The Philadelphia 76ers have come out of the free agency gates slowly. With Guerschon Yabusele leaving the Sixers for the New York Knicks and Trendon Watford joining the team on a two-year minimum contract, the Sixers now have access to their taxpayer mid-level exception, which they were holding for Yabusele. With few players left on the open market, here are three guys that Philadelphia could look to add who are still available.
Trey Lyles
Trey Lyles is a veteran forward who has appeared on five teams so far in his career. Most recently, after bouncing around between Utah, Denver, San Antonio and Detroit, the former lottery pick had found a home with the Sacramento Kings.
With the Kings, Lyles has been a surprising bright spot, playing nearly 20 minutes a night across his three and a half seasons with the team. This past year, Lyles was less effective than he has been in years past, shooting only 42.0% from the field and 34.0% from beyond the arc. That being said, historically, he has been a 36.2% shooter from deep for the Kings and has been at his best when playing next to a speedy point guard. He averaged 6.5 points and 4.6 rebounds a night last season.
It is also important to note that the Kings may have just made a move that impacts Lyles’s chance for returning. Former Sixers stretch forward Dario Saric was just acquired by the Kings via trade, sending Jonas Valanciunas to the Denver Nuggets. While Lyles is far from a perfect player, he would bring some much-needed floor stretching to the Sixers’ offense, especially with Yabusele’s departure.
Dante Exum
Dante Exum, the former No. 5 pick in the 2014 NBA draft, has had an interesting NBA career thus far. After falling out of favor in Utah, the often-injured point guard tried to catch on with the Cleveland Cavaliers but ultimately fell out of the league. Then, in the 2023-2024 season, Exum appeared as a major player for the Western Conference Champions Dallas Mavericks. His combination of size, defense and improved three-point shot, on a small volume, made him a valuable player for the team.
Exum struggled to stay healthy in his next season with the Mavericks, experiencing injuries to both of his hands throughout the season. Still, Exum appeared in 20 games for the Mavericks, starting in 13 of them. In those games, Exum shot 47.8% from the field and 43.4% from beyond the arc, averaging 8.7 points a night and 2.8 assists. The Australian guard/forward, who stands at 6’5″, also provided some excellent defense against guards, holding opposing shooters to just 35.7% from the corners and 33.0% from above the break.
With the Sixers’ clear need for playmaking and their desire to add gritty defenders to this roster, Exum may just be the best addition the Sixers could hope to sign. With Exum, the Sixers could have a reliable part-time starter and defensive menace off the bench who wouldn’t shrink the court. However, the major concern with Exum is his ability to stay healthy for a full NBA season.
Precious Achiuwa
Precious Achiuwa is another former first-round pick who has yet to fully find a home in the NBA. Standing at 6′ 8″ and 225 pounds, the high motor big man would provide the grit and hustle that the Sixers are evidently valuing this offseason. He played last season for the New York Knicks and, with their signing of Guerschon Yabusele, it appears that the team may have replaced him in their rotation. This leaves the door open for him to sign with the Sixers and functionally be their Yabusele replacement.
Last season in New York, Achiuwa played well. He was a great rebounder who, in just 20.5 minutes, averaged 5.6 boards a game. Beyond just rebounding, he was also an effective scorer for them, shooting 50.2% from the field and 60.2% from the restricted area, averaging 6.6 points a game. He also finished third on the Knicks in screens assists per game with 2.0, trailing only Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson.
While his fit in the modern-day NBA is questionable with lackluster shooting for a forward and lackluster size for a center, he has shown that he can help contribute to winning. While Achiuwa isn’t a star stretch forward like many would want, he does bring a stable presence to the court that cannot go undervalued.
