Welcome to the third and final part of our annual Sixers free agency primer.

The main event has arrived: free agents.

Which players can the Sixers target on the open market? As new Sixers President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey tries to improve a team that stunningly staged a 3-1 series comeback over the Boston Celtics before suffering a second-round sweep at the hands of the New York Knicks, he does not quite have all options on the table; the Sixers' precarious salary-cap standing gets in the way of premium free agents being in play. However, depending primarily on what happens with Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes in unrestricted free agency, the Sixers could have quite a bit more spending power in free agency than they did last summer.

This massive collection of players is categorized by estimated price ranges:

2026 SIXERS FREE AGENCY PRIMER

SALARY CAP DETAILS | TRADE TARGETS | FREE AGENTS

Full non-taxpayer's mid-level exception ($16 million per year)

Using the largest version of the mid-level exception would trigger a first-apron hard cap for the Sixers. And based on the makeup of their current cap sheet, that would in all likelihood require letting both Oubre and Grimes depart. The maximum offer a team can make with the non-taxpayer's mid-level exception runs for four years and is projected to be worth just over $64 million – starter-level money:

All of these players, most people would agree, are better than either of Oubre or Grimes. But are they going to be more productive than both of those players combined when the Sixers' depth was already an issue? That is the question Gansey's front office must answer as it evaluates these options:

• Rui Hachimura: Is Hachimura a considerably better all-around player than Oubre? Maybe not. But it is difficult to deny that he is a much cleaner fit on this roster. All playoffs long, teams felt empowered to leave Oubre unguarded beyond the three-point line. The veteran swingman has always been a willing shooter, but not an accurate one. Perhaps it would be legitimate to nitpick at Hachimura's three-point volume, but he is extremely reliable when left open. Hachimura is also much larger and stronger than Oubre – more of a hybrid forward than a traditional wing – and would give the Sixers some stability at power forward. There is no doubt he is a starting-caliber forward in the NBA, and the Sixers could use one.

• Norman Powell: In terms of pure talent, signing Powell at the mid-level exception would be an obviously wise decision for any team. But, despite his undeniably strong offensive arsenal – between spot-up shooting and one-on-one scoring – Powell is not a clean fit on every team. He is a non-creator and not a remotely impactful defender. He is a good player, but a flawed player, who seems to be on his way out as the Miami Heat reorient their cap sheet around Giannis Antetokounmpo. 

• Tobias Harris: It is hard to imagine either side of this even considering a reunion, even though the Sixers have new management. But given the Detroit Pistons' cap standing entering the summer, Harris could very well end up moving on despite playing a pivotal role in their resurgence.

• Anfernee Simons: Not many players with Simons' level of pedigree as a shooter become available at this price range. His lack of size may make him seem like a poor fit on paper, but for the first few months of the season he was part of a tremendous three-guard Boston Celtics rotation with Payton Pritchard and Derrick White.

• Mitchell Robinson: If the Sixers were going to splurge to this degree on a backup center for Joel Embiid, it would probably have to be someone definitively capable of sharing the floor with the former NBA MVP. Robinson, a total non-shooter, is not that at all. He is an outstanding player – at times one completely capable of changing the tenor of a game with his offensive rebounding and shot-blocking.

• Kristaps Porziņģis: Porziņģis could very well beat this price estimate, but if his market deteriorated a bit he would be a more sensible option than Robinson because of his malleability between power forward and center. In all likelihood, the Sixers cannot afford to take a risk with a player as prone to being unavailable as Porziņģis.

2026 SIXERS FREE AGENCY PRIMER

SALARY CAP DETAILS | TRADE TARGETS | FREE AGENTS

Between taxpayer's mid-level and full mid-level ($7-15 million per year)

A few of these players, if things broke right, could slide into the tier above. They are all likely to not quite be in contention for the full mid-level, but should be able to command at least the majority of that exception. If the Sixers end up using the taxpayer's mid-level exception, worth up to two years and an estimated $12.4 million, these players would likely be out of their price range:

• Dean Wade: Wade could end up proving to be in the price range above. If there is anybody capable of properly gauging his value, it should be Gansey, who played a pivotal role in the Cleveland Cavaliers' success finding diamonds in the rough like Wade over the years. While Wade is not a thrilling player to watch offensively, he is passable. His value comes from his positional size as a forward and versatile defense.

