Getty Ben McLemore #23 of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Following the signing of James Harden to a new contract, it has been a more than successful offseason for the Philadelphia 76ers. They not only solidified their star duo but added some much-needed depth around them.
While Daryl Morey has already done a fine job re-tooling the roster, there are still some small moves he can still make in the margins. With the initial free-agent frenzy over now, the people at Bleacher Report came up with players for each NBA team to target on veteran’s minimum deals.
For the Sixers, veteran wings Jeremy Lamb and Ben McLemore were two of the key names. Both players fit into the theme of the offseason for Morey, that being wing depth and perimeter shooting.
Lamb, 29, played a total of 56 games last year with the Pacers and Kings. In that time, he averaged 7.3 PPG, 2.8 RPG, and 1.4 APG. McLemore spent the past year in Portland, where he averaged 10.2 PPG and shot 36.2% from beyond the arc on 6.5 attempts per game.
As the better knockdown shooter, McLemore — the No. 7 overall selection in the 2013 NBA draft — makes more sense for the Sixers to target. It’s also worth noting he has connections to the team as he previously spent time with the Houston Rockets.
He’s a shooting specialist, but that’s all he would need to be to add value in Philadelphia. If he just keeps defenses honest by spreading the floor and making the open shots that come his way, he would more than earn his keep.
Sixers Urged to Pursue Hassan Whiteside
Another area that could still be addressed for the Sixers is the backup center spot. After an impressive showing in the postseason, it seems Paul Reed and young prospect Charles Bassey will get the opportunity to become Joel Embiid’s backup moving forward.
Along with Lamb and McLemore, Bleacher Report also listed veteran big man Hassan Whiteside as a possible free-agent target. The 33-year-old spent last season in Utah playing behind another All-Star center in Rudy Gobert. In 65 games, he averaged 8.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 1.6 BPG.
Let’s address the elephant in the room first: Yes, Hassan Whiteside did have a beef with Joel Embiid in the past. Should that worry the Sixers? Not at all. Remember, Embiid also had a history with Andre Drummond, who added immense value as Embiid’s backup before his inclusion in the Harden-Ben Simmons swap.
Whiteside has the tools and talent to step right into Drummond’s vacated role.
Paul Reed Reflects on Personal Achievement
After stepping up in a big way in the postseason, Paul Reed followed up off the court with a big personal achievement. The former G-League MVP officially graduated from DePaul University with a degree in Sports Communication.
Recently, Reed opened up on how special of a moment it was for him and his family to celebrate him furthering his education.
It’s something I wanted to do for my family and for myself. I made a promise to my mom and dad that I would go back and get it done. My parents came to the graduation ceremony, and you know it meant a lot to them. Now they can brag to their friends that their son went back and finished college.
Following this big moment, Reed will now have his sights set on putting together an impressive showing in training camp to solidify a spot in Doc River’s rotation this upcoming season.