4 76ers Playing Their Final Postseason in Philadelphia

The Philadelphia 76ers are headed to the playoffs. Despite being distracted by James Harden drama to begin the season and dealing with the unfortunate injury to Joel Embiid for most of the season, the Sixers will have a chance to finally make a deep postseason run.

We don’t know how far Embiid will be able to take Philly this postseason, but we know that it will likely be the last time these players suit up for the Sixers. Let’s take a look at which Sixers are the least likely to return for the 2024-25 campaign.

1. Tobias Harris

Sixers fans will wonder about how Tobias Harris managed to play out his entire five-year, $180 million contract with the team, but against all odds, he did it. Despite constant calls for his trade by the fanbase, the 31-year-old forward stuck it out through various versions of the Embiid-era Sixers. He was one constant, albeit a disappointing one, amidst the consistent chaos surrounding the organization over the past few years.

However, his time in Philadelphia is coming to an end. The Sixers are finally free of his albatross of a contract and Daryl Morey presumably has no interest in bringing him back.

Tobias Harris is certainly not a bad player. He is reliable, doesn’t miss games, and gets you 17-18 points per game on average efficiency while playing average defense on the other end. He would be a decent fourth option on any team. The only problem was that he was getting paid like a second option. And he has shown time and again that he is not capable of carrying that large of an offensive load.

On a more team-friendly deal, the Sixers may consider bringing him back but he has been a scapegoat for far too long and a fresh start would be better for both sides.

2. Nicolas Batum

When Nicholas Batum was first acquired by the Sixers as part of the James Harden trade from the Clippers, he wasn’t seen as a potential contributor. He was thrown in to match the salaries and how much fuel the 35-year-old had left in the tank was a question mark.

But the French forward has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the season for Philadelphia. He is obviously not the player he was during his Blazers or Hornets days, but he is an important piece for the Sixers team.

Batum can dribble, shoot, and pass on the offensive end, impressively hitting over 40 percent of his threes, while being able to defend multiple positions on the defensive side of the ball. With a 6’8 frame and long arms, Batum can guard bigger players, provide rim protection, and switch out on the perimeter to smaller guards when needed. The 3-and-D skillset he provides for this team is rare and can’t be replicated by others.

However, he is getting up there in age. He has made clear his intentions to retire after he plays for the French national team at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Things can always change and he can decide to come back for another season but the Sixers will miss Batum if he indeed doesn’t return.

3. Kyle Lowry

Another potential player to retire after this season is Kyle Lowry. The 38-year-old guard signed with the Sixers after being released by the Charlotte Hornets when the Miami Heat traded him there to bring in Terry Rozier.

He has exceeded all expectations so far in Philadelphia as they had to rely on the veteran more than people had thought. Lowry is playing over 28 minutes per game as a Sixer, making over 40 percent of his threes while averaging 8.4 points and 4.6 assists per game. That is impressive for any player in their 17th season in the NBA, let alone for an under-athletic 6-foot point guard.

How much longer Lowry can keep that up is a big question mark. Perhaps it depends on how the postseason goes for the Sixers but there simply isn’t too much precedent to small guards playing and being effective past their age 38 season.

North Philly’s Finest is already defying the odds by putting in this performance at this stage of his career. Anything more would be the cherry on top of an illustrious, six-time All-Star career.

Sixers fans would love to see him back for another year but considering how taxing the 82-game regular season is for any player and the fact that Lowry missed over 20 games in four of the past five seasons, makes it more likely that he will not return for another year.

4. Kelly Oubre Jr.

It was a massive surprise to plenty of NBA fans to see Kelly Oubre Jr. sign a minimum contract last offseason. He had averaged 20 points per game the season prior with the Charlotte Hornets and still struggled to find a team to play for.

He turned out to be a great offseason addition to the Sixers. Is he as good of a player as his scoring averages indicate? No. But you will be hard-pressed to find a more productive veteran on a minimum contract.

Under Nick Nurse’s stewardship, Oubre took on a larger defensive role. He is regularly tasked with guarding the best ball handler on the opposing team. He doesn’t necessarily lock anyone up, but he doesn’t get overwhelmed either. It’s not like there are much better options on this team to defend high-level offensive guards.

Plus, he has been more active on the defensive end in general, contributing 1.2 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. Add his shot creation and scoring ability, and you have a decent rotation player.

One aspect of his game that Oubre struggled with is his three-point shot. He once again shot below 33 percent from three, making him a liability off-ball at times. But he makes up for it with his cuts and finishes around the rim.

The Sixers would like to keep Oubre for another season but it’s hard to see how that is possible financially. The 28-year-old may have played himself out of a contract with the Sixers. Now that he has shown the league that he can be a contributor on a good playoff team, he will have far more offers this summer than last.

Regardless of how many of these players don’t come back next season, the Sixers have a chance to do something special in the playoffs. They currently have the third-best odds in the Eastern Conference (+800) to make the NBA Finals. Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook now to take advantage of these odds and don’t forget to claim your $200 in bonus bets after your first winning wager.

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This article was originally published on section215.com as 4 76ers Playing Their Final Postseason in Philadelphia.