every now and then. Returning to Cleveland last season, Nance posted a 2.1% steal rate in the limited playing time he got.
The most concerning sign for Nance as it pertains to the Sixers is the decline in his rebounding. He averaged 2.7 boards in his limited time last season with his defensive rebounding rate dropping just as much. Regardless of what position the Sixers go with to use their final roster spot, rebounding is something they need to prioritize.
Drew Eubanks
With the Dancing Bear no longer an option here, Eubanks is one last choice to add a center and, at 29 years old, he presents an option that isn’t immediately washed. Eubanks played 42 games last season for the Sacramento Kings. The 5.2 points and 3.0 rebounds averaged per game were right in line with his career averages.
There’s also at least the idea of Eubanks as a rim protector. He’s hovered over a 2% block rate his entire career, posting one of 2.2% last season with the Kings. At 6-foot-10 he doesn’t have a big size advantage over Bona and Hukporti, but would still be more of a traditional big option if that’s what the Sixers want to add.
