3 76ers on Thin Ice Heading Into the NBA Draft

The Philadelphia 76ers will be looking to add an instant contributor with their two picks in the 2024 NBA Draft. The Sixers have the No. 16 overall pick in the first round, which isn’t bad given that multiple players can fill a need.

Players such as Jared McCain, Ron Holland, Tristan Da Silva, Ja’Kobe Walter, Yves Missi, Isaiah Collier, and John Furphy could play an instrumental role in their first year under Nick Nurse. 

On the other hand, if the Sixers keep the No. 16 pick and don’t trade it before the first round kicks off on Wednesday night, it could spell the end for a few players on this year’s squad. The Sixers have a host of pending free agents, but that won’t stop us from discussing three players who could be on thin ice heading into the NBA’s two-day extravaganza.

1. Buddy Hield

If the Sixers somehow luck and get a 3-and-D wing or a knockdown three-point shooter, that will not bode well for Hield’s chances to remain with the team.

Hield is one of the many free agents the Sixers have this offseason. The 31-year-old wing was acquired at the trade deadline earlier this year as Philly hoped he would help their three-point shooting woes.

Hield had a few nice games in the regular season for the Sixers, scoring 12 points per game on 38.9 percent shooting from the field (6.6 attempts per game). However, he couldn’t come close to that in the postseason against the Knicks.

The veteran wing was virtually unplayable in the few games of that series as he scored a total of three points. Due to Hield’s struggles, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse had to go with a different option off the bench, giving Cam Payne some minutes.

Payne brought a spark to the floor that Hield couldn’t provide until Game 6. The former Indiana Pacers wing erupted for 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc in 21 minutes off the bench. It was the perfect time for Hield to have that moment, but it wasn’t enough, as the Sixers lost in the first round.

Now Hield waits to see what the Sixers and other teams around the league do in free agency. At his age and three-point percentage, he’ll get a lucrative offer. However, it’s not clear if the Sixers will bring him back.