Rui Hachimura Hit a THERMONUCLEAR 56.9% From Three and the Sixers Might Actually Pass Him Up

Alright, fam, you are NOT going to believe what's swirling around out there in the NBA rumor mill for the Sixers. Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line dropped some serious news this past Saturday: Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade is "expected to draw interest from various playoff teams," and yep, Philly is on that list. New Sixers president Mike Gansey used to be the Cavs' general manager, so the link isn't a shock. What *is* surprising, though, is their apparent willingness to spend the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. This is a game-changer, and it raises a HUGE question for the City of Brotherly Love.

The Non-Taxpayer MLE: A Risky Bet for Philly?

Here's the deal: using the non-taxpayer