The Philadelphia Sixers made one of their first offseason moves count in a big way when they agreed to a four-year, $39 million deal with Dean Wade. Even before the season has tipped off, the move is looking like a smart one.
Wade left Cleveland to reunite with Mike Gansey in Philadelphia, and Tony Jones of The Athletic reported that the forward and his camp were sold on the plan the new front office laid out. As Jones wrote, “Wade and his group chose the Sixers, according to league sources, in large part because Gansey and Nelson sold him on the vision of how he wanted the Sixers to work as an organization and how he wanted to build the roster.”
At the time Wade was making his decision, he didn’t know just how far that vision might go. Jones also reported that the Sixers believed they had a real shot at Jaylen Brown, though they still weren’t sure a deal would actually come together.
Then, the day after Wade agreed to join Philadelphia, the team pulled off the Brown trade. That quickly made the pitch to Wade look even stronger, and it wasn’t the last splash, either. The Brown move helped put the Sixers on the map as a top LeBron James team, leading to the superstar signing a two-year deal.
Wade’s role changed before the season even began, shifting from a projected starter to a bench spot. Even so, he remains an important piece on a roster loaded with talent. For Wade, it also means a chance to chase a championship after years of falling short in Cleveland, including a conference finals run that ended with a sweep at the hands of New York.
Philadelphia now has a roster capable of challenging the Knicks in the East, though the group still has to go through the usual early-stage adjustment period as it figures out how to fit together. Even with that learning curve, the Sixers are in a much stronger place than they were at the end of last season.
Wade had reason to believe in the fit before Brown and James arrived. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported before free agency opened that the Lakers, Spurs, Trail Blazers, Pistons, and Suns were among the teams interested in him, but Philadelphia stood out to him. That faith in what Gansey could build led him here.
And Wade brings more than just roster depth. He has built his reputation on defense and can guard multiple positions.
He also gives the Sixers a reliable outside threat, shooting 36.2% from three on 3.2 attempts per game last season with the Cavaliers. His career high is 39.1% on 3.7 attempts per game in 2023-24, with the exception of his rookie season, when he played only 12 games and shot 50% from deep.
The buzz around Philadelphia’s starting group is easy to understand, but players like Wade can matter just as much when the game moves to the bench.
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Former Knicks Bench Piece Just Landed Another Chance To Stick
The Sixers have added another name to the mix ahead of training camp, signing Dillon Jones to an Exhibit 10 contract as they continue filling out their preseason roster. It is the kind of low-risk, competition-heavy move teams make this time of year, especially when they want to see as many bodies as possible before sorting through the final roster picture.
Jones arrives with a little more NBA seasoning than the typical camp invite, having spent time with the Knicks and Thunder and carrying a back-to-back champion label despite limited playing time. Philadelphia has used several Exhibit 10 deals to create a crowded workout environment, and Jones now gets a fresh chance to make enough noise to keep himself in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Sixers Backup Center Search Just Got More Interesting For Embiid Insurance
Joel Embiid remains the center of everything the 76ers do, which is why the backup plan behind him has become such a meaningful part of the conversation. Brook Lopez has emerged as a possible name to watch, and the fit is easy to understand for a team that wants a veteran big man who can steady the minutes when Embiid sits. At 38, Lopez would not be brought in for long-term upside, but for insurance and structure, the kind of role Philadelphia has had to think harder about as it sorts through its frontcourt options.
The wrinkle is how a deal could come together. Lopez is still attached to a $9.2 million contract, and any move would likely require Philadelphia to send out Anfernee Simons plus a minimum-contract player to get the Clippers attention. Los Angeles has its own reasons to listen, too, since it has a need to replenish draft picks after the Kawhi Leonard situation left the franchise dealing with some lost ground. For the Sixers, the interest is obvious. The question is whether the cost and the roster math line up. [Read more 🡒]
Former Sixers Exec Is Suddenly Rising Fast Away From Daryl Morey
Peter Dinwiddie did not spend long settling in before the Atlanta Hawks moved him up the ladder. After just one season with the organization, the former 76ers Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations has been promoted to the same role in Atlanta, another sign that his front-office profile has continued to climb after years working in high-level basketball operations. Dinwiddie had previously worked under Daryl Morey with both the Sixers and the Indiana Pacers, giving him a track record that clearly carried weight elsewhere in the league.
The Hawks did more than elevate Dinwiddie, too. The organization also promoted Maxwell Kupchak to Director of Cap Strategy and Player Personnel and brought in Tim Bontemps as a Front Office Strategic Advisor, a cluster of moves that suggests Atlanta is continuing to reshape the decision-making group around its basketball operation. For Philadelphia, it is another reminder that familiar names from the Morey era keep finding bigger opportunities elsewhere, even if the full impact of Dinwiddies latest move is still to be seen. [Read more 🡒]