The Philadelphia 76ers are the biggest winners of the 2026 offseason. After trading for star swingman Jaylen Brown, they landed LeBron James on a two-year, $8 million minimum contract.
Even so, the work may not be done yet. According to the latest report by insider Evan Sidery, veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has emerged on their radar as he nears terms on a buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies.
“Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is expected to soon reach a buyout with the Grizzlies, and he could follow LeBron James to the Sixers,” reported Evan Sidery. “Philadelphia plans to add one or two more bench pieces at veteran’s minimum deals to further solidify their title aspirations.”
Between James, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid, the 76ers already have a solid core in place. On paper, they can compete against any team in the West. In today’s NBA, however, it’s not about being top-heavy; it’s more about having an even, balanced spread of talent. The 76ers’ biggest vulnerabilities are in the second unit, which lacks the kind of depth needed to keep up with the best teams.
That’s why President Mike Gansey is making a point to pursue cheap reinforcements, and KCP makes for a perfect fit. As a veteran two-way shooting guard who can stretch the floor and contest perimeter jumpers, he brings instant value, even at 33 years old. In 51 games last season, he averaged 8.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game on 41.0% shooting and 31.6% shooting from three.
After spending the past year in Memphis, Pope is likely headed toward a buyout in order to pursue a more competitive situation. And while he hasn’t directly named the 76ers, it makes sense that he’d want to reunite with LeBron. They played together from 2018-2021 as Lakers, and even won the championship with a Finals victory over the Heat. They had strong chemistry as a duo, and maintained a healthy relationship both on and off the court.
Three years later, Pope won another title in Denver, but it seems fate has brought him back to LeBron, and it couldn’t be at a better time. With James entering the final years of his career, he needs all the help he can get to achieve his goals, and reuniting with a former championship teammate could certainly help him do that. So far, it’s unclear if KCP has other suitors that might disrupt the reunion, but all he’s worried about now is agreeing to terms on a buyout. That’s the first and most important step to him joining the Sixers, or any other interested team this summer.
As for any other signings, they would all have to be minimum contracts, as the 76ers are limited financially. Still, there are several players they could pursue on the open market, including Gabe Vincent, Cam Thomas, Doug McDermott, Bruce Brown, and Kevin Love (among others). It remains to be seen what else the 76ers have up their sleeve, but anything more than they’ve already done is just icing on the cake of a spectacular summer.