• John Collins: Collins, once a ghost of Sixers playoff past, has bounced around a bit since his days with the Atlanta Hawks. Collins has played more center since departing there than he ever did with his original team; given his improvement as a three-point shooter perhaps the Sixers could view him as viable as a power forward and center. Given Embiid's unusual health situation, those players are uniquely valuable in Philadelphia.

• Collin Sexton: Some have taken issue with the Sixers' lack of intense, hard-nosed players; Sexton certainly fits that bill. He is another player whose listed size understates the spectrum of players he is willing to take on defensively and another player Gansey is familiar with.

• Tim Hardaway Jr.: Hardaway is a grizzled veteran, but he has kept his career afloat by remaining a high-caliber sharpshooter. He was an outstanding piece for the Denver Nuggets last season after helping the Pistons turn things around the year prior. A team in need of more consistent three-point shooting – like the Sixers – should have interest. 

• Sandro Mamukelashvili: Another potential hybrid big capable of playing the four and the five, Mamukelashvili was one of the better bench players in the NBA last season. The Toronto Raptors should be invested in retaining his services, but they will likely have to shed at least one notable salary to do so while staying under the luxury tax threshold.

• Robert Williams III: A rim-running, shot-blocking extraordinaire, Williams figures to be one of the elite backup bigs in the NBA... when he is healthy. Unfortunately, that has not often been the case. Williams has been in the NBA for eight seasons and has only once reached the 60-game mark. 

• Landry Shamet: One of the many heroes of the 2025-26 championship New York Knicks, Shamet achieved particular cult hero status with his clutch three-point shooting and tenacious defense on the perimeter. As the Knicks approach the second apron, they have many challenging decisions to make this summer; most of their impressive bench players will be reaching free agency. Shamet would be a particularly sensible fit in Philadelphia should Grimes depart. 

• Jose Alvarado: Sticking with New York's backup backcourt, Alvarado should decline a $4.5 million player option after what he did to help the Knicks climb the mountain in these playoffs. Everybody knows about Alvarado's history as a pest on the defensive end and reputation as a teammate, but he is also an outstanding organizer and floor general as a point guard. Time and time again during the playoffs, he put other Knicks in positions to succeed.

• Keon Ellis: In January, it felt as if half of the league had trade interest in Ellis, who had fallen out of favor with the Sacramento Kings. He ended up going – perhaps a bit oddly – to the Cavaliers. Gansey's former front office traded for Ellis despite already having a crowded guard rotation, and his time in Cleveland probably hurt his market value. He should still be coveted by a decent number of teams as a prototypical role-playing guard.

• Simone Fontecchio: Fontecchio will never blow anybody away with his skills, but he is reliably competent in several respects. He has logged over 4,000 minutes across the last three seasons, aided by a sturdy wing frame and reliable three-point shooting. A career 37.5 percent shooter from beyond the arc on elite per-possession volume, Fontecchio should be the fifth member of any lineup he is in. But in an era of the NBA during which weak links get punished, he is decidedly not one.

• Luke Kennard: Kennard is one of the most accurate three-point shooters to ever live, but his theoretical fit always trumps his actual fit because he does not shoot nearly as much as anybody would like. However, he was a true difference-maker after being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers at the deadline, in part because of an unexpected run of quality on-ball play.

• Bones Hyland: The Delaware native was nearing his NBA exodus before experiencing an exciting revival with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Hyland was one of the best bench guards in the NBA last year, posting 24.5 points, 7.6 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 threes per 100 possessions. Hyland cut down on his long two-point attempts, got to the rim more often and sustained elite three-point volume.

