The Philadelphia 76ers may not be in a hurry to reshape the roster, but that doesn’t mean they can’t keep an eye on a few practical frontcourt options. One name that fits that bucket is Miami Heat center Nick Richards, a 28-year-old veteran who could become a realistic target if things break the right way.
Richards is a fairly fresh addition for Miami, and he spent nearly two months on the open market before landing there. Philadelphia could have signed him in free agency for the veteran’s minimum, but the Sixers went in another direction and are clearly focused on letting Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti compete for the backup center job.
Still, if that plan doesn’t hold up, Richards makes sense as a low-cost fallback. He is set to make $2.4 million this season, though that only matters if he sticks on the Heat’s opening night roster. If he does, that salary becomes locked in and he would not be eligible to move until December 15.
That timeline could matter for the Sixers, because they do have players on contracts that could line up in a trade. If Miami wanted shooting upside, Justin Edwards would be one possible piece at $2.4 million.
Dominick Barlow, who is making $3.4 million, is another name Philadelphia could use if the Heat were looking for a younger, higher-upside forward. Kenatavious Caldwell-Pope is also technically in the mix, though the Sixers seem unlikely to part with him after bringing him in right after signing the superstar from the Los Angeles Lakers.
The simplest route, though, would be for Richards not to make Miami’s final roster at all. If that happens, Philadelphia could just scoop him up off the free agent market - and that outcome would also signal that he may not be worth using one of the Sixers’ final roster spots on.
Richards has logged 305 games in his career, including 114 starts, and has averaged 17.6 minutes per game. Across stints with the Charlotte Hornets, Phoenix Suns, and Chicago Bulls, he has put up 7.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and nearly 1.0 blocks per game.
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For Philadelphia, the timing matters because the two teams are set to see each other three times, including a preseason matchup, before the end of October. Brunson has already been a tough matchup for the Sixers in the playoffs, and he is anticipated to be in the lineup for the season opener on October 20 unless something changes, which means any hoped-for early-season break may be slipping away. [Read more 🡒]