July 24, 2024
Lucas Peltier/USA TODAY Sports
Judah Mintz impressed in a major way for the Summer Sixers. Does he have a future with the organization?
The Sixers have accomplished the vast majority of their goals for the offseason by now, and so it is time to look at how they will round out their roster and prepare for training camp. With that being said, let's get into some of your questions:
MORE: Projecting Nick Nurse's rotation for the 2024-25 Sixers
From @ELeighton60: What likely happens to [Keve] Aluma and [Judah] Mintz now that the last two-way contract was filled?
The Sixers agreed to terms on a two-way deal with Jeff Dowtin Jr. on Sunday night, and now all three of their two-way contract slots are occupied (in addition to Dowtin, Justin Edwards and David Jones have inked two-way deals with the team).
So, in order to guarantee that the team's two under-the-radar Summer League standouts, Aluma and Mintz, remain in the organization, the team would need to offer them standard NBA contracts. Considering they did not even offer one of them a two-way deal entering Summer League, it is hard to imagine a hopeful championship contender offering such a deal to either player.
If the Sixers want to keep Mintz or Aluma in the fold, the most realistic path to doing so is by offering them an Exhibit 10 contract. E-10 deals are rather simple: they are training camp contracts that promise a player a signing bonus if they eventually report to that team's G League affiliate.
It is hard to imagine that the Sixers would not want to bring either or both of Mintz and Aluma to training camp and before they head to Delaware, but it will not be that simple: Mintz could have plenty of interest from other teams, and would likely jump at the chance to sign a two-way elsewhere; Aluma's contract status overseas remains a bit unclear.
From @zteutsch: Of the remaining free agents, who do you think will fetch the highest salary in the 2024-25 season?
The Sixers will not be able to afford him, but I am baffled that Tyus Jones is still a free agent after more than three weeks. Even with his market seemingly cratering, it is hard to imagine him not at least getting solid backup point guard money on a one-year deal considering he has long been one of the best backup point guards in the NBA who is absolutely capable of starting for a team.
The Toronto Raptors stand out as a team with the financial capacity to make Jones a reasonable offer as well as a potential need for an additional ball-handler. The Oklahoma City Thunder could use a more prototypical point guard to bring off their bench, but already have a crowded rotation and their offer to Jones would be a bit light financially. A return to the Memphis Grizzlies would be a nice story, but they are likely primed to bring back Luke Kennard and stop there to ensure they stay below the luxury tax threshold. The Washington Wizards still have Jones' Bird Rights, but after trading for Malcolm Brogdon and drafting Bub Carrington, they might not have much room for him at this point.
In any case, Jones is a good player, and at this point will probably give whichever team he signs with strong value based on the deal he agrees to.
From @Jack_Michael17: With the Sixers pretty much capped out, who on the minimum market do you think they could target to fill out the roster?
I have written about eight different players the Sixers could target on veteran's minimum contracts in recent weeks, which you can read here and here -- six of the eight players remain available.
One player not mentioned in those two stories is a local product, Lamar Stevens. Stevens, who attended Roman Catholic High School in Philly and played college basketball at Penn State, is a tough and ferocious defender on the wing with very limited offensive skills.
Stevens spent the first three years of his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers before beginning the 2023-24 season with the Boston Celtics and being traded to Memphis. Stevens impressed during a decent amount of games for a Grizzlies team that had been decimated by injuries.
In 19 games (two starts) with Memphis last year, Stevens played 23.0 minutes per game and posted averages of 11.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks.
Stevens is just a 28.6 percent three-point shooter for his career, making it a tough sell for him to be a rotation regular right off the bat. But with a strong frame -- Stevens stands at 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds with a 6-foot-9 wingspan -- and an impressive defensive acumen, he is absolutely someone who can give serviceable minutes on the wing in a pinch.
Many believe the Sixers need to add toughness and muscle to their roster, and signing Stevens would go a long way towards checking those boxes.
Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam
Follow PhillyVoice on Twitter: @thephillyvoice
