Should the 76ers Add Kyle Korver to their Bench?

By Matt Gregan, Sports Talk Philly Editor

News broke on Wednesday afternoon that the Phoenix Suns were planning to buy out the contract of veteran Kyle Korver. 

Suns are planning to buyout the partially guaranteed contract of Kyle Korver, league sources tell ESPN. Lakers, Sixers and Bucks are frontrunners to sign Korver once he clears waivers, sources said.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 3, 2019

ESPN senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Philadelphia 76ers were one of the teams that were heavily interested in signing Korver.

Korver is well known for his outside shooting ability, something that the 76ers need more of coming off the bench. He has been in the league for 18 years, and is a career 42.9 percent 3-point shooter. He had a down season in terms of his efficiency from outside, shooting only 39.7 percent from outside in 70 combined games last season between the Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers. However, he has shot 45.3 percent from beyond the arc in the previous two seasons. 

Should the 76ers sign Korver? Does he provide an upgrade to Philadelphia's bench? 

The Sixers are in need of some more outside shooting off the bench to replace JJ Redick, who went to the Pelicans in free agency, and Korver would certainly be able to provide that. The team's current bench players at Korver's position include rookie Matisse Thybulle and veteran James Ennis III. The minutes are certainly there for a player like Korver, who would provide an immediate impact as a floor spacer off the bench. 

Money-wise, it might take some convincing to get Korver to join the 76ers. Philadelphia has no remaining cap space and a roster that is incomplete, meaning that they can only offer players a veteran minimum contract to join the team. As Wojnarowski reported, there are multiple teams who will be competing to add Korver in free agency once his contract gets bought out. As a result, it might drive Korver's price out of the extremely limited range that the Sixers have. However, the 76ers present a tempting situation for Korver, one where he could have an immediate role on a team that could win the NBA Finals next season. 

In total, Korver would be a solid addition off the bench for the 76ers if they choose to go that route. He could help replace some of the outside shooting and floor spacing that the team lost with Redick leaving via free agency.