The Philadelphia 76ers’ 2025-26 season concluded embarrassingly on Sunday night.
While no one expected Philadelphia to defy the odds by storming back from a 3-0 Eastern Conference Semifinals deficit, many were under the impression that the organization would put up a solid fight in Game 4.
The 76ers did the complete opposite, falling behind 43-24 in the first quarter at Wells Fargo Arena and eventually suffering a season-ending 144-114 loss to the Eastern Conference Finals-bound Knicks. Like several other franchises already eliminated from championship contention, the 76ers must decide which offseason approach makes the most sense for them.
In Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley’s opinion, the 76ers should target a beloved Minnesota Timberwolves guard on the trade market.
“A dynamic wing who impacts both ends of the floor should rank high on Philly's wish list,” Buckley wrote Sunday. “That's also one of the most coveted archetypes around the Association and one that's almost never available at less than a significant price.”
“Terrence Shannon Jr., to be clear, is not that kind of player, yet. But with his tools and talent, why can't he become one? Well, the Wolves might point to his age (26 this summer) and forgettable first two seasons as evidence, but that would also mean their hope in him is fading.”
“And if that's the case, then the Sixers might sense some bargain potential if they trust their developmental staff to make better use of his abilities. It'd be an optimistic wager, but it may not be without merit. He's an aggressive, generally efficient downhill attacker and has all of the physical tools to be a pesky, versatile defensive deterrent. And he isn't old in NBA years, as his career odometer shows just 75 regular-season contests.”
Shannon is starting to show why many believed he was the biggest steal of the 2024 NBA Draft. Injuries have catapulted the Illinois product into a more significant role with the Timberwolves this postseason, and he hasn’t disappointed.
Although Shannon is limited from a ball-handling/playmaking perspective (he doesn’t have ample dribble moves in his arsenal), he uses his phenomenal end-to-end speed and one-foot leaping ability to give Minnesota another formidable downhill driving threat.
Shannon, who contributed 14.0 points per game against the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the postseason, is averaging 14.0 points per contest vs. the San Antonio Spurs in round No. 2 (the series is tied 2-2).
There’s no question that Shannon would be a great low-cost, high-upside addition to the 76ers this summer.
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