2024 NBA Draft provides little insight into 76ers’ plan for free agency

The Philadelphia 76ers got some good value with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft by selecting Duke guard Jared McCain.

McCain is a solid shooter and a good athlete, and the hope is that he will be able to contribute to the Sixers in the not-so-distant future. However, how much he is actually able to contribute as a rookie remains to be seen. He almost assuredly won't start next season, but perhaps he can be a shooter off of the bench for the team.

In the second round, the Sixers selected forward Adem Bona from UCLA. Like McCain, Bona is a promising prospect with a skill set that could ultimately help Philadelphia out. However, he'll likely need some more development before he can become a consistent contributor.

The Sixers still need to build a cohesive team around former MVP Joel Embiid and budding star Tyrese Maxey, though, and the team's activity, or lack thereof, during the draft, did little to impact that fact. Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey basically said as much to media members gathered at the team's Camden practice facility after the conclusion of the first round.

"I don't think the draft is going to inform what we do in free agency very much," Morey said.

Had the team made some draft day deals for established veterans it would be a different story. For what it's worth, the Sixers did try to trade their first round pick, per a league source, but obviously no deals came to fruition.

As it stands now, the Sixers need to build out an entire bench and the rest of the starting five around Embiid and Maxey, and the additions of McCain and Bona do little to alter that. No one in the organization is expecting either of those guys to be the missing piece next season. Both will have to fight just to make the regular rotation under head coach Nick Nurse.

Bona could potentially develop into a very good big man in the league, but the Sixers will still need to add an experienced backup for Embiid in free agency, and the same could be said about a back court running mate for Maxey.

The Sixers have been linked to a ton of names this offseason. Some of those names, like OG Anunoby, are already off the table. Others -- like Paul George and Jimmy Butler -- seem less likely than they once did. The team still has ample options, including bringing back some of their own. It wouldn't be surprising to see guys like Kelly Oubre Jr., Kyle Lowry or even Nic Batum back in Philadelphia next season.

The Sixers entered the offseason facing a whole lot of questions, and the draft did little to answer any of them, or provide much insight into what the team might do in free agency.

Follow Michael Kaskey-Blomain on X @therealmikekb.