Breakout Guard Floated as Sixers Free Agent Target

Following yet another playoff loss in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Philadelphia 76ers will be on the lookout for more help, potentially with guard depth. Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire floated one free agent guard who could assist with the Sixers’ guard depth – Jevon Carter.

Carlin explained why Carter would fit well in the Sixers’ second unit.

“Carter is a tough-minded veteran guard who averaged 8.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while shooting 42.1% from deep. He does all of the little things, and there is a school of thought that the Bucks will keep him in tow, but Philadelphia could use another guard off its bench. Carter would be a great fit,” Carlin wrote.

Adding onto that, Carter’s scoring average during the 2022-23 season was a career-high from him, which was helped by playing the highest minute average of his career, as he played 22.3 minutes a game.

Carter’s role with the Bucks lessened over the course of their first-round series against the Miami Heat, but for that very reason, that could make him come at an affordable price.

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Sixers Not Expected to Target Fred VanVleet or Bradley Beal

Despite the possibility that James Harden could leave this summer, NBA Insider Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports revealed that two players who could have new teams this offseason – Fred VanVleet and Bradley Beal – are not seen by the Sixers as candidates to replace Harden should he leave.

Fischer first revealed that VanVleet is not expected to be on the Sixers’ radar even if Harden departs.

“But Philadelphia, sources said, is not expected to target Fred VanVleet in the event Harden departs via free agency, despite the obvious connection to new Sixers head coach Nick Nurse, who won a championship with VanVleet in Toronto in 2019.”

Fischer then revealed that Beal is in the same boat with the Sixers, even if Harden decides to stay.

“The Philadelphia 76ers…are also not expected to target Beal, league sources told Yahoo Sports, regardless of whether Harden decides to remain with the franchise.”

It appears the Sixers won’t pounce on replacing Harden’s replacement should that be how things play out. At least not right away.

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James Harden’s Return to Rockets ‘Increasingly Uncertain’

While previewing who the Houston Rockets will take with the no. 4 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, ESPN’s Jeremy Woo revealed on June 14 that rival teams in the NBA are seeing Harden’s return to his former team as less and less of a certainty.

“One potential factor in the decision is James Harden’s potential return to the Rockets — a situation that rival teams have come to view as increasingly uncertain in recent weeks,” Woo wrote.

The question is whether this is good or bad for the Sixers. On the one hand, the Rockets becoming less and less of a possibility for Harden may very well lower Harden’s price this offseason. On the other, Harden did not show up for the Sixers in the postseason when they needed him to – having scored nine points on three-for-11 shooting from the field with five turnovers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The Sixers have to ask themselves if it’s worth paying good money for someone who has not come through for them in their most vital playoff games.

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