While the Philadelphia 76ers’ offseason likely won’t be as dramatic as last year, they’re still faced with a few dilemmas. What Philadelphia does in free agency will come down to how it utilizes the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. With my exploration of the 76ers’ top draft prospects and the idea of trading their highly desired pick, we’re left with excitement and intrigue. Now is a time as good as any to look further ahead and forecast which of Philadelphia’s 10 players could return next season.
Players that will return
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**Andre Drummond** has a $5 million player option for next season and during his end-of-season press conference, he announced that his plan is to accept it. The 31-year-old veteran originally signed a two-year/$10 million contract with the 76ers last season. Philadelphia was in need of a backup center that could weather the storm in non-Joel Embiid minutes and start if need be.
However, the 76ers’ vision for Drummond never came to fruition as he was limited to 40 games this season primarily due to a left toe sprain. When the center was on the floor, he appeared as a shell of himself – averaging 7.3 points per game on 53.5% true-shooting and 7.8 rebounds per game this season. His regression in efficiency and underwhelming rim protection virtually made him unplayable.
**Kelly Oubre Jr.** also possesses an $8.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season, and with a series of reports, it looks very likely that he’ll return. The most recent hint of this occurring came last night on Instagram where he posted a picture of him and Embiid competitively in each other’s face with the caption “Mood AF. Need more of this.” After a revitalization of sorts with the 76ers in the 2023-24 season, they re-signed him to a two-year/$16.4 million deal last summer.
Oubre started in 57 of his 60 games played this season and notched 15.1 points per game on 55.1% true-shooting and 6.1 rebounds per game. His chaotic energy was great for the 76ers’ culture, but his limitations as a perimeter shooter and decision-maker off the dribble have caused him to be one of the more controversial players on Philadelphia’s roster.
**Eric Gordon** has a $3.5 million player option for next season and according to Marc Stein, he, Oubre, and Drummond are all expected to come back. Gordon signed a two-year/$6.8 million contract with Philadelphia last summer to supply spot-up shooting around its newly-formed big three. Unfortunately, he was limited to 39 games this season and effectively shut down in late February to undergo a wrist procedure that sidelined him for three months. Gordon produced 6.8 points per game on 59.1% true-shooting this season with his best days behind him.
**Quentin Grimes** is poised to enter restricted free agency this summer and after his late-season breakout with the 76ers, he’ll be one of the most sought-after players on the market. He was dealt to Philadelphia by the Dallas Mavericks primarily for Caleb Martin in early February. In 28 games with Philadelphia, Grimes totaled 21.5 points per game on 59.2% true-shooting, 5.2 rebounds per game, 4.5 assists per game, and 1.5 steals per game.
Fortunately, the 76ers hold his bird rights, which means that they can match any offer that he may receive and retain him, regardless of their financial situation. It'll just be a matter of how much Philadelphia is willing to spend. A few weeks ago, Jake Fischer [reported on The Stein Line](https://open.substack.com/pub/marcstein/p/the-summer-of-trades?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email) that Philadelphia has expressed confidence in its ability to re-sign Grimes.
Players that could go either way
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**Jared Butler** holds a $2.3 million team option for the 2025-26 season. He was traded to Philadelphia from the Washington Wizards for Reggie Jackson and a future first-round pick swap in February. Between his youth and ability as a backup point guard, he was a strong fit in Philadelphia. Butler appeared in 28 games with the 76ers where he averaged 11.5 points per game on 54% true-shooting and 4.9 assists per game. Unless the 76ers need to heavily cut costs for any potential trade or to re-sign someone, I’d imagine that he’ll return next season.
At 39 years old, **Kyle Lowry** will enter the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. Despite speculation about his retirement, Lowry revealed that he wants to play one more season and hopes it’s with the 76ers during his end-of-season presser. Due to various injuries, he played just 35 games and put up 3.9 points per game on 52.5% true-shooting and 2.7 assists per game. With Philadelphia wanting to get younger and more athletic, it may want to go in a different direction.
**Lonnie Walker IV** has a $2.9 million team option for next season. Philadelphia signed Walker to a two-year/$3.7 million deal in late February, but he was limited to 20 appearances due to a concussion. Walker averaged 12.4 points per game on 54.8% true-shooting. While he offered respectable production, the 76ers may want to shed his salary to avoid the first tax apron depending on what moves they make. If Philadelphia drafts a guard, there would be more of a reason to part ways with Walker.
Players that are goners
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**Guerschon Yabusele** will head into the offseason as an unrestricted free agent and likely as one of the hottest targets across the NBA. After signing with the 76ers on a veteran minimum, he revitalized his NBA career – posting career-highs of 11 points per game on 61.6% true-shooting, 5.6 rebounds per game, and 2.1 assists per game. Seemingly overnight, Yabusele became a key contributor to Philadelphia and a perfect complimentary piece to its big three.
However, with how drastically Yabusele surpassed expectations, he may fall out of [the 76ers’ price range](https://thesixersense.com/76ers-luck-in-the-draft-lottery-could-prevent-them-re-signing-a-vital-free-agent-01jvd0247czs). As it stands, Philadelphia is approximately $7.8 million below the first tax apron. So, the 76ers’ ability to offer Yabusele the non-tax-payer mid-level exception worth $14.1 million next season could be very difficult, especially if they want to retain Grimes.
**Jalen Hood-Schifino** is set to become an unrestricted free agent after signing a one-year contract with Philadelphia in March. Hood-Schifino appeared in 13 games for the 76ers where he produced 7.8 points per game on 48.4% true-shooting and 2.8 assists per game. He played the best stretch of basketball in his two-year career in Philadelphia, but his production should warrant nothing more than another two-way contract if he’s to return.
**Jeff Dowtin** will enter restricted free agency this summer. The 76ers originally signed him to a two-way contract during the 2023-24 season and did so once more in July. However, Dowtin has run out of G-League eligibility, so he’ll need to find a permanent home in the NBA or else. He played in 41 games for the 76ers where he posted seven points per game on 57% true-shooting. Still, Dowtin never impressed during real opportunities in Philadelphia, so it would be best if he pivoted towards a different path.