Following routine NBA draft, anticipation hovers as Sixers prepare to join free-agency flurry

The 76ers’ draft came and went in relatively routine fashion. They used both picks they possessed heading into the two-day event — first, on Duke sharpshooter Jared McCain at 16, then on UCLA defensive center Adem Bona at 41 — rather than moving either selection in a trade of splashy or ordinary proportions.

That means anticipation will continue to hover entering Sunday evening, when the Sixers are expected to be at the NBA’s epicenter of a busy free-agency period. They have the salary-cap space to hunt for stars or high-caliber role players to complement Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey — though some initial options are already off the table.

President of basketball operations Daryl Morey said late Wednesday that his goal is “to be the best team in the East next year, and be right there with Boston and all the other competitors.”

» READ MORE: Jared McCain has a lot of Steph Curry traits. The Sixers were wise not to pass that up.

That is lofty, considering the Celtics just won the championship last week, and have a deep and talented roster set up for the future. The New York Knicks, meanwhile, also made significant moves earlier this week, trading for two-way wing Mikal Bridges and then agreeing to re-sign perimeter defensive stalwart OG Anunoby. And last week, coveted defender Alex Caruso was traded from the Chicago Bulls to the Oklahoma City Thunder, while free-agents-to-be Pascal Siakam and Malik Monk agreed to return to the Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings, respectively.

Still, intriguing options remain for the Sixers. Paul George is the most high-profile target, and has until Saturday to exercise his $48 million player option with the Los Angeles Clippers or decline it to enter free agency. Former Sixer Jimmy Butler and the New Orleans Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram are among the All-Star-caliber trade possibilities.

If no player at that level emerges as a viable option, the next-tier candidates include Golden State Warriors legend Klay Thompson and 3-and-D wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who on Thursday declined his $15.4 player option with the Denver Nuggets to make him an unrestricted free agent, per reports.

Also looming for the Sixers are decisions about which free agents from last season’s roster they hope to retain.

Veterans Nico Batum and Kyle Lowry are at the top of the list, a source has told The Inquirer. What Kelly Oubre Jr., who outplayed last season’s veteran’s minimum deal, and De’Anthony Melton, who struggled with spine issues, will command on the open market remains to-be-determined. Another wild card is Buddy Hield, whom the Sixers acquired at the February trade deadline but slipped out of the playoff rotation. The Tobias Harris era is likely over, following the expiration of his lucrative five-year, $180 million contract. And though the Sixers have been permitted to negotiate with their own free agents since the NBA Finals ended last Monday, no news had surfaced as of Thursday night about agreed-upon deals.

Instead, the Sixers have added three prospects during the past two days.

McCain shot 41.4% from three-point range last season at Duke and, though undersized, is a strong rebounder for his position. Bona becomes the latest candidate in the lengthy quest for Embiid’s backup at center, after winning the Pac-12′s defensive player of the year while flashing ability to protect the rim and switch on screens at UCLA. And following the draft, the Sixers agreed to a two-way contract with Justin Edwards, the former Imhotep Charter star and five-star recruit who was not selected following an inconsistent college season at Kentucky.

» READ MORE: Sixers go all in on bigs in NBA draft’s second day, drafting Adem Bona and adding Justin Edwards

Morey said late Wednesday that how the draft unfolded would not have a significant impact on the Sixers’ free-agency decision-making. The lead executive also used phrases such as “roster opportunity” and “so many permutations on what could happen” to describe McCain’s potential paths to a rotation role as a rookie.

Those qualifiers could also be applied to the Sixers’ overall roster-building canvas, which remains mostly blank following a relatively routine draft week even while personnel moves swirled around them.

That’s why anticipation continues to hover entering the weekend, when the Sixers will finally join the offseason flurry.

After selecting Duke’s Jared McCain with the No. 16 pick in the NBA Draft, the 76ers are gearing up for a crucial free-agency period beginning at 6 p.m. Sunday. With ample salary-cap space available, the Sixers are in position to make significant moves to bolster their roster around All-Stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Join Inquirer beat reporters Gina Mizell and Keith Pompey at noon on Monday, as they recap the flurry of initial signings for the Sixers and around the league. They will also explore which players could still be available, and discuss the overall league landscape and where that leaves the Sixers in the Eastern Conference. Tune into this detailed preview of what could be a transformative period for the 76ers.