Philadelphia 76ers: 10 Free Agents They Should Pursue to Bolster Roster
Without a great deal of cap space available to them, the 76ers' free agent acquisitions this offseason will mostly be limited to sign-and-trade deals and agreements with players who are interested in signing for some (or all) of the team's mid-level exception.
Not to be overlooked is the impending battle over the NBA's soon-to-expire collective bargaining agreement. Without a deal in place, there won't free agent activity of any kind this summer.
At some point, however, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association will come to terms on a new CBA. So before the free agency period kicks off—whenever that may be—here's a look at 10 free agents the 76ers should target this offseason.
Greg Oden
1 of 10
Many people have already written off Greg Oden's NBA career, less than three years after he was selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NBA draft. It's not without good reason; due to a plethora of foot and knee injuries, Oden has only played 82 games in those three years.
Medical history aside, the fact remains that Oden is a 7', 23-year-old center with very few seasons of wear-and-tear on his 285-pound frame (Oden played only one season of college ball at Ohio State).
When Oden has played, he's been more than serviceable—he has career numbers of 9.4 PPG, 7.3 RPG and 1.4 BPG, despite only averaging just over 22 minutes per game.
The Portland Trailblazers declined to offer Oden an extension prior to the season and may not extend him an $8.8 million qualifying offer this summer, thus allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent.
If that happens, don't be surprised if the 76ers are one of the teams vying for his services. Oden is a young, skilled center who is still hoping for the chance to prove himself in the league—a potential low-risk, high-reward scenario for Philadelphia.
Michael Redd
2 of 10
Along with Oden, Michael Redd is another player who has been dogged by injuries over the past couple of seasons.
As recently as two years ago, Redd—a 6'6" shooting guard—was one of the most dynamic scorers in the NBA. But after suffering season-ending knee injuries in both 2009 and 2010, he is no longer the explosive athlete he once was.
Even before the injury, Redd was basically a one-dimensional player. But that one dimension—shooting—is something that this current 76ers team lacks, with the exception of Jodie Meeks.
If Redd can regain just a fraction of the form he displayed just a few seasons ago, he would be an excellent option off of the bench for the 76ers. Redd would be a far better fit in that role than current reserve shooter Jason Kapono, whose defensive lapses quickly earned him a spot at the end of the rotation.
Delonte West
3 of 10
As deep as the 76ers roster is, they lack a true backup point guard. While Lou Williams and Evan Turner are more than capable ball-handlers, they often look for their own shots at the expense of their teammates.
Delonte West—an unrestricted free agent this offseason—would be an excellent fit in the reserve role behind starting point guard Jrue Holiday. Not only is West a career 37.2 percent three-point shooter, he's also one of the league's better perimeter defenders.
Nazr Mohammed
4 of 10
Much like Delonte West, Nazr Mohammed has also spent a decent portion of his basketball career in the city of Philadelphia. Mohammed spent his first two-and-a-half seasons in the NBA as a reserve center for the Iverson-led 76ers after leaving Kentucky in 1998.
Mohammed bounced around the league quite a bit since being traded in 2001, but during that time he not only won an NBA title (in 2005 with the San Antonio Spurs), but has blossomed into a solid backup center—a position Philadelphia desperately needs to address this offseason.
This year, Mohammed is averaging 6.9 PPG and 4.9 RPG while logging less than 17 minutes per game. While he doesn't score much, he is an excellent rebounder on the offensive glass and would be a solid contributor in the 76ers rotation.
Sasha Vujacic
5 of 10
During his days with the Lakers, Sasha Vujacic was dubbed by the team's TV announcers as "The Machine" because of his long-range efficiency. Vujacic has lived up to that moniker so far, having hit more than 37 percent of his three-point attempts during his nearly seven-year NBA career.
Philadelphia could probably fit Vujacic in with their mid-level exemption, and he would instantly fill two of their most glaring needs: shooter and backup point guard.
To call Vujacic merely a "shooter" would be a complete disservice to his abilities. Lost in his scoring ability is the fact that he is a pretty decent playmaker, and at 6'6", he would give the 76ers a lot of flexibility in their second-unit rotations.
Tyson Chandler
6 of 10
Although he's an unrestricted free agent, the only way to acquire the Mavericks' Tyson Chandler would be in a sign-and-trade situation, considering the fact that he's making nearly $13 million this season.