• Kenrich Williams: Until proven otherwise, the expectation should be that the Oklahoma City Thunder will retain Williams, a jack-of-all-trades forward who has become a critical component of Oklahoma City's renowned culture. The Thunder have to finally start cutting costs this summer, though, and if another team starts bidding on Williams perhaps he would be a casualty in Oklahoma City.

• Russell Westbrook: Westbrook seems destined to be a floor-raiser for bad teams that have on-ball reps to give out for the remainder of his career, and the Sixers do not seem like a match. 

• Jusuf Nurkić: The veteran center was shut down by the Utah Jazz last season – he was one of many veteran contributors on that team to watch losses pile up late in the year – and now he could return to competing. Nurkić seems to have become at least somewhat viable from beyond the arc, and he likely has a higher floor as a backup center than anyone currently on the Sixers.

• Quinten Post (restricted): Post is an interesting young stretch five, and the expectation should be that Golden State will retain his services. If the Warriors get caught up in more significant pursuits – maybe even courting LeBron James – perhaps someone will try to sneak in an offer sheet on Post, a 36.4 percent three-point shooter in two NBA seasons on gargantuan volume (12.0 attempts per 100 possessions).

2026 SIXERS FREE AGENCY PRIMER

SALARY CAP DETAILS | TRADE TARGETS | FREE AGENTS

Between veteran's minimum and taxpayer's mid-level ($4-6 million per year)

These players should be attainable at the tax mid-level should the Sixers shop in that aisle – which would be doable in addition to retaining both Grimes and Oubre – and, if they fail to garner as much interest as they would like, a veteran's minimum deal could be in play:

• Brook Lopez: Lopez could give the Sixers a dimension they have never really had behind Embiid: a combination of shot-blocking and floor-spacing. But he is far from the player he once was; it is not a sure thing he will be a quality backup as he enters a season in which he will turn 39 years old.

• Javonte Green: Green is an energetic, athletic wing with strong defensive ability. Three-point shooting has always been his big question mark, but he shot a career-best 38.1 percent from beyond the arc on a career-high 3.0 long-range attempts per game last season, playing in all 82 games for the top-seeded Pistons.

• Nikola Vučević: Vučević's stint in Boston after the trade deadline was so rough that he could end up being a minimum player. He missed an extended period with an injury, then returned and played himself out of the rotation by the end of the Sixers' seven-game triumph over Boston. He remains an excellent rebounder with the ability to space the floor. Can he do anything else reliably at this stage of his career?

• Gary Trent Jr.: Trent would be a sensible addition as a high-caliber three-point shooter. He does not have much of another bankable NBA skill. Nurse knows Trent well from their time together in Toronto. 

• Gary Payton Jr.: Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment President of Sports Bob Myers, now a central figure within the Sixers, knows Payton very well from their shared days with the Golden State Warriors. He has the frame of a small guard, but essentially functions as a wing or big, normally operating inside and defending well above his size without taking on much of a ball-handling role. It is the sort of piece Nurse has not necessarily had during his time in Philadelphia.

• Josh Okogie: Okogie is a stronger defender than Payton – and can be deployed against guards – but has even less offensive utility. He would give Nurse a true ace in the hole defensively, but it will never be certain that Okogie could play in high-leverage minutes or games. 

• Bogdan Bogdanović: Especially in a potential post-Grimes world, the Sixers would need to find some semblance of an offensive punch off the bench. Coming off a down season, perhaps Bogdanović would be a worthwhile reclamation project of sorts.

• De'Anthony Melton: Melton, an old friend still just 28 years old, might be offered more prominent roles elsewhere. He could stick around in Golden State, where he is a terrific fit. But Melton remains very close with Maxey and would be a cost-effective rotation guard – though he does come with injury risk.

• Jock Landale: Landale should be every team's first call when it comes to backup centers on minimum deals if his market does not exceed that price tag. But after being traded to the Hawks for cash considerations at the deadline, Landale played so well that he very well could earn a bit more than that. He would be the Sixers' best backup center in a while – not that the bar is all that high. 

