76ers Linked As ‘Dark-Horse’ Donovan Mitchell Landing Spot

The Philadelphia 76ers are a team that many people will be keeping an eye on during the 2024 NBA offseason. They are in a position to make some major changes to the roster, as general manager Daryl Morey has pinpointed this summer as the one to make a splash.

The 76ers have essentially cleared the decks in hopes of bringing on some star players during the 2024 NBA offseason. The only players currently on the roster who are under contract beyond the 2023-24 season are Joel Embiid and Paul Reed.

That gives the team flexibility when it comes to adding talent to the roster. NBA All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey will almost certainly be on the roster as well, but the 76ers can wait to sign him and use cap space to bring on other players.

Who could Philadelphia be setting their sights on? Paul Geroge of the Los Angeles Clippers has been linked to the 76ers on a few occasions. With extension talks between George and the Clippers not going anywhere, he could hit free agency this offseason. NBA Rumors have already swirled about Eastern Conference teams preparing to make a run at him.

Another player to keep an eye on is Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report has named the 76ers as one of the potential suitors for Mitchell should the Cavaliers look to trade him this upcoming summer.

“Other suitors could enter the fray, including the Philadelphia 76ers, who project to have significant cap room this summer. The Sixers don’t have a ton of picks to offer, but they can also take Mitchell’s contract off Cleveland’s books without sending much salary (if any) back. A significant trade exception and financial flexibility, with some pick considerations—or perhaps a multi-team trade—could make some sense for Cleveland,” wrote Pincus.

That is certainly an interesting route that Cleveland could go down in negotiations with the 76ers. It could be seen as more of a cap-clearing move, providing the franchise with a ton of flexibility into the future. As Pincus noted, it could also turn into a multi-team deal, as the Cavaliers could get the assets they are seeking from another team.

The 76ers will have to get creative in negotiations for Mitchell because they are lacking assets in the traditional sense. They don’t have the draft cache of other teams who could be interesting and have no tradeable contracts unless the Cavaliers are interested in a sign-and-trade for one of their free agents.

It will be interesting to see how things unfold. The 76ers aren’t going to be listed as one of the favorites to land Mitchell, but they cannot be counted out. Given how much cap space they are projected to have, they are going to be aggressive when chasing a star player this offseason.