The Philadelphia 76ers have already loaded up for what looks like a full-speed championship push, and the last open roster spot is now drawing some attention. After a season that ended with an upset of the Boston Celtics in the NBA Playoffs and a loss to the New York Knicks, Philadelphia has spent the offseason aggressively reshaping the roster.
That overhaul included a stunning trade for Jaylen Brown after his relationship with the Boston Celtics fell apart, followed by the addition of four-time NBA champion LeBron James. As ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported, “LeBron James is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers for his final run at another NBA championship, he announced Friday," ESPN's Dave McMenamin wrote. "James, 41, is signing a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option, Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul told ESPN's Shams Charania."
The Sixers also added another familiar face for James in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Bleacher Report posted, “Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is negotiating a buyout with the Grizzlies and intends to sign with the 76ers, per Chris B Haynes. KCP joins Bron in Philly," Bleacher Report posted.
With one roster spot still available, The Sixers Sense’s Nicolas Kyle Pring has suggested Philadelphia should use it on Maxi Kleber. Pring described him as “one of the few real three-and-D big men in the NBA” and said that even with injuries affecting his game, he still brings a dependable defensive presence and a different look on both ends when he’s on the floor. Pring also noted that while the 76ers already have plenty of big men, they don’t have much variety in that group, and Kleber would fit as a final addition.
Kleber has spent the last couple of seasons alongside James after being part of the Luka Doncic trade from the Dallas Mavericks. When he was in the rotation, he gave the team a steady veteran presence.
Over the course of his career, Kleber has earned $69 million. For Philadelphia, that kind of addition would give the back end of the roster a little more stability, even if he isn’t logging big minutes every night.
In Other News...
Sixers May Be Losing Another Young Piece To The Knicks
The Knicks have added forward Igor Milicic on an Exhibit 10 deal ahead of training camp, giving them another low-cost developmental flier to sort through before the season gets underway. For Sixers fans, the name is a familiar one: Milicic spent time with the Delaware Blue Coats, Philadelphias G League affiliate, and has spent the past few years bouncing through a college career that stretched across three universities.
Exhibit 10 contracts often function as a bridge into a teams developmental pipeline, and that is the lane New York is opening for Milicic now. It also fits the broader reality for Philadelphia, where the Blue Coats have repeatedly served as a staging ground for young talent that other organizations are willing to take a look at when camp season arrives. [Read more 🡒]
76ers Rookie Labaron Philon Already Faces One Tough Rotation Hurdle
Labaron Philon Jr. gave the 76ers enough to like in Summer League, especially on the scoring end, but the early read on the rookie guard is hardly a simple one. Philadelphia has reason to be intrigued by his offensive feel, yet his thin frame stands out in a way that matters for a team trying to compete now, where every rotation spot has to carry weight on both ends.
The cautious part of the evaluation comes from defense, where the coaching staff reportedly wants more proof that Philon can handle the physical demands of the regular season. In a setup like this, upside alone is not usually enough, and a young guard has to show he can stay on the floor without becoming a target. For Philon, the path is clear enough: add strength, tighten the defensive end, and make it harder for the staff to leave him out of the nightly mix. [Read more 🡒]
76ers May Have Finally Unlocked Nick Nurses Best Formula
The 76ers have spent much of the offseason trying to give Nick Nurse something he has not always had in Philadelphia: a deeper, more flexible roster that lets him mix and match instead of just surviving the night. With several new players added, the team now has more ways to cover spots, adjust lineups and lean into the kind of varied, pressure-filled style Nurse has favored since his championship run with Toronto.
For Nurse, that matters because his first season with the 76ers was never really built to showcase his best ideas. Injuries and a tight roster left him with limited room to experiment, which made every absence feel like a structural problem. This time, the question is whether the added depth finally gives him the personnel to coach the way he wants, and whether that can translate into a more stable, adaptable version of Philadelphia over the course of the season. [Read more 🡒]