• Brandon Williams: Over the last two seasons, Williams has averaged 20.9 points per 36 minutes while posting a 58.6 true shooting percentage. His knack for drawing fouls goes a long way. The Dallas Mavericks should keep him around, even amid organizational change as Masai Ujiri takes over.

• Matisse Thybulle: Another old friend! Thybulle had somewhat of a revival with the Portland Trail Blazers late in the 2025-26 season, potentially setting him up to earn a team's confidence this summer in his first trip to unrestricted free agency. Thybulle is not the exact same player now that he was when the Sixers traded him, but the key points – excellent defensive playmaker, suspect at every part of offense – remain true.

• Harrison Barnes: Barnes has been a valuable veteran for the San Antonio Spurs. If they do not keep him, perhaps the Sixers will see him as a cheaper alternative to Oubre with a more reliable three-point stroke. 

• Josh Minott: If Minott's team option is declined by the Brooklyn Nets and his market does not end up above the minimum, every NBA team should be in on him. He has the makeup of a rotation-caliber wing and showed some real flashes between Boston and Brooklyn. He will turn 24 years old in November and shot 41.8 percent from beyond the arc last season, but is an impactful defender as well.

• Nick Richards: A replacement-level center, Richards would not be a home run at backup center, but he would probably be more stable than Adem Bona or Andre Drummond last season.

• Jaxson Hayes: Hayes seems tied at the hip with Lakers superstar Luka Dončić, but if for some reason he became more of a flight risk he would be one of the better lob threats on the open market.

• Jordan Clarkson: Yet another member of New York's bench mob, Clarkson has recently undergone a pretty shocking transformation. After over a decade of being the same player – a high-volume shot-taker with limited utility outside of inefficient scoring and occasional bucket-getting binges – he proved to be much more than that this season. Even without shooting particularly well on threes, he made himself into a player who does the little things, endearing him to Knicks fans. It would likely take a slight raise above the minimum for him to consider leaving New York.

• Kevin Huerter: Another former Sixers playoff foe, Huerter came into the league and looked like one of the best young shooters in the world. His production from three-point range has oddly deteriorated as he achieved veteran status. He will not be a rotation-caliber piece in the playoffs if he does not get back to connecting on triples at a higher rate.

• Ariel Hukporti (restricted): Hukporti is a restricted free agent whose jersey hung in Trendon Watford's locker for multiple months this season (they shared a trainer during Hukporti's pre-draft process, when Watford got to know him). He is big and moves well; that part of the makeup is there. He is not a surefire rotation-caliber center yet.

• Ousmane Dieng (restricted): Dieng spent much of the first four years of his NBA career failing to break through on a loaded Thunder team. The roster casualty to make room for Jared McCain, Dieng was sent to the Milwaukee Bucks at the deadline and showed some intriguing scoring flashes. He has an impressive frame for an NBA wing, too. Much of the appeal remains theoretical right now, though.

• Pat Spencer (restricted): Spencer nearly led a stunning Warriors comeback in Philadelphia last season before an Edgecombe bucket and Maxey block won the Sixers the game. He is a homegrown talent in Golden State and should be expected to return, but perhaps he could bolster the Sixers' guard depth.

2026 SIXERS FREE AGENCY PRIMER

SALARY CAP DETAILS | TRADE TARGETS | FREE AGENTS

Veteran's minimum

These players should be expected to sign minimum deals because of their flaws, age or underwhelming recent performance. But this group includes many players with NBA utilities:

• Marvin Bagley III: Bagley will never come close to living up to the expectations of a player drafted at No. 2 overall, one spot ahead of Dončić, but between stints in Washington, Memphis and Dallas has quietly turned himself into a quality rotation big over the last two years. He is not a stout defender, but has a strong presence on the glass and is very efficient scoring inside.

• Khris Middleton: Once upon a time, Middleton was the end-of-game closer for a championship team. But his days of glory in Milwaukee are in the past now, and injuries have taken their toll on the former All-Star wing. Nowadays, he might be better off if utilized as a hybrid forward of sorts. Until the day he retires, Middleton will be able to get a bucket. How much value does that carry on its own?

