FanPost

Free Agency 2018, 76ers sitting pretty

Looking around the league I've started to notice something that explains further why Colangelo would only sign free agents to one year deals, while a push for Lebron or Durant would be nice, there's also something else happening that can't be ignored. Sure some players will sign extensions between now and the start of free agency 2018, but just take a look at the list of potential available free agents and you start to realize something. Teams are going to be up against the cap next year, and there's way too much talent to go around. It's part of the reason why agents had star players signing one year deals this year for big money. Knowing next year the money will be far less, you would think no one would want to sign a one year deal, and for the most part that is true, guys like Redick and KCP are not going to see anywhere near the type of money they got this year. The money will run out next year and even if KCP has a breakout season he could be looking at a deal worth $8 milllion a year instead of $18 million.

While this year you have guys like Nerlens and Gasol feeling the squeeze, next year there will be a hell of a lot more players in that boat. The 76ers could find themselves as the only team capable of signing players to huge contracts, but they may want to pump the brakes in an effort to land 2nd tier free agents for pennies on the dollar. There is no two ways about it, the money will run out next year simply because of the list below:

1. Lebron James
2. Kevin Durant
3. Chris Paul
4. Russsell Westbrook
5. Paul George
6. DeMarcus Cousins
7. Isaiah Thomas
8. Carmelo Anthony
9. DeAndre Jordan
10. Joel Embiid
11. Andrew Wiggins
12. Avery Bradley
13. Jabari Parker
14. Robin Lopez
15. Gary Harris
16. LaMarcus Aldridge
17. Zach LaVine
18. Clint Capela
19. Rodney Hood
20. KCP
21. Jusuf Nurkic
22. Dwayne Wade
23. J.J. Redick
24. Danny Green
25. Robert Covington
26. Trevor Ariza
27. Aaron Gordon
28. Marcus Smart
29. Dirk Nowitzski
30. Greg Monroe

When Greg Monroe is arguably the 30th best free agent available, you've got yourself a buyers market, the money will probably dry up by Aldridge at 16 leaving al the players below him to scrap for what money they can get. If you're a free agent next season it is going to be a disaster for you, while guys like Mozgov, Evan Turner, Luol Deng, and Allen Crabbe are getting paid $18 million a season, guys like Lavine, Gordon, Hood, Capela, Covington, Smart, Monroe, and maybe even Harris will be lucky to get half that. The 76ers have won already and the fact that Colangelo wouldn't do any multi year deals leads me to believe he has the foresight to have understood the market for next year unlike many of his contemporaries with other teams. So.....way to go Colangelo and way to go Hinkie, he probably understood this as well, the Lakers are ready, the 76ers are ready, and nearly every other team will be left in the lurch. It's partly why the Knicks dealing Anthony has been moving so slow, they want to move him and expiring contracts in return so they can poach the market too. The closer we get to 2018 free agency the more obvious it becomes though, so good luck with that Knicks!

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