Sixers Urged to Pursue Pair of Shooters Linked to James Harden

Getty Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots against the Houston Rockets.

Heading into the offseason, the Philadelphia 76ers have one key area to address in regards to their roster construction. With Danny Green’s future uncertain following his ACL tear against the Miami Heat, wing depth is a clear area of weakness.

When the Sixers’ season came to an end, President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey cited that improving the supporting cast is a point of emphasis this summer. The team has its star talent in place with Joel Embiid, James Harden, and Tyrese Maxey. Now the objective shifts to putting a competent group of players around them.

While free agency is still weeks away, rumors are already starting to surface. As expected, most of the players connected to the Sixers are wings. Gary Harris, PJ Tucker, and Jeff Green have been some of the most talked-about names. Recently, the people over at Spotrac mentioned a former teammate of Harden when listing possible free-agent targets.

After going undrafted in 2016, Danuel House Jr. has bounced around in the NBA. The 28-year-old has played for five different teams now, with his longest stint being with the Houston Rockets from 2018 to 2021. House Jr. most recently played for the Utah Jazz, where he averaged 6.8 PPG and shot 41.5% from beyond the arc. Due to his ability to space the floor, he makes sense as a free agent target for the Sixers.

They can also be aggressive in targeting 3&D wings as well. Wesley Matthews could be a target and a good replacement for Green. Other veteran options that make sense to go after include Danuel House Jr. (assuming there are no residual bad feelings with Harden from their time in Houston), Derrick Jones Jr. or Kent Bazemore.

Jeremy Lamb ‘Worth Considering’ For Sixers

Another cost-effective free-agent target suggested for the Sixers also has ties to James Harden. Back in 2012, Daryl Morey selected Jeremy Lamb with the 12th pick in the NBA draft. He would never actually don a Rockets uniform as that summer he was traded to the OKC Thunder in exchange for Harden.

Throughout his nine years as a pro, Lamb has proven to be a solid role player who is capable of providing a scoring punch. His name doesn’t jump off the page, but he is a veteran who can come in and fill a role from day one.

A couple of somewhat off-the-board options worth considering could be Josh Okogie, Jeremy Lamb and Damion Lee. All offer different skill sets, but all could fill a need for the Sixers on reasonable (read: cheap) contracts.

Lamb played a total of 56 games last year for the Pacers and Kings and posted averages of 7.3 PPG, 2.8 RPG, and 1.4 APG. As a 34.2% three-point shooter for his career, he is respectable enough to be utilized as a floor-spacer.

Adding Outside Shooting Is Critical

When targeting wings this offseason, prioritizing ones that can space the floor is essential. As one of the league’s lowest three-point shooting teams in terms of attempts per game, it is an area that must be addressed.

Because their offense is centered around a big who likes to play at the rim, having adequate spacing is a key factor in the offense. If defenses do not have to worry about outside threats, it allows them to shrink the floor on Joel Embiid. We have seen this at times with Matisse Thybulle, as his offensive limitations have caused issues in the past.

Winning in the margins is big for teams like the Sixers, who are often in the luxury tax. Given their ability to fill a role at a team-friendly price, House Jr. and Lamb should be on Morey’s radar during free agency.