• Jevon Carter: Carter is a pesky point-of-attack defender and more than willing as a three-point shooter, and at this price tag is a quality stopgap option for most teams in need of some guard depth.

• Tyus Jones: Jones' run as an elite backup point guard is over, but some teams still covet the traditional skills he brings to the table. He is an organizer.

• Gary Harris: Harris is no longer a premiere 3&D guard, but still can provide small doses of cost-effective two-way value to a team. Given where things are headed in Milwaukee, he should be on another team next season.

• Cam Thomas: If Grimes thinks his season on the qualifying offer was disappointing, he should talk to Thomas, who ended up being waived by the Nets after a lack of trade interest at the deadline, then signed and promptly waived again by the Bucks. He can score in bunches, but not in a fashion that contributes to winning.

• Jeremy Sochan: Sochan joined the Knicks after being let go by San Antonio and got a title against his former team without playing all that much. He is a non-shooter and has some playmaking chops for a power forward.

• Olivier-Maxence Prosper: Prosper is entering his age-24 season and fourth NBA campaign. After two failed years in Dallas, the  Grizzlies took a chance on him – initially on a two-way contract – and it paid off. He was good, and notably shot 40.5 percent from three-point range after lengthy struggles as a shooter.

• Aaron Holiday: Holiday signing with the Sixers would mean all three brothers in his family would have played in Philadelphia. That is a strong pitch in itself.

• Bruce Brown: Brown had a disappointing season after returning to Denver, but his blend of defensive versatility and secondary ball-handling still makes him a somewhat appealing option.

• Kyle Anderson: If the Sixers want to get Maxey and Edgecombe off the ball more next season – and both players would benefit from such an arrangement – perhaps they would want a ball-handling forward like Anderson.

• Jordan McLaughlin: A classic, table-setting point guard, McLaughlin played sparingly for the Spurs this past season. He has always been quietly productive, even if in unspectacular fashion, during his seven NBA seasons. The Sixers could do a lot worse on the end of their bench.

• Taurean Prince: Prince missed much of last season with an injury and will not blow anybody away. But he has a sturdy frame on the wing and is more than capable spotting up on three-point tries. The author of an all-time funny quote is now a veteran of 10 NBA seasons.

• Zach Collins: Collins, one of the primary victims of Embiid's 70-point game, is still only 28 years old as he enters his ninth NBA season. He only played in 10 games last year because of a season-ending injury. Signing Collins would be a bet on his ability to function as a stretch big.

• Jamal Cain: After earning a conversion from two-way contract to standard deal with the Orlando Magic, Cain was a rotation wing in the postseason. He averaged 21.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per 100 possessions and shot 38.4 percent on long-range tries.

• Kelly Olynyk: Olynyk is probably not good enough at anything to be a full-fledged rotation piece anymore. But he is a seven-footer who can shoot and pass. 

• Precious Achiuwa: Another player Nurse has experience with, Achiuwa once swung a playoff game away from the Sixers thanks to his athleticism in the frontcourt. He spent last season with the Sacramento Kings, starting in 57 of his 73 appearances.

• Xavier Tillman Sr.: Tillman looked like someone with the makeup of a stretch five with defensive versatility early in his career, but his shooting has dropped off a cliff and so has his playing time.

• Lindy Waters III: In five NBA seasons, Waters has made 36.3 percent of his long-range tries on 10.1 attempts per 36 minutes.

• Gabe Vincent: Vincent became a punching bag of sorts in Los Angeles before the Lakers traded him away, and he was extremely disappointing there. He has a role-playing set of skills, but has not been productive enough recently enough to be more than a minimum player.

• Kevon Looney: This is another Myers connection, and perhaps he will vouch for Looney as a potential pillar in the locker room. That is what he was with the Warriors, even as his quality of play declined.

• KJ Martin: Martin spent the year playing overseas after the Jazz waived him right before training camp. He showed serious flashes of promise during his time with the Sixers. He is an elite athlete, very strong – potentially a small-ball five option – and makes smart decisions in advantage situations. He is an NBA-caliber player.

