With NBA free agency about to open, Philadelphia’s frontcourt wish list is starting to take shape.
The Sixers have been linked to several bigs and forwards as the market nears its June 30, 6 p.m. ET start, and they could have the full $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception at their disposal. That gives them room to shop, and on Sunday the reports came fast.
Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported that John Collins is expected to draw interest from Philadelphia, San Antonio and Orlando once free agency begins. Collins has bounced through a few stops since the Hawks sent him to Utah in July 2023, then landed with the Clippers in a three-team deal in July 2025. This season, the 28-year-old put up 13.6 points per game while shooting 55.2% from the field and grabbing 5.3 rebounds.
For the Sixers, the appeal is obvious. Collins can score as a cutter and would make sense alongside Joel Embiid, and he also brings some perimeter spacing with a 40.6% mark from 3-point range on 3.2 attempts this year. The concern is on the other end, where his one-on-one defense has been shaky enough to raise real questions about how workable a Collins-Embiid frontcourt would be.
Stein and Fischer also noted that Philadelphia remains tied to some of the top forwards expected to hit the open market. One name that stands out in that group is Sandro Mamukelashvili.
Mamukelashvili just turned in the best season of his career with Toronto, posting 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 52.3% from the floor. He gave the Raptors a versatile frontcourt piece, starting at the four at times and also serving as a backup center in his main role. He hit 38.7% from deep, and his passing adds another layer to what he can do offensively.
The fit in Philadelphia is easy to see. He checks almost every box the Sixers could want at power forward, and The Stein Line reported that Toronto is “bracing” for him to turn down his $2.8 million player option.
Backup center remains part of the conversation too. Mike Scotto of HoopsHype reported that Philadelphia is expected to have interest in Jock Landale, along with several other teams.
Landale has quietly become one of the league’s more useful reserve bigs, producing 10.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists this season across stops with the Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies. He has also carved out value on the glass, with 2.7 offensive rebounds, and he has added some floor spacing by shooting 38.3% from 3-point range on a career-high 2.8 attempts.
That kind of production would give the Sixers a playable big body, something they’ve lacked in the frontcourt. Landale could be a fit through the full mid-level exception or the $5.478 million bi-annual exception, depending on how the market develops.
Collins and Landale add to Dean Wade as players Philadelphia has reportedly shown interest in before free agency. Right now, the Sixers have kept their options open by not signing any of their own free agents or picking up any team options, preserving maximum flexibility heading into the summer.
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