On the Beat: Free Agency Offers Next Chance to Shape Roster

PHILADELPHIA – Across professional sports, there are three tride and true ways that teams can enhance their personnel. The 76ers took advantage of one such option last week, when they made a draft haul highlighted by top overall pick Ben Simmons. Soon enough, it will be open season in respect to the other two methods of roster improvement. At 12:01 AM EST Friday, the NBA’s free agency negotiation period begins, and along with it,  floods more of speculation, rumors, and breaking news developments. There will be meetings between sought-after players, and the organizations eager to acquire their skills. There’s also a good chance that, league-wide, we’ll see trading, which, along with the draft and free agency, represents the third outlet clubs have to tweak their talent.More so than at any other point of Brett Brown’s tenure with the Sixers, which is now entering its fourth year, the squad appears poised to explore the veteran free agent and trade markets, provided the circumstances are deemed sensible.”We’ve got work to do with this roster,” Sixers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo said over the weekend on ESPN’s “Lockdown” Podcast, hosted by Amin Elhassan, Marc Stein, and Brian Windhorst, all of whom contribute to the network’s NBA coverage. “You’re really starting at ground zero,” said Colangelo. “With respect to the roster, there are some redundancies, there are some injuries we’re looking to figure out. There are some things we need to do to balance out the roster and make things better.”Subsequently, Colangelo told the podcast the Sixers’ front office has devoted much of its research to trying to identify those point guards, shooting guards, and wing players that would best fit with the club. He also indicated that the Sixers’ cap space is in such a state that they will be able to spend aggressively. Reckless decision-making, however, will not be part of the team’s approach, per Colangelo.”We’re in a unique situation, at least from where I’m standing, because the story that will be written over the next couple years is not complete,” said Colangelo, acknowledging the Sixers might not yet be ready to contend with other, more seasoned franchises for this summer’s “top-tier” free agents.Nonetheless, the two-time NBA Executive of the Year said, “It’s not going to stop us from making a call and try to get in front of them.”That’s because Colangelo strongly believes that he and Brett Brown have a viable vision to sell.  A developing nucleus with promising young pieces, and the projected September opening of a state-of-the-art training complex that Colangelo expects to be the NBA’s “biggest and best” will be prominent themes in the Sixers’ pitch.”A couple years from now, the story’s going to look a lot better,” said Colangelo in his podcast interview. “We want to get out in front of it. We want to speak to what we’re trying to do.”As draft night last Thursday demonstrated, Colangelo is comfortable operating with a patient, disciplined mindset, and prioritizing the long game. He explained that in the weeks ahead, fans could see the Sixers do deals that will still allow them to preserve their current financial flexibility, with the end goal being to extend multiple max contract offers in the future. “That’s a compelling story to tell,” Colangelo said. “It took the Miami Heat years to strategize and prepare for the Big 3 [Chris Bosh, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade]. We’ve got that ability right now, and if we’re smart, we’ll maintain that ability for the next two or three years.”While teams can formally begin talking to restricted and unrestricted free agents alike when the calendar flips to July 1st, signings can’t be made official until just after midnight on July 7th.