May 27, 2026
Colleen Claggett/for PhillyVoice
Kelly Oubre Jr. wants a long-term home. Could it be Philadelphia?
Now that the 2025-26 Sixers season is complete after a thrilling first-round series comeback and a jarring second-round sweep, it is time to reflect on the year that was.
Welcome to Sixers year-in-review, where each player's campaign will be analyzed with a combination of statistics, film and reporting.
Up next: Kelly Oubre Jr., whose third year with the Sixers was his best as a three-point shooter. Oubre dealt with two major injuries this season, but when he played was a stabilizing two-way role player.
With his two-year contract worth just over $16 million now in the books, Oubre is returning to unrestricted free agency. What can be drawn from his third campaign in Philadelphia? Will Oubre come back for more?
SIXERS YEAR-IN-REVIEW
Joel Embiid | Tyrese Maxey | Paul George | Andre Drummond | Quentin Grimes | VJ Edgecombe | Dominick Barlow | Kelly Oubre Jr.
Oubre can sustain a much more efficient shot diet.
Oubre is now 11 seasons into his NBA career. In all 11 of those years, his overall efficiency has been below the league average. But after typically landing considerably beneath that mark, Oubre was essentially average in 2025-26: the entire league combined for a 58.1 true shooting percentage; Oubre posted a 58.0 true shooting percentage.
Why did that happen? One of the primary reasons was Oubre's resurgence in terms of three-point accuracy; he was miles better than expected from beyond the arc after finally addressing a wrist injury that predated his arrival in Philadelphia in 2023. As will be touched on momentarily, that was extremely important. But it was not the only factor at play.
The Sixers' miserable 2024-25 campaign was not good for all that much, but one of the lone positives was that it prompted Oubre to become a much more sound decision-maker. An emphasis on playing off of two feet and slowing the game down has rid him of many of the ill-advised shots which made him such a low-efficiency player for most of his career.
In each of the last two seasons, Oubre has shot just over 55 percent on two-point attempts. He has traded in reckless rim finishes for composed paint jumpers; Oubre has great touch on those. He has become more selective as a driver; he has always been very strong when it comes to finishing through contact but now is picking better spots to do it.
Moving forward, it is no longer a given that Oubre will be one of the least efficient wings in the NBA. He has made commendable changes for a player with such considerable experience and a very prideful demeanor.
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Percentage of Oubre's shots within 10 feet of the rim: 46.8.
The argument against keeping Oubre can be boiled down to one key point: on this iteration of the Sixers, whichever player fills the role he has occupied is going to be a spot-up three-point shooter first and foremost. Oubre has always been a very willing shooter, but before shooting a career-best 36.0 percent from long range in 2025-26 he combined for a 30.3 three-point percentage in his first two seasons with the Sixers.
Ironically, 2025-26 was the most positive season Oubre has been a part of with the Sixers when it comes to the health and availability of key players. Part of the value he provided in his first two seasons with the team was being capable of scaling his offensive role up at the drop of a hat to help combat high-profile absences. Even with Joel Embiid being a major injury risk and Paul George one as well, those two players plus Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe make it harder to imagine Oubre ever being asked to handle a secondary scoring workload for any consistent period moving forward.
Oubre's shooting frequency around the rim could continue to decline in the years ahead:
| Year | Percentage of Oubre's shots within 10 feet |
| 2023-24 | 54.5% |
| 2024-25 | 59.4% |
| 2025-26 | 46.8% |
If he returns to the Sixers, the most important part of Oubre's game moving forward will be his three-point shooting. No other offensive skill will even come close. Perhaps the hand therapy Oubre underwent last summer really made the sort of meaningful difference he always thought it would. But three-point shooting can vary wildly from year to year for most players, and if Oubre's rim pressure and finishing talents are not going to be nearly as important, tremendous focus on his shot will ensue. His track record in terms of three-point accuracy is not good enough to inspire true confidence that he will repeat his recent success.
Oubre on what he is looking for in a free-agency destination, May 10:
"Somewhere where I'm loved. Just somewhere where my family can be comfortable. I have a family now, so it's not like I'm thinking for myself and [wanting to be] able to do spontaneous stuff. I just want my kids to have somewhere that they can call home. I'm going to go out there, I'm going to grind, I'm going to put my hard hat on and go to work, but what I do is for my family. And I just want them to be able to just be stable somewhere and to not have to worry about anything when it comes to their lives being uprooted and figuring out things on the fly. I want my kids to grow in a stable environment in a place where they are wanted... I'm ready for whatever."
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How long of a commitment are the Sixers willing to make to keep Oubre?
Oubre's desire to secure a long-term commitment from an NBA team has never been secret. The veteran swingman should have a market this summer; there is more money to go around in free agency. He is a Full Bird free agent, so even though he is unrestricted and the Sixers do not have the right to formally match an offer sheet he signs with another team, they will functionally be able to match the terms of any offer that might intrigue him.
When it comes to players like Oubre, teams would always rather overpay by a lot on short-term deals than overpay by a bit on long-term deals. Oubre will turn 31 years old on Dec. 9. To what degree should the Sixers be willing to satisfy Oubre's desire for a longer pact?
The Sixers have potential apron issues given the makeup of their cap sheet, but really their primary financial concern right now is tied to the luxury tax threshold, which the team has maneuvered beneath at every trade deadline in recent years. They should be expected to start 2026-27 over the tax line, but by a margin small enough that there is a pathway to get under it by the deadline.
One way to drive Oubre's 2026-27 salary down a bit: offer him more years. At this stage of his career, a one-year, $12 million contract is probably not nearly as appealing as a three-year, $27 million contract, where his deal could have a starting salary as low as $8.3 million.
But do the Sixers want to commit three years of guaranteed salary to Oubre given his flaws? There is no guarantee his market will force them to. But if teams sell themselves on a long, athletic, versatile, defensive-oriented wing armed with a quick three-point trigger and long strides to the rim, the Sixers could have a difficult decision on their hands.
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