Getty Philadelphia 76ers guard Jimmy Butler and forward Tobias Harris
When the Philadelphia 76ers struck trades for Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris last season, it was expected they would attempt to keep both during 2019 NBA free agency. And apparently, that’s not only true, but they want to bring back the bulk of their core from last season as well, setting up the chance to make an even deeper run in 2019-20.
Beyond Butler and Harris, this also includes sharp-shooting guard JJ Redick, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported. According to Bleacher Report’s Adam Wells, Wojnarowski stated on ESPN’s mock draft special recently that the Sixers are planning to offer Butler, Harris and Redick contracts in free agency.
This can’t be considered all that surprising, especially since the Sixers appear to have been focused on at least Butler and Harris through the early stages of the offseason. The big question mark was about Redick’s future outlook.
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Sixers’ Free Agency Outlook & Chances to Re-Sign Top Players
There’s no question that all three of the aforementioned players will draw plenty of interest during free agency. After all, the interest in Butler has previously been linked to the likes of the Los Angeles Lakers (and Clippers), Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks, among others. A similar outlook stands true for Harris, but neither player has provided much in terms of what their future plans look like.
As for Redick, it’ll be interesting to see if the Sixers will have the money to re-sign him this offseason, especially if both Butler and Harris return. He’s coming off two of the best seasons of his NBA career and would address a key area of need for multiple top contenders who may be able to pay him more than Philly.
After posting career-high marks in points per game (17.1) during the 2017-18 season with the Sixers on 46.0 percent shooting, he averaged 18.1 points with the team last year. Over the two-year stretch, Redick knocked down 42.0 and 39.7 percent of his shots from beyond the arc while logging over 30-plus minutes per game.
Lakers’ Pursuit of Jimmy Butler Worth Monitoring
Butler’s future has been a talking point among the Sixers fanbase this offseason, and it’s understandable why. His addition was huge for the team’s outlook, but he’s drawn major interest in free agency, making it tough to gauge exactly what his future may hold.
Specifically, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported shortly after the Lakers acquired Anthony Davis via trade, that their free agency focus would be on Butler and Kemba Walker as top priorities. Walker has been a popular name mentioned in talks surrounding the Lakers by the media, but some question whether Butler would be a better fit.
Regardless, one thing that’s known is that Butler, Harris and Redick are bound to have solid markets and tough decisions to make. The coming weeks will be incredibly important for the Sixers, especially if they are unable to bring back at least one or two members of the talented trio.
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