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The Philadelphia 76ers enter the offseason off the heels of what was a rather disappointing season for the typical Eastern Conference contenders, as they failed to make the playoffs as a result of their 24-58 record.
Given their lackluster performance, it would be expected for the front office to bring in new pieces for Nick Nurse to use next season, as he will be certain to look for a return to the postseason.
One area that the Sixers' front office may need to target is their depth in the frontcourt, as one of their key players from last season could be moving on from the City of Brotherly Love: Guerschon Yabusele. The Frenchman only penned a one-year deal with Philadelphia when he returned to the NBA last year, which means he'll be set to hit free agency in a few weeks' time.
Given the 11 points and 5.6 rebounds Yabusele averaged during his 70 appearances, he is certain to get calls from teams all across the Association. If the 29-year-old is to depart Philadelphia in the summer, it'd leave the Sixers with a sizable hole in their roster, which means they could look elsewhere to fill that void.
This could lead them towards the Western Conference, where Naz Reid is set to enter the last year of his contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves if he chooses to do so, given that his deal contains a player option for the 2025-26 season.
According to NBA Insider Jake Fischer, there is sentiment around the league that the 25-year-old will turn down the additional year and turn towards free agency.
"Reid has his own $15 million option that many around the league expect last season's Sixth Man of the Year to decline," writes Fischer.
Reid is coming off an appearance in the Western Conference finals, where the Timberwolves fell short to the Oklahoma City Thunder. To help Minnesota get there during the regular season, the 25-year-old averaged 14.2 points per game, shooting with 46.2 percent accuracy from the field.
Given these numbers, Reid would be a fair replacement for the French sharpshooter if he is to leave in the offseason. The 25-year-old will have until June 30 to make up his mind regarding his future in the Target Center.
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