Bargain signings Mo Bamba and Patrick Beverley address key needs for the Sixers

The 76ers believe they were one solid quarter away from advancing to this past season’s Eastern Conference finals.

And that might be true.

It will be hard for them to live down their fourth-quarter collapse while trying to close out the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the conference semifinals. After fumbling that opportunity, they were routed in the winner-take-all Game 7. But there was some optimism for the 2023-24 season after Nick Nurse replaced Doc Rivers as Sixers coach on June 1.

» READ MORE: If James Harden is traded, how will Sixers guard’s tenure in Philly be remembered?

The belief is that Nurse will take Joel Embiid’s game to another level, maximize Tyrese Maxey’s potential, and get Tobias Harris more involved. If James Harden buys into his role and isn’t traded, the team will have an elite ball handler and facilitator.

That’s why the Sixers appear comfortable running it back with their top four players. But last season’s squad had some holes that ultimately would have stood in the way of winning an NBA title.

The Sixers lacked a suitable backup center. They also needed another sharpshooter and a backup point guard.

The team has addressed two of those needs in free agency, coming to terms with center Mo Bamba and point guard Patrick Beverley. And they both fulfill a need at a bargain for a team trying to keep salary-cap flexibility for next season.

Beverley will receive a one-year deal for $3.1 million, while Bamba will get a one-year contract for around $2.3 million.

The 7-foot, 231-pound Bamba brings a much-needed reserve center presence to a team that got exploited at the rim when Embiid was out of the game. That’s not a knock on Paul Reed, the restricted free agent whom the Sixers have the intention of keeping. However, at 6-9, Reed is more in center/power forward mode. When motivated, Bamba, a former Westtown School standout, should be a better option against towering centers.

Meanwhile, Beverley has the makings of a fan favorite.

Not only is he one of the NBA’s biggest antagonists, the 6-1, 180-pounder has been widely considered the heart and soul of almost every team he played for. And his passion and emotion are arguably unmatched.

He makes up for his lack of size by outworking people. Beverley also has the ability to take opponents’ star players out of their game mentally with his antics. And as a three-time All-Defensive selection, he should help erase some of the Sixers’ perimeter defensive woes.

» READ MORE: Center Mo Bamba agrees to a one-year deal with the Sixers, adding towering depth behind Joel Embiid

Turning 35 this Wednesday, the 11-year veteran is no longer considered an ideal starter on a championship contender. However, he’s a solid fit as a sixth or seventh man. And he could start alongside Maxey in the backcourt if the Sixers trade Harden.

Beverley averaged 8.5 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals in 593 career games with the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers, and Houston Rockets.

He spent time with the Lakers and Bulls last season, averaging a combined 6.2 points in 27.1 minutes. Critics will argue that the Sixers acquired him a season or two too late.

But Rivers, who coached Beverley with the Clippers, told him he’d be a perfect fit in Philly. That’s why the Chicago native chose the Sixers over free-agent contracts with the Washington Wizards and Boston Celtics.

Beverley said Rivers told him, “I love Philadelphia for you. They need you. You will be great with Joel. James, he respects you; you will be great with him. If I had you last season, we would have been a different team.”

There’s a thought that Bamba also could have aided the Sixers in recent seasons in a backup role.

He had two or more blocks in 10 games this past season. The five-year veteran averaged 1.4, 1.4, 1.3, and 1.7 blocks in his first four seasons with the Orlando Magic. Bamba averaged 1.0 block in Orlando last season before being traded to the Lakers on Feb. 9.

Afterward, the 25-year-old averaged 0.6 blocks in nine games with the Lakers. Despite his rim protection, the Lakers waived him on June 30 instead of guaranteeing what would have been a $10.3 million salary for next season.

Bamba averaged 3.7 points and 4.6 rebounds in 9.8 minutes with the Lakers. His playing time with Los Angeles was limited because of a sprained left ankle. He appeared in just three of the team’s 16 playoff games.

There were some in L.A. who questioned his work ethic and love for the game. However, Bamba is a low-risk, high-reward signing for the Sixers. The sixth pick in the 2018 draft is long and athletic. He also shot 39.8% from the beyond the three-point line during his 40 games last season with the Magic.

Beverley and Bamba don’t exactly move the needle from an excitement standpoint. However, they definitely fulfill a need at a bargain.

Now, the Sixers just need to get a sharpshooter, and figure out what to do with Harden.