One Free Agent Guard, Wing, and Big for the Sixers

The NBA is gearing up for a full sprint into this upcoming season. With December 22nd being tentatively agreed upon as the start date for next season, there will be little time for teams to fill out their rosters. As the transaction window gets closer to opening, here are three potential free agent targets for the Sixers.

Kent Bazemore 

It is still unclear how the new front office regime will plan to fill out the Sixers’ roster. But it is no secret that addressing shooting will be a focus. Kent Bazemore is a name that the Sixers should monitor as a three-and-D option off the bench.

The 31-year-old Bazemore is a seasoned vet who has been bouncing around the league for years. Last season he averaged 8.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 1.4 APG as a member of the Trail Blazers and Kings.

Bazemore is a guy who understands his role and can play it well. He was a reliable shooter from deep last year, shooting 34.4% on just under four attempts. His shot was much better off the catch, where he shot 37.8%.

Along with being a solid shooter, he is also an above-average defender. He averaged just over one steal per game last year and just under one block per game. His playstyle will fit in nicely with the defensive mantra the Sixers have looked to build.

Being on the back end of his career, Bazemore could be a guy the team gets at a team-friendly price in free agency. If signed, he could be a good replacement for Glenn Robinson III off the bench.

DJ Augustin 

Although it hasn’t been said of what position Ben Simmons will be playing next season, the Sixers should be in the market for a point guard this offseason. If the Sixers are going to fix their spacing issues, they need to add players who can create offense on the outside.

Augustin is a veteran guard who could be a good fit on the Sixers as a starter or off the bench. If Ben Simmons continues to play in his point forward role, Augustin would be a solid option as a secondary ball-handler in the lineup.

Last season with the Magic, Augustin averaged 10.5 PPG and 4.6 APG while shooting close to 35% from beyond the arc. Along with what he provides on the ball, he can play off the ball as well. When catching and shooting from deep last year Augustin’s percentage jumped up to an impressive 41.6%.

Bringing in a pure point guard like Augustin would allow the Sixers to experiment more with Ben Simmons off the ball. At around seven million dollars a year, Augustin could be a good team-friendly signing to upgrade the roster.

Meyers Leonard 

With Al Horford still currently on the Sixers’ roster, the team should not be looking for a backup big man. But if they plan to trade him soon, picking one up just in case might not be the worst idea.

Meyers Leonard has established himself as a solid backup big man in his career. His skill set is ideal for today’s game, as he is a seven-footer who can also stretch the floor and knock down shots from deep.

Last season Leonard shot over 40% from three, with most of his attempts coming off the catch. His ability to space the floor could open lanes to the rim for Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris when Joel Embiid is off the floor.

Leonard has also shown that he is a good locker room guy. Whether he was in the rotation or not, he was always engaged on the sidelines for the team. Adding a glue guy like Leonard could be beneficial as the Sixers look to instill a new culture.

Out of all three of these free agents, Leonard would probably be the hardest to sign. The best the Sixers could realistically offer him is the MLE, and he might be able to land a better contract with another team.

Daryl Morey is going to have his hands full filling out the roster with limited cap space. If the front office can land any of these players, it would be a nice addition to the team.

Kevin McCormick is the 76ers insider for 97.3 ESPN and 76ers editor for Sportstalkphilly.com. Follow him on Twitter @KevinMcC973.