That deal would only happen if the Dallas decided to blow up its nucleus in the offseason in an attempt to start the rebuilding process.
That scenario isn't as far-fetched as you may think.
In order to get the 7'1" Chandler, the 76ers would likely have to include Andre Iguodala and/or some other parts of the team's young core. For the right price, however, Philadelphia should do anything within reason to acquire Chandler, who would mesh perfectly with Doug Collins' philosophy.
Chandler is an athletic big man who blocks shots and attacks the glass. While the Mavericks don't run many set plays for him, he still is a very capable offensive threat—he's currently averaging 10.2 PPG while shooting an astounding 64.5 percent for the field.
While the 76ers have plenty of playmakers and scorers, they are missing an athletic big who doesn't need the ball on offense and who is also a presence on defense. Tyson Chandler is that player.
Nene
7 of 10
If Tyson Chandler is the perfect fit for the 76ers, then Denver's Nene may be 1A. He also happens to be the most unlikely player on this list to wind up in a 76ers uniform next season.
Nene has an early termination option on his contract that he can exercise this summer. However, with $11.6 million due to him in 2011-12, he may choose to spend one more season with the Nuggets.
That all being said, if Nene does opt to test the free agent waters, Philadelphia should definitely line up as one of his suitors. He is currently enjoying a stellar season with Denver, averaging 14.7 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting 61.1 percent from the floor.
Much like Chandler, the 6'11" Nene is an athletic big man who provides an imposing presence in the paint. He would be a solid complement to Elton Brand and would instantly improve the team's interior defense.
Jason Richardson
8 of 10
The Philadelphia 76ers should root for the early demise of the Orlando Magic in the 2011 NBA playoffs. Why? Because that's the only chance they'll have at acquiring Jason Richardson.
Rumors are already circulating that Orlando may very well dismantle their team—Dwight Howard included—if they have a poor showing in this year's postseason. If that were to happen, Jason Richardson, who is making $14.4 million this season in the final year of his contract, could be a valuable sign-and-trade chip come this summer.
In a theoretical deal, the 76ers would have to match up salaries with the Magic, meaning that Andre Iguodala would be the one player most likely headed to Orlando. But in Richardson, the 76ers would net themselves a prototypical starting shooting guard—something they've lacked in recent memory.
Richardson is a consistent shooter and an extremely athletic wing player who would be an ideal fit in the 76ers transition game. His size is a plus as well—the 6'6" Richardson and 6'4" Jrue Holiday would team to form one of the bigger backcourt tandems in the league.
Glen Davis
9 of 10
He isn't a legitimate center (the position where the 76ers need help more than anywhere else), but Glen "Big Baby" Davis is one of the best reserve big men in the NBA.
The best way to describe his game would be the following: He's very effective at what he does. He doesn't have a polished offensive game, but he finds a way to score points—Davis is currently averaging a career high 11.7 points per game.
Davis' strength is his biggest asset—he is every bit of his listed weight of 289 pounds—but is quite quick for a man of his size. Despite his lack of foot speed, he's very skilled and would be a welcome addition to the Philadelphia front line.
With Marreese Speights and Tony Battie (an unrestricted free agent this offseason) as the team's only true backup interior players, the 76ers will need to address this area at some point during the free agency period. In a relatively thin free agent class, Davis could be one of the best options available at both the 4 and 5 spots.
Nick Young
10 of 10
While the Wizards can (and likely will) extend Nick Young a qualifying offer of nearly $3.7 million this offseason, he'll likely seek a long-term deal worth a great deal more than that.
Given his emergence this season, Young is clearly in line for a big payday. Before he injured his knee in late March, he was having a career-best season, leading Washington in scoring with 17.4 points per game.
However, with the emergence of rookie Jordan Crawford late in the year, and with Young's potential contract demands, the Wizards may be open to dealing their third-year star out of USC. If Young is indeed on the block, Philadelphia would be wise to make an offer.
Young has the size (6'7"), athleticism and shooting ability (38.3 percent from beyond the arc for his career) to form a dynamic duo in the backcourt with Jrue Holiday. He would give the 76ers the mid-range threat they haven't had in years—a true, big shooting guard who can consistently knock down a jumper from 15 feet and beyond.
