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NBA Free Agency 2019: 5 offseason targets for the Philadelphia 76ers

By Bryan Toporek

DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 23: Rudy Gay #22 of the San Antonio Spurs puts up a shot over Torrey Craig #3 of the Denver Nuggets in the third quarter during Game Five of the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs at the Pepsi Center on April 23, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 23: Rudy Gay #22 of the San Antonio Spurs puts up a shot over Torrey Craig #3 of the Denver Nuggets in the third quarter during Game Five of the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs at the Pepsi Center on April 23, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC –  MARCH 13: Trevor Ariza #1 of the Washington Wizards looks on against the Orlando Magic on March 13, 2019 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC –  MARCH 13: Trevor Ariza #1 of the Washington Wizards looks on against the Orlando Magic on March 13, 2019 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Taxpayer MLE Targets

If the Sixers wind up only having access to the $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception, they could target the following players:

Cory Joseph, PG: Joseph isn’t a prolific 3-point shooter, but he’d give the Sixers an experienced backup point guard. They shouldn’t blow their full taxpayer MLE on him, but he could be an option if he’s willing to take only a portion of it.

Trevor Ariza, SF: After taking a one-year, $15 million balloon deal with the Phoenix Suns last season, Ariza may transition into ring-chasing mode this year. He’s a career 35.1 percent shooter from deep and has the versatility to defend multiple positions, so he could take James Ennis’ place in Philadelphia if the Sixers can’t retain him.

Seth Curry, SG: Curry isn’t as transcendent as his older brother, but he drilled a scorching 45.0 percent of his 3-point attempts this past season with the Portland Trail Blazers. That playoff run may help him draw free-agent attention, but he flew under the radar the past two times he reached the open market in 2016 and 2018.

Wayne Ellington, SG: Ellington is a career 37.9 percent 3-point shooter and hails from right outside of Philadelphia, although he didn’t join the Sixers after the Phoenix Suns bought him out in February. They likely couldn’t promise him a starting role, but he’d add some much-needed shooting for them off the bench.

Reggie Bullock, SG: If the Los Angeles Lakers need to carve out salary-cap space to round out their roster after they finalize the Anthony Davis trade, Bullock may be free to find a new home. He’s a career 39.2 percent shooter from deep who drilled 44.5 percent of his triples in 2017-28 with the Detroit Pistons, so he could fill a similar role as Ellington or Curry in Philly.

Noah Vonleh, PF/C: At 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds, Vonleh would be slightly undersized as Embiid’s primary backup, but he’s able to stretch the floor on offense and play passable defense. The New York Knicks may attempt to retain the 23-year-old if they strike out on their higher-profile free-agent targets, but the Sixers could offer him the promise of a playoff berth and the possibility of a deep run.

Justin Holiday, SG/SF: Holiday isn’t an efficient scorer, as evidenced by his career 39.0 field-goal percentage, but he’s a 6-foot-6 wing defender capable of guarding multiple positions. The Sixers will likely prioritize swingmen who are more consistent from 3-point range, although Holiday could be a nice fallback plan in case they strike out on their top targets.

David Nwaba, SG/SF: If the Cleveland Cavaliers allow Nwaba to walk in fear of a ballooning luxury-tax bill, the Sixers should eagerly pursue him. Although the 26-year-old isn’t a high-volume threat from deep, he’s able to switch between three positions defensively and would be a welcome addition to the Sixers’ second unit.

Kyle O’Quinn, C: If the Sixers can’t snag Dedmon, O’Quinn may be one of their best cheap options for a backup center. He averaged 2.4 blocks per 36 minutes across his first seven NBA seasons, and he’s a career 46.4 percent shooter from 10-16 feet and 42.6 percent from 16 feet to the 3-point line.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Basketball Insiders.

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