The 76ers have one roster spot left to play with, and that makes the veteran market worth watching. But if Pat Connaughton shakes loose, Philadelphia should have no interest in being the team that takes the plunge.
Per Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto, the Hornets’ roster crunch could push Connaughton out the door because of his non-guaranteed contract for next season. That would put the 33-year-old into the buyout conversation, where teams can circle back on a player with championship experience. For the 76ers, though, that’s not the lane to drive in.
Philadelphia already has a pair of Finals MVPs on the roster with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, so the team has plenty of championship pedigree baked in. That still leaves room for contending teams to chase veteran depth, but Connaughton doesn’t look like the right answer.
He’s not the same player who won a title in Milwaukee. Over the last couple of seasons, he hasn’t been a steady rotation piece, and the parts of his game that once made him useful have faded. His defensive impact and three-point shooting have both trended down since his peak.
The Sixers have already seen how risky it can be to bet on aging guards with limited gas left in the tank. Last season brought Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry into the mix, and the front office should be careful not to repeat that kind of move with another roster spot.
Mike Gansey and his staff have been close to spotless this offseason, and the smart play may be to keep it that way. Not every buyout name is worth chasing, and Connaughton looks like one the 76ers can let someone else claim.
In Other News...
Sixers Cannot Afford To Repeat This Familiar Frontcourt Mistake
The Sixers are once again in that familiar offseason spot where every frontcourt possibility gets a long look, especially with the team still weighing whether the current group can hold up once the season starts. Big men on the trade market and in the buyout pool tend to become more interesting when roster questions linger, and Philadelphia has been linked to that kind of help before as the front office keeps one eye on the present and another on how its own players develop.
Taj Gibson is one of the names to watch if Memphis makes a move on his non-guaranteed deal, but he may not be the kind of stopgap the Sixers want to chase. Recent buyout activity, including Kentavious Caldwell-Pope changing situations, is a reminder that these decisions can move quickly once the market opens up, and Philadelphia has to be careful not to repeat a frontcourt habit that looks safe in the moment but leaves the roster stuck in the same place later on. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Fans Just Got A Wild New LeBron Twist
Andre Drummonds move to the Knicks this summer adds another familiar name to the long list of veterans taking on short-term roles in the East, and the early reaction around his fit has been encouraging. Former coaches Jim Calhoun and Jere Quinn pointed to his rebounding and ability to help a team in the margins, the sort of low-cost, high-need value every contender tries to find once the market thins out.
For Sixers fans, though, the bigger intrigue comes from the roster churn that has already pushed Philadelphia into one of the most unusual conversations of the offseason. President Mike Gansey has already made major changes, including acquiring Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, and reports have added a fascinating wrinkle by suggesting James could consider living in New York City while playing for Philadelphia. It is the kind of detail that keeps the story moving in a dozen different directions at once, with plenty still hanging in the air. [Read more 🡒]
76ers Frontcourt Just Earned The Kind Of Respect Fans Dreamed About
Health is always the first asterisk with any 76ers conversation, but in a fresh Eastern Conference frontcourt ranking for the 2026-27 season, Philadelphia landed at the top of the list. The reasoning was simple enough: when the discussion is centered on star power, depth, two-way impact, fit and offensive production, the Sixers have the kind of talent in the middle and on the wings that can tilt a matchup before the game even settles in.
The evaluation also made clear this was an exercise built on a best-case assumption, with everyone available and recent roster moves baked into the picture. That matters for Philadelphia because the ceiling is obvious, but so is the familiar question that hangs over any lofty placement. The Sixers are being viewed like a frontcourt group that should command respect around the league, and the real intrigue is whether that recognition turns into something sturdier when the games actually count. [Read more 🡒]