July 01, 2026
Colleen Claggett/for PhillyVoice
Kelly Oubre Jr. has spent three years in Philadelphia. Is there more to come?
Welcome to the first section of our annual Sixers free agency primer, which this year is split into three equally critical parts.
Here in the opening chapter: where the Sixers are roster-wise as free agency begins, the makeup of their cap sheet moving forward, an FAQ of sorts covering all things tied to the league's complex salary cap and breakdowns of all Sixers free agents and players with team options for 2026-27 in their contracts.
To understand what a team's potential pathways are in an offseason, one must understand where the organization is starting out. That is what this piece of the primer is for.
Later on in the primer: a detailed breakdown of the Sixers' trade assets and candidates, plus dozens and dozens of potential targets around the league, then the main event: a rundown of every free agent with even a somewhat sensible fit in Philadelphia, also ranging from impact starters to end-of-bench reserves.
To read the remainder of this year's primer – from trade possibilities to the main event of free agency – see the links below and at the bottom of this story.
2026 SIXERS FREE AGENCY PRIMER
SALARY CAP DETAILS | TRADE TARGETS | FREE AGENTS
Here is where the Sixers' roster stands after their first two signings and one of the most shocking trades in franchise history:
| Roster spot | Player | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 | 2029-30 |
| 1 | Joel Embiid | $57,985,752 | $62,624,612 | $67,263,472 (player option) | UFA |
| 2 | Jaylen Brown | $57,078,728 | $61,015,192 | $64,951,656 | UFA |
| 3 | Tyrese Maxey | $40,770,520 | $43,582,280 | $46,394,040 | UFA |
| 4 | VJ Edgecombe | $11,663,880 | $12,219,840 (team option) | $15,445,878 (team option) | RFA |
| 5 | Dean Wade | $9,000,000 | $9,450,000 | $9,900,000 | $10,350,000 (partially guaranteed) |
| 6 | Anfernee Simons (projected salaries) | $6,044,000 | $6,346,200 (player option) | UFA | |
| 7 | Labaron Philon Jr. | $3,597,000 | $3,777,600 | $3,957,600 (team option) | $6,510,252 (team option) |
| 8 | Dominick Barlow | $3,415,000 | UFA | ||
| 9 | Ariel Hukporti | $3,400,000 (reported salary) | UFA | ||
| 10 | Jabari Walker | $2,584,539 ($250,000 guaranteed until Jan. 10) | UFA | ||
| 11 | Dalen Terry | $2,584,539 (non-guaranteed until Jan. 10) | UFA | ||
| 12 | Justin Edwards | $2,411,090 | $2,616,754 (team option) | UFA | |
| 13 | Adem Bona | $2,296,271 (non-guaranteed until July 7) | $2,486,995 (team option; non-guaranteed) | UFA | |
| 14 | Johni Broome | $2,150,917 | $2,525,901 (non-guaranteed) | $2,735,698 (team option; non-guaranteed) | UFA |
The Sixers have several free agents now that the "legal tampering" period has opened, but the free-agent statuses of those players will vary. There are three different distinctions of free agents, part of a system known as "Bird Rights."
The three categories and their ensuing restrictions are as follows:
| Non-Bird | Early Bird | Full Bird |
| • Players to have switched teams via free agency in the last year • Can be offered up to 120 percent of their salary from the previous season | • Players to have not switched teams via free agency in the last two years • Can be offered up to 175 percent of their salary from the previous season | • Players to have not switched teams via free agency for at least three years • Can be offered up to the maximum salary regardless of cap space situation |
The NBA's salary cap has become increasingly challenging for casual fans to keep track of since the league's new collective bargaining agreement went into effect, and that is largely due to the introduction of a second apron and a series of limitations placed on teams that surpass either apron.
As a result of their Dean Wade signing, the Sixers are hard-capped at the first apron. They split the non-taxpayer's mid-level exception between Wade and Anfernee Simons, which triggers a hard cap at the first apron; the Sixers cannot exceed that threshold under any circumstances for the remainder of the league year. The currently have a decent bit of breathing room with 14 players signed, and could increase each of these figures by about $130 thousand if they waive Dalen Terry and fill his roster spot with a veteran's minimum contract:
| Category | Sixers entering free agency |
| First apron room (hard-capped) | $3,375,142 |
| Luxury tax room | -$5,211,858 |
2026 SIXERS FREE AGENCY PRIMER
SALARY CAP DETAILS | TRADE TARGETS | FREE AGENTS
Andre Drummond (unrestricted, Early Bird): It did not always seem like Drummond would make it through the entirety of his two-year, $10 million contract with the Sixers before being traded by the organization for the second time – but that he did. Drummond was not the Sixers' best backup center for the majority of the regular season, but he was early and late – particularly in the postseason, when youngster Adem Bona struggled.
Tyrese Maxey gets blitzed; Andre Drummond and Dominick Barlow do exactly what they were supposed to do: pic.twitter.com/DkhDxixsXM
— Adam Aaronson's clips (@SixersAdamClips) April 16, 2026
The Sixers' signing of Ariel Hukporti to a one-year, $3.4 million deal seems to make a return less likely for Drummond, but an argument could be made that three unproven youngsters backing up Joel Embiid is not enough for the Sixers.
Trendon Watford (unrestricted, non-Bird): Watford's team option worth $2.8 million was declined on Monday, and a source told PhillyVoice that it is unlikely the point forward returns to Philadelphia. Watford averaged 16.3 minutes, 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists across 53 games in his first year with the Sixers, but that may have been his last season with the team.
Kyle Lowry (unrestricted, Full Bird): Most believe that Lowry, 40, is set to retire after an outstanding 20-year NBA career. At the end of the 2024-25 season, Lowry proclaimed that he wanted to spend one more year in the league, playing for his hometown team. He did that.
Lowry has been an incredibly valuable presence for the Sixers and their young players; his impact on Maxey has been particularly meaningful. If he reversed course and opted to spend another year as a glorified assistant coach, he would certainly do so on a veteran's minimum salary once again.
MarJon Beauchamp (unrestricted, non-Bird): Beauchamp closed out the season as one of the Sixers' two-way players, but with four NBA seasons under his belt he is no longer eligible for a two-way deal.
It will be a challenge for Beauchamp to earn a standard contract with his lack of NBA production, but he should be a strong candidate for an Exhibit 10 contract, whether it is with the Sixers or another team. Those deals are non-guaranteed minimums that incentivize the player to stay with the team's affiliate in the G League should they get waived.
Tyrese Martin (unrestricted, non-Bird): Martin also finished the season on a two-way deal, but because he only has three years of NBA service, he could end up being a two-way contract again next season. The Sixers had the chance to tender him a qualifying offer to return on a two-way deal and make him a restricted free agent; they declined to do so, likely making clear that he will be elsewhere next season.
2026 SIXERS FREE AGENCY PRIMER
SALARY CAP DETAILS | TRADE TARGETS | FREE AGENTS
