Should the Sixers Target Melo in Free Agency?

Most of the Sixers’ offseason talk has been about potential trades, but the team still has some cap space to work with to fill out the bench. As the team prepares to target free agents to sign to deals, should they look to add a future Hall of Famer?

Carmelo Anthony had a chance last year to silence his doubters and he did just that. He signed with Portland to a minimum deal and showed he can still help a team win. Anthony would average 15.4 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and shot 38.5% from deep last season for the Trail Blazers.

After seeing how he performed in Portland, should the Sixers try to lure Melo to Philadelphia? One move the Sixers are tied to could make this a real possibility.

Rumors have come out that Chris Paul and Carmelo could look to team up if Paul is traded to the Knicks. This has to beg the question if Paul could be able to lure him if he were to be traded to Philadelphia instead of New York.

Now at age 36, these two are not going to be key pieces to a title run, but they could be nice additions to the roster to pair with the Sixers’ cornerstones. Paul and Anthony both showed last year that they still have something left to give to a team.

The Sixers are going to need scoring off the bench, and that is something Anthony could provide. His ability to create his own offense in small samples could be a boost to the Sixers’ second unit.

Anthony showed he can be a spot-up floor spacer as well. On top of him shooting 38% from beyond the arc, he was even better off the catch. When catching and shooting last season Anthony shot 40.2%.

With limited cap space to work with, this is the kind of low-risk high-reward move the Sixers should monitor that could pay off for them. If he can play a similar role to that of what he did in Portland, he could be a nice addition to the Sixers’ roster.

The Sixers have their defense covered with players like Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and Matisse Thybulle. They need to work on generating a more effective offense. Melo’s ability to score in isolation and be an efficient floor spacer could be a small solution to helping the Sixers’ offense.

If the Sixers do pull off a Chris Paul trade, trying to lure Melo to Philadelphia is something the team should consider. At such a low price tag, it is an interesting move to keep in mind when retooling the Sixers.

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