Grading Every Move the Philadelphia 76ers Have Made This Offseason
After entering free agency with only a couple players under contract, the Sixers now have most of their roster for the 2024–25 season set. The team’s been extremely active, signing star wing Paul George and a slew of complementary pieces such as Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond, and Eric Gordon. Most Philadelphia fans would agree that Daryl Morey’s “cap space plan” has worked out well, but which signings in particular were great? Below, I’ll grade some of the 76ers major free agent moves.
Sixers sign Paul George to 4 year, $212 million contract
Grade: A
The Sixers entered this offseason with over $60 million in cap space, the result of accumulating a lot of expiring contracts last season. Their goal? Land a star. They definitely got one with Paul George. The 6–8 wing put up 22.6 PPG in 2023–24, making his 9th career All-Star game.
George figures to slot in perfectly next to 76ers stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. He’s an athletic shot-creator capable of scoring from everywhere, an archetype Philly has desperately lacked in recent years. The George-Embiid-Maxey trio is undoubtedly one of the best in the entire NBA. I’d give the PG13 signing an A because it makes sense and increases the Sixers odds of winning a championship in the near future. The only concern I’d have relates to Paul’s age; he’s 34 now, and will get paid over $56 million in his age-37 season. However, these are the risks the 76ers have to take if they want to contend for a title.
Sixers sign Andre Drummond to 2 year, $10 million contract
Grade: B+
Andre Drummond returns to the 76ers on a 2 year deal, giving Joel Embiid a reliable backup center. The 12-year veteran most recently played in Chicago Bulls, averaging 8.4 PPG and 9.0 RPG in limited minutes. Drummond, already a fan favorite in Philadelphia, has the potential to make a big impact off of the bench.
Andre is most known for his rebounding prowess, both on the offensive and defensive glass. For his career, Drummond grabs 16.4 boards per 36 minutes, with a monstrous 25.1% TRB%. Advanced analytics also like the 6–11 big, as he grades out in the 100th percentile for Offensive Rebounding Quality and 85th percentile for Defensive Rebounding Quality (CraftedNBA). All this sounds great, so why do I give the Drummond signing a B? Primarily, I’m concerned about how he’ll fare in the postseason. As a non-shooter and poor switchable defender, Andre can get played off of the floor by teams with versatile lineups. Ultimately, I would’ve preferred Drummond on a minimum contract rather than a deal worth $5 million annually, but I still think he’ll provide solid value.
Sixers sign Caleb Martin to 4 year, $32 million contract
Grade: A
One of the most well-liked signings the 76ers made this offseason is when they got Caleb Martin. The 28-year-old is an elite role player with a track record of showing up in big games. Caleb averaged 10.0 PPG and 4.4 RPG last season, starting 23 games for the Miami Heat.
Martin’s the definition of a two-way player, as he makes a noticeable impact on both ends of the floor. He totaled 1.2 STL+BLK per game last season, finishing in the 97th percentile for Adjusted Defensive Turnovers (CraftedNBA). Offensively, Martin isn’t afraid to challenge defenders at the rim and attack opponents off the dribble. While he’s an inconsistent shooter (34.9% from three in 2023–24), Caleb makes up for it with everything else that he provides. Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that the Nevada product is battle-tested, playing a big role in helping the Heat reach the NBA finals two seasons ago. Overall, all signs point to Philadelphia landing a steal in Caleb Martin for only $8 million AAV. President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey should receive lots of praise for his shrewd work here.
Sixers sign Reggie Jackson to minimum contract
Grade: C+
Around a week ago, the Sixers signed 13-year-pro Reggie Jackson to a minimum deal. He appeared in all 82 games for the Denver Nuggets last season, scoring 10.2 points a contest on 35.9% from deep. Jackson projects to slot in as a bench guard behind Tyrese Maxey and Kyle Lowry.
At this stage of his career, Jackson’s sought after because of his ability to create his own shot and knock down difficult jumpers. The veteran has made a living off of his spark plug scoring from all three levels. Per CraftedNBA, Reggie finished 2023–24 in the 74th percentile for Shot Quality and the 84th percentile for Box Creation. However, when his shot isn’t falling, Jackson struggles to impact the game. He’s a bad defender, placing in the mere 33rd percentile for Deflections and 9th percentile for Defensive Plus Minus. Add in the fact that he’s limited athletically and not a great passer, and there’s legitimate reason to be wary about Reggie’s outlook in Philadelphia. Although it’s only for a minimum, I’m skeptical about the Reggie Jackson deal for the Sixers because it doesn’t fill a position of need or make the team much better in the short-term.
