Losing Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre Jr. is a serious concern for the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason.
The Philadelphia 76ers have three key free agents: Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Andre Drummond.
While Drummond was certainly valuable during stretches where Joel Embiid was sidelined, retaining Grimes and Oubre is the priority for Philadelphia this offseason. Both are unrestricted free agents who contribute on both ends of the floor, so it's entirely possible the Sixers face steep competition to re-sign them.
That is why Bleacher Report listed the 76ers' biggest fear this offseason as not being able to replace their losses. In other words, Philadelphia could enter next season with a worse roster than the team that took down the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Bringing back Oubre should be the 76ers' No. 1 goal this offseason for a number of reasons. He contributes offensively and defensively, stepped up when it mattered most, and is familiar with Philadelphia's system.
He averaged 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.4 steals on 46.7% shooting and 36.0% shooting from three-point range in 50 appearances this season. He, along with Paul George, limited the Celtics' superstar duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in the postseason. The 30-year-old has spent the last three seasons with the Sixers.
Just because Oubre is the most important free agent doesn't mean the 76ers should ignore attempting to re-sign Grimes to a team-friendly deal.
Grimes has much higher upside than Oubre at age 26 and could evolve into the leader of the 76ers' second unit. He recorded 13.4 points per game on 45.0% shooting in 75 games this season but vanished in the playoffs. His lack of contributions on the biggest stage could be the key to the front office signing him to a relatively inexpensive contract.
If Drummond decides to depart, it's not the end of the world, as the backup center duties can be passed to Adem Bona along with potentially whoever the 76ers select with the No. 22 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Yes, there should be concern about Philadelphia losing Oubre and Grimes, but with a new No. 1 and 2 in the front office, fans should have confidence in the 76ers this offseason.
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