What Do Bamba, Harrell Signings Mean for Paul Reed’s Future With Sixers?

Is Paul Reed’s time in Philadelphia about to come to an end? The Philadelphia 76ers signed a pair of backup big men, Mo Bamba and Montrezl Harrell, in recent days. Those moves left many fans questioning what, if any, plans the team has for retaining Reed in free agency.

According to multiple reports, the Sixers’ position on re-signing Reed has not been affected by the additions of Bamba and Harrell to the roster. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported after the Bamba signing the Sixers “still have the intention of keeping” Reed.

Philadelphia is bringing in Bamba with the intention of keeping restricted free agent Paul Reed, but Bamba gives the Sixers some security behind Joel Embiid if they do lose Reed. https://t.co/8CCl5C71OY

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2023

That desire reportedly remains the same after the Sixers re-signed Harrell late Thursday night. NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Noah Levick reported the Harrell signing “doesn’t change the team’s desire” to bring back Reed. PhillyVoice’s Kyle Neubeck reiterated that sentiment, reporting “the team is insisting they still have a desire” to keep Reed on the roster.

Reed began last season battling Harrell for the backup center minutes. By the final few months of the season, Reed surpassed Harrell in the rotation. The DePaul product, over his final 22 games of the season, averaged 6.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 0.7 steals and 1 block per game. He also shined in the postseason, stepping into the starting lineup in the two games Joel Embiid missed due to injury. In those two games, he averaged 10 points, 14 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block per game.

If the Sixers do re-sign Reed, he would clearly slot into the rotation as the team’s primary backup center. While he does not possess much of an offensive repertoire, Reed is a prolific rebounder. He finished second in the league last season in rebounds per 100 possessions with 20.1. The 24-year old, despite being just 6-foot-9, is also a solid rim protector.

The additions of Bamba and Harrell could result in some creative usage for Reed in the event he stays in Philadelphia. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse developed a penchant for being willing to experiment during his time coaching the Toronto Raptors. One experiment he could try in Philadelphia is mixing Reed’s minutes between power forward and center. In order for that to be successful, Reed will have to develop more of a jumper so he can adequately space the floor. While playing down in the G League, he did show some signs of having good 3-point shooting ability. Over a two year span, he shot 44.1% from beyond the arc on 3.9 attempts per game. Those results have not translated over to the NBA level, but there is some potential there.

According to the multiple reports previously referenced, it would be a safe assumption to believe Reed will re-sign with the Sixers. Bamba and Harrell, at minimum, can serve as some roster security in the unlikely event Reed signs elsewhere. However, potentially having four centers on the roster is still a bad use of resources. The Sixers lack depth at the wing positions and would be better served using available roster spots on that need.

Reed is currently a restricted free agent. The Sixers will have the opportunity to match any potential offer sheet he receives from another team. For now, fans will have to play the waiting game regarding Reed’s potential future with the Sixers.