After the Philadelphia 76ers hired a new President of Basketball Operations in the form of Mike Gansey, they now have to figure out what they’re going to do with some important free agents.
The free agency period will begin on June 30 at 6 p.m. EDT, but the Sixers can begin negotiating with their own free agents once the finals end. That means Gansey and Co. will be able to work with guys like Kelly Oubre Jr., for example, to figure out the best move for each side.
Oubre had a solid season in 2025-26 as he shot a career-high 36% from deep and averaged 14.1 points and 5.0 rebounds while also providing some top-notch defense on the other end of the floor. The 11-year veteran out of Kansas did a number of different things on the floor for Philadelphia as he took on the opposition’s best scorer on the defensive end while also giving the Sixers some much-needed scoring next to the team’s stars and main scorers.
The playoffs were tough for him as he shot only 25.6% from deep, but he did average 11.6 points and provide tough defense on Boston Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown while also having to defend New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson in Round 2. Oubre did his best on the defensive end, which takes a lot of energy out of a player, and it seemed to limit him on the offensive end of the floor as well.
When Oubre enters free agency this summer, one has to wonder what the Sixers should do. He expressed that he wants to be in a place where he’s loved and allows his family to grow and be comfortable. Philadelphia should be that place for him as he is valued within the organization and is important to the success of the lineup.
In terms of what the Sixers should offer him, he made roughly $8 million in the 2025-26 season after opting into the player option of his deal. One has to believe that Oubre, entering the later stages of his career, would like to earn a much bigger salary. If the Sixers can keep it somewhere around $13 million, then they would probably be in a good position. He does too many good things for this group on the floor, and is a great locker room presence, for the Sixers to lose him in free agency.
Unless the Sixers have a backup plan in mind such as somebody in the draft or looking elsewhere in free agency, then Oubre returning is a no-brainer. He isn’t going to demand a huge deal–$13 million per year is reasonable–and he is too valuable as a player and as a teammate. One has to believe Oubre will be in a Sixers uniform on opening night in October.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: What should Sixers do with Kelly Oubre Jr. in upcoming free agency?