• Trey Lyles: Another potential returner from overseas, Lyles was a quality stretch four in the NBA for 10 years before playing for Real Madrid last season. He appears to be targeting an NBA comeback this summer and would give the Sixers the sort of shooting at power forward they used to covet.

• Guerschon Yabusele: In all likelihood, the impressive season Yabusele had with the Sixers two seasons ago was a mirage. He had a nightmarish season with New York and Chicago and could return overseas. The case for bringing him back would be rooted in his versatility between power forward and center.

• Amir Coffey: Coffey has been viewed as an enticing young player at times in the past, but he has never put it all together. He has decent size for a wing and has shot the three well in recent years.

• Seth Curry: Curry is no longer a rotation-caliber player. Perhaps the Sixers think his shooting is strong enough that he can play in a pinch when needed.

• Nick Smith Jr.: A young guard with some juice, Smith could slip through the cracks as the Lakers enter a potentially transformative offseason. He would be a more highly-touted prospect had he demonstrated an ability to provide more than just occasional scoring jolts.

• Jae'Sean Tate: An athletic, defensive-oriented wing like Tate is always intriguing because he is just a lucky three-point shooting year away from being a high-quality reserve. But in six seasons in Houston, he has yet to experience such a campaign.

• Kevin Love: Gansey knows Love extremely well from their time in Cleveland, and he could replace Kyle Lowry as a player filling the Sixers' leader-in-uniform sort of role. Love appears more likely to go wherever James goes.

• Trayce Jackson-Davis: Jackson-Davis is a young big who has yet to really break through, but is a terrific rebounder with some passing skill.

• Bismack Biyombo: Biyombo ended up being one of three veteran centers on San Antonio's bench and out of its rotation, and it is clear by now that he is valued as a teammate. Can he still impact games directly?

• Jett Howard: The son of former NBA player Juwan, Howard is entering his age-23 season after three unsuccessful years with the Magic that prompted Orlando to decline his fourth-year team option. 

• Drew Eubanks: At best, Eubanks could be an innings-eater sort of center, the type of player the Sixers could reasonably throw into a game when Embiid is sidelined and somebody has to take up some minutes.

• Jeff Green: Green has become another one of the NBA's most respected teammates; it seems likely he would continue serving in a leadership role in Houston.

• Thomas Bryant: Bryant accidentally became important at work two seasons ago, with a slew of Indiana Pacers injuries sparking a trade that eventually led to Bryant logging backup center minutes in the 2025 NBA Finals. Last season, he played 60 games (59 off the bench) for Gansey's Cavaliers.

• Ochai Agbaji (restricted): Originally drafted by Gansey and the Cavaliers in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft, Agbaji was traded during his first NBA offseason as part of the Donovan Mitchell deal. He has played for Utah, Toronto and Brooklyn across his four NBA seasons, and at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds is a career 33.9 percent three-point shooter. If the percentage was higher, perhaps there would be more interest. But if he falls out of the picture in Brooklyn, Gansey could rekindle his interest in Agbaji. 

• Jaylen Clark (restricted): Clark is a very impressive perimeter defender for a player with only two years of NBA experience, though next season will be his age-25 campaign. He is one of several Timberwolves youngsters who has tried to separate themselves from the pack.

• Moussa Cisse (restricted): There is no reason for Dallas not to keep Cisse, who proved to be a useful find on the margins. He is a run-jump-dunk hustle center who averaged 19.2 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per 100 possessions as a rookie. 

• Keaton Wallace (restricted): The brother of Oklahoma City's Cason, Wallace is still looking to establish himself as an NBA regular at either guard position.

• Caleb Love (restricted): Love stood out as a two-way player for Portland, getting three-point shots up at tremendous volume but ultimately failing to earn a standard contract. He is worth a look if the Sixers want more volume from beyond the arc.

2026 SIXERS FREE AGENCY PRIMER

SALARY CAP DETAILS | TRADE TARGETS | FREE AGENTS