Philadelphia 76ers' Biggest Offseason Needs Ahead of 2026 NBA Draft

The Philadelphia 76ers will have a lot of roster holes this summer, as there are only eight players with a guaranteed contract for the 2026-27 season right now.

Paul George can play the four (17 percent of his court time was spent there last year), although he's more of a natural three. The Sixers should be targeting a power forward with the 22nd overall pick, someone who can play rotation minutes immediately.

This is a good spot for Arizona's Koa Peat or Iowa State's Joshua Jefferson, giving Philly's frontcourt a little more depth.

2025-26 Record: 45-37

Draft Pick: 22

A Joel Embiid (or Paul George) Trade

Philadelphia 76ers fans had to be elated when Joel Embiid returned from injury, averaged 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists over the last four games of the series and helped knock the Boston Celtics out in the first round.

But the joy was short-lived, as he looked sluggish in the second round and got swept by the New York Knicks.

The reality is, at 32 years old and nearly 300 pounds, with his lengthy injury history, there's just no way to expect a healthy playoff run from Embiid.

And with that being the case, it's hard to justify the $60-plus million per year that Philly will pay him over the next three seasons.

By a similar token, Paul George is also quite clearly past his prime and making over $50 million in each of the next two seasons.

And while he may have rehabbed his trade value a bit down the stretch, it's going to be hard to find a suitor desperate enough to take either him or Embiid.

But if that suitor is out there, Philadelphia will have to seriously consider whatever offer it makes. It's time to turn the team fully over to Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

Wings

If the Knicks are the new blueprint for teams led by dynamic point guards, it means the Sixers should be interested in surrounding Maxey with big, physical wings like Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby.

Those aren't necessarily easy to find, but they'll be crucial if Philadelphia is built around two relatively small guards.

An Innings Eater at the 5

As much as the 76ers might like to get out from under Embiid's massive contract, it's not likely to happen. And that means more load management at the 5.

This past season, that wasn't a huge deal, since Andre Drummond was able to play 63 games, start 25, dominate the boards in most of them and help keep Philly afloat in his minutes.

But Drummond will be 33 in August, and he's a free agent. If the Sixers lose him, they'll have to have another high-motor big man to take on the minutes passed on from Embiid.