Getty New York Knicks wing Reggie Bullock defends Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks during the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Make no mistake about it — Danny Green was a key cog on the wing for the Philadelphia 76ers last season. However, there’s a chance that the three-time NBA champion could be one and done with Philly, as he’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
The Sixers will have a leg up in bringing him back for another run if they want to. As the owners of his Early Bird Rights, they can go over the salary cap to re-sign him. And some would argue that doing so would be a wise move despite the fact that he’s 34 years old.
However, putting the best possible pieces around Joel Embiid to give him a legitimate shot at winning a title in Philly should be priority No. 1 for the Sixers. And if the team gives Green two or three more years at a premium rate and he begins to show signs of age, retaining him could become a hindrance to accomplishing that goal.
As such, it should come as no surprise that the Sixers are apparently considering another option.
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Berman: Sixers Among Teams That Covet Reggie Bullock
On Wednesday, the New York Post’s Marc Berman reported that that Philly is kicking the tires on a potential Reggie Bullock signing. They’re apparently not alone, though.
“According to an NBA source, two Atlantic Division squads, the Celtics and 76ers, have interest in Knicks swingman Reggie Bullock, who started all season at either shooting guard or small forward,” wrote Berman.
He also namechecked the Los Angeles Lakers as a potential suitor for Bullock. The 30-year-old previously finished the 2018-19 campaign as a member of LeBron James’ crew. Also, as noted by Berman, Bullock is a longtime friend of Phoenix Suns point-man Chris Paul, who the Lakers are said to covet.
Ultimately, it may make the most financial sense for Bullock to remain in New York. Although they’ll be on the prowl for another star, the Knicks have oodles of cap space to use this offseason — in the area of $50 million. So signing him to a deal that would pay him significantly more than the $4.2 million he made last season is well within their capabilities.
The Knicks also own his Early Bird Rights, so if they are able to find major roster upgrades and end up going over the cap, they’ll still have an ability to retain Bullock. Even if he commands a large salary.
Berman expects Bullock will seek a three-year deal to stick with the Knicks.
Bullock’s Fit With Philly
If the Knicks elect to spend all of their money elsewhere, the Sixers have avenues to bringing Bullock on board. If they can remain under the luxury tax threshold, they’ll be able to offer him the full, non-taxpayer mid-level exception worth between $9-10 million annually.
Alas, with only a few million dollars of wiggle room and roster spots to fill, Philly is likely looking at another luxury tax payment.
That would probably preclude them from making a competitive offer, as their MLE would be cut substantially as a taxpayer. At that point, it would take a sign-and-trade scenario to get Bullock to the Sixers.
If they were to acquire him, though, Bullock would likely step into Green’s spot in the starting five and provide some of the same defense and outside shooting that he did.
Last season, Bullock averaged 10.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest while shooting 44.2% from the floor and 41.0% from three-point range and taking 70.9% of his shots from deep.
Those numbers are eerily similar to those of Green, whose physical dimensions are also nearly identical to Bullock’s. Both players are listed at 6-foot-6 and 205-215 pounds with 6-foot-10 wingspans. One key difference — Bullock is nearly four years younger, which would make committing to him long-term easier to stomach.
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