76ers Sleeper Contracts to Pursue in NBA Free Agency
The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the teams to watch during the 2022 NBA offseason.
If the basketball landscape shifts this summer, the Sixers could be at the heart of that movement. They may need to solve the impossible riddle that is James Harden's next contract, plus incentivize someone to take back Tobias Harris and the mountain of money he's still owed.
Along the way, Philly must also find value contracts to fill out the bottom half of its roster. The following three hoopers-for-hire should be on the radar.
Gary Harris
If you could say for certain Gary Harris had his three-ball back, he would be too good of a free agent for a list like this.
The fact he basically spent the three seasons prior to this one searching for his stroke is the reason why he still qualifies.
Defensively, he's a pest, and he can comfortably kick around the perimeter in most matchups. The Sixers needed more perimeter stoppers before they traded away Ben Simmons. That need has exponentially increased since with Danny Green suffering a devastating knee injury and Matisse Thybulle being rendered unplayable by his offensive limitations.
Harris' defense alone could get him regular run in Philly, but the promise he holds on offense could make him a late-game lineup fixture. He splashed 1.9 threes at a 38.4 percent clip in 2021-22, and he has thrice averaged at least 12.3 points on better than 46 percent shooting.
Isaiah Hartenstein
The 76ers need a reliable backup behind Joel Embiid. The 7-footer just set career-highs in games (68) and minutes (2,297), and Philly might be cautious about putting too much more on his plate at the risk of overburdening him.
The Sixers could go the cheap route here and just trot in an athletic rim-runner in the hope that either that player, Paul Reed or Charles Bassey becomes good enough to fill that spot.
Plotting a more aggressive path with Isaiah Hartenstein looms as the far more interesting option.
His outside shooting alone (career 38.3 percent) could add new wrinkles to this attack, and that's far from the only thing he brings to the hardwood. He has everything from active rebounding and slick passing to paint protection and a pinch of off-the-dribble scoring. It's possible his next contract proves too rich for Philly, but if teams are reluctant to spend on centers, the Sixers could have an opportunity to grab a highly skilled one for cheap.
Caleb Martin
The Sixers, along with most of the Association, could use more two-way wings.
Caleb Martin looks like he can comfortably wear that label after a season of progress at both ends in South Beach.
The 6'5" swingman went from not winning much of anything in Charlotte to making a host of winning plays for the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed. His first season with the Miami Heat—which started on a two-way contract—saw him set several personal-bests, including 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 50.7 percent field-goal shooting.
He is owed a healthy (but not egregious) raise this offseason, and the Sixers could be smart to give it to him. They would not only help shore up a weak spot in their wing rotation, but they would also open one up in Miami.