Mike Gansey’s first free-agency move as the 76ers’ president of basketball operations is adding a player with whom he is quite familiar.
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Dean Wade has agreed to a four-year, $39 million contract, a league source confirmed to The Inquirer late Tuesday. The deal comes out of the nontaxpayer mid-level exception, and will hard cap the Sixers at the first apron.
Wade was one of Gansey’s success stories in his previous job as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ general manager. The 29-year-old Wade evolved from undrafted player to rotation forward, and last season averaged 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 22.3 minutes across 59 games. His 6-foot-9, 230-pound frame allows for defensive versatility, and he is a career 36.7% three-point shooter.
Wade’s addition makes it less likely that the Sixers will be able to bring back starting forward Kelly Oubre Jr., and sixth man Quentin Grimes, who also entered unrestricted free agency. Yahoo! reported Tuesday night that Oubre planned to meet with at least the Sixers, Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers, and Portland Trail Blazers.
The Sixers have between $5 and $6 million remaining of the mid-level exception to use on an outside free agent. They are $16.6 million total under the first apron.
Unsurprisingly, multiple reports surfaced over the weekend that the Sixers were among the teams interested in signing Wade. Yet the offseason transaction cycle began quietly for the Sixers — even as significant NBA moves swirled around them.
In the past nine days, stars Giannis Antetokounmpo, LaMelo Ball, and Ja Morant have been traded. Earlier Tuesday, the Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors agreed on a deal sending Kawhi Leonard back to the team he led to the 2019 NBA championship.
Also on Tuesday, LeBron James, an all-time great who is still an All-Star at age 41, informed the Lakers that he would join another team as a free agent. That potentially held up other business across the league — and indirectly affected the Sixers.
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Outsiders naturally linked James to another reunion with his hometown Cavaliers, who are coming off an Eastern Conference finals appearance and also are reportedly working on re-signing former Sixer James Harden to a multiyear deal.
To accomplish all of that, the Cavaliers need to clear cap space. The Stein Line reported that the Cavaliers were exploring options to trade Max Strus and Dennis Schroeder. Yet if a Cleveland pursuit of James does not pan out — or even if it does — one could have viewed using that cap space to re-sign Wade as a potential Plan B before he instead opted to join the Sixers.
Andre Drummond, Trendon Watford, and Kyle Lowry (who is expected to retire) are the other free agents for a Sixers team with limited financial flexibility. All-NBA guard Tyrese Maxey ($40.8 million), former MVP Joel Embiid ($57.7 million), and former perennial All-Star Paul George ($54.1 million) all remain on max contracts, accounting for the vast majority of the nearly $165 million salary cap.
That top-heavy roster requires shrewd complementary moves, in addition to hoping Embiid and George can be healthier in 2026-27. Backup center becomes the positional priority as free agency continues. Rebounding and shooting will always be welcomed skills for a team that has struggled in both areas.
Gansey began his first Sixers offseason by drafting Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr., in the first round. Monday, he picked up the team options in Dominick Barlow and Dalen Terry’s contracts for the 2026-27 season.
And now, Gansey has begun his first Sixers free agency by adding a player with whom he is quite familiar.
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