The Sixers have 10 free agents and $65 million in cap space. How did they get here?

It did not take long for 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey to list the players under contract with his team for the 2024-25 season.

Joel Embiid. Tyrese Maxey. Ricky Council IV. And Paul Reed (perhaps, because his deal is non-guaranteed).

That’s why Morey’s front office enters a critical offseason with optionality, in the form of a projected $65 million in cap space to pursue a marquee addition. They have opened a max roster slot — even with Embiid on a supermax contract and Maxey set to sign his first max deal this summer — because they have an eye-popping 10 free agents who could be retained on new deals, or replaced with compatible role players at the right price.

How did the Sixers wind up with so many expiring contracts? Here is a breakdown:

Harris’ oft-criticized five-year, $180 million deal signed in 2019 is done, finally taking that hefty salary slot off the books.

» READ MORE: Daryl Morey must capitalize on the Sixers’ title window. Trading the No. 16 pick is a step in the right direction.

Despite numerous trade rumors in recent seasons, the Sixers kept Harris for the contract’s duration. Though the veteran forward averaged 17.6 points on 48.8% shooting, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists while improving as a defender across six seasons in Philly, he largely lacked the consistency to justify that lucrative deal. His likely final game as a Sixer — zero points on 0-for-2 shooting in their Game 6 loss to the New York Knicks — epitomized why he was such a frustrating player for many outsiders.

Morey said during his end-of-season news conference that the Sixers will aim to upgrade that spot with a star-level wing player, already prompting outside speculation about possibilities ranging from Paul George to Jimmy Butler to LeBron James.

The early-season James Harden trade helped replenish draft capital lost in the 2022 Harden-Ben Simmons deadline deal with the Brooklyn Nets. It also brought back four players on expiring contracts: Nico Batum, KJ Martin, Robert Covington, and Marcus Morris Sr.

Batum became a valuable contributor — Embiid publicly expressed his desire to keep Batum if he decides not to retire — because of his defensive versatility, basketball IQ, and calm demeanor. Martin was not in the playoff rotation, but flashed athleticism during regular-season stints. Following a strong defensive start, Covington missed the bulk of the season with a mysterious bone bruise that never healed enough for him to play at all in the 2024 calendar year. Morris was dealt to the Indiana Pacers at the trade deadline, then waived before joining the Cleveland Cavaliers off the buyout market.

The Sixers continued to shuffle their roster around the February trade deadline, but they still preserved their flexibility for this summer by adding three players on expiring deals.

They pulled off a trade for sharpshooter Buddy Hield, whom Morey called arguably the most notable player moved on deadline day. But Embiid’s surgery recovery meant Hield did not get much opportunity to be that floor-spacer while playing alongside the reigning MVP, and Hield was benched during the first-round playoff series against the Knicks before a Game 6 breakout.

» READ MORE: Stay or Go: Which Sixers should remain in Philly and who should move on? Swipe and Decide

Kyle Lowry, meanwhile, joined the Sixers off the buyout market, returning to his hometown and reuniting with his former coach in Nick Nurse. The veteran guard slid into the starting lineup, providing the Sixers with another ballhandler and aggressive defender.

The Sixers also flipped reserve guards on one-year deals, acquiring Cameron Payne (and a 2027 second-round draft pick) from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Patrick Beverley. Payne quickly endeared himself with his energetic personality and, more important, his off-the-bench scoring bursts.

Kelly Oubre Jr. was a late addition to the Sixers’ 2023 free-agency class, signing a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal when he was still available in September despite averaging more than 20 points per game for the Charlotte Hornets the previous season. He became one of the NBA’s biggest bargains as a key complementary player for the Sixers, attacking off the dribble, improving as a playmaker, and taking on challenging perimeter defensive assignments.

After trading for De’Anthony Melton on draft night in 2022, the multi-skilled guard’s deal is now up. At 26 years old, the former second-round draft pick should be in line for his big payday. But it will be interesting to see if the spine problems that caused him to miss all but eight games since Dec. 30 will affect his market this summer.

Mo Bamba signed a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal last summer, before the Sixers matched the Utah Jazz’s offer to Reed in restricted free agency. Bamba became the starting center when Embiid was sidelined, but was not in the playoff rotation.