Philadelphia 76ers: 8 Free Agents They'd Be Fools to Pursue

As the 2012 NBA Finals progress, the teams that are sitting at home and watching are forced to think about what they want to do during the offseason. 

The Philadelphia 76ers are going to lose quite a few players to free agency, and these are the eight above-average free agents that they should shy away from. 

For a variety of reasons, they'd be foolish to pursue any one of these eight players. 

Fortunately, the other options are plentiful. 

Nicolas Batum

Team: Portland Trail Blazers

Position: SF

Type of Free Agency: Restricted

Age: 23

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 13.9 points, 1.4 assists, 4.6 rebounds

Although this small forward has an insane ceiling that he may or may not reach, particularly on the defense end of the court, Nicolas Batum is one small forward who the Philadelphia 76ers should avoid. 

As tantalizing as the prospect of inserting the French import into the lineup may be, it would be done at the expense of Andre Iguodala, Thaddeus Young and Evan Turner.

Plus, the cost of acquiring Batum is most likely going to be sky-high. The Sixers would have to offer enough to dissuade the Portland Trail Blazers from matching the offer and retaining his services.

Improving a position that doesn't truly need help just isn't worth it.   

Michael Beasley

Team: Minnesota Timberwolves

Position: SF/PF

Type of Free Agency: Restricted

Age: 23

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 11.5 points, one assist, 4.4 rebounds

A similar argument to the one used on the previous slide also applies to Michael Beasley. The Minnesota Timberwolves small forward would be buried beneath the other forwards on the Philadelphia 76ers' roster and the money spent on him would be wasted. 

Additionally, Beasley's playing style doesn't mesh with the rest of the Sixers. Beasley is very much a player who likes to call his own shot, and he struggles on the defensive end of the floor. 

Going into the 2011-2012 season, Synergy rated Beasley as the fifth-worst defensive small forward in the league. 

Spencer Hawes

Team: Philadelphia 76ers

Position: C

Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted

Age: 24

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 9.6 points, 2.6 assists, 7.3 rebounds

Spencer Hawes began the 2011-2012 season in strong fashion, but his progress was quickly negated by an Achilles injury that kept him out for the majority of the season. 

The big man is drawing significant interest from a few unnamed teams around the league, and the Philadelphia 76ers should be in no rush to match any offers that Hawes receives. 

Hawes is simply too soft of a player to fit in with the hard-nosed squad that Philadelphia has been putting together. The big man himself has said he'd like to be back but isn't sure what the future holds: 

"

I would love to be back. These last two years have been great for me. Obviously the improvements this team has gone through have been a lot of fun to be a part of, but at the same time I don’t know yet and I have to sit back and play it as it goes.

"

Grant Hill

Team: Phoenix Suns

Position: SF

Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted

Age: 82

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 10.2 points, 2.2 assists, 3.5 rebounds

Grant Hill isn't actually 82. He's actually "only" 39 years old, but the former superstar's game is clearly indicating that he's in the twilight of his NBA career. 

Although the Philadelphia 76ers' roster is pretty young, the players go to work with a poise beyond their years and adding a veteran role player just isn't worth it this year. 

O.J. Mayo

Team: Memphis Grizzlies

Position: SG

Type of Free Agency: Restricted

Age: 24

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 12.6 points, 2.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds

If the Philadelphia 76ers want a reason for why they should avoid overpaying for the services of O.J. Mayo, they need to look no further than the Memphis Grizzlies' first-round exit from the 2012 NBA playoffs. 

Never one to pass up a shot, Mayo and his 7.8 postseason PER was one of the worst players to play significant minutes after the regular season ended. 

He averaged 8.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game during the playoffs but shot only 27.4 percent from the field. 

I'd pass on Mayo, just like Mayo won't pass to his teammates. 

Gerald Wallace

Team: Brooklyn Nets

Position: SF/PF

Type of Free Agency: Player Option

Age: 29

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 13.8 points, 2.8 assists, 6.7 rebounds

The Philadelphia 76ers already have a younger, better, slightly smaller version of Gerald Wallace on the roster, unless the constant trade rumors finally come to fruition. 

His name is Andre Iguodala. 

Terrence Williams

Team: Sacramento Kings

Position: SF

Type of Free Agency: Restricted

Age: 24

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 7.1 points, 2.2 assists, 3.4 rebounds

Terrence Williams is a player I was quite high on when he left Louisville for the ranks of the NBA, but those hopes simply haven't come to fruition at this point in the 24-year-old small forward's career. 

While he still possesses a diverse set of skills, they haven't manifested themselves in a successful basketball game. 

Williams is so bad at shooting the ball that he's sometimes afraid to, and he seems to be allergic to blocking shots. 

The Philadelphia 76ers can do much better. 

Nick Young

Team: Los Angeles Clippers

Position: SG

Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted

Age: 27

2011-2012 Per-Game Stats: 14.2 points, 0.9 assists, 2.1 rebounds

Speaking of being allergic to things, Nick Young might actually break out in hives whenever he thinks about passing the ball. The shooting guard actually posted a 3.1 assist percentage during his time with the Los Angeles Clippers, which essentially means that he doesn't understand the concept of allowing teammates to score. 

Grantland's Chris Ryan had a great analogy: 

"

You know how in Star Wars when the Millennium Falcon jumps to hyperspace and the stars go blurring past? That's what I think Nick Young sees when he gets the ball in his hand. 

"

As talented as Swaggy P may be, he's not the type of player that works out well on a team like the Sixers that loves to share the ball and distribute the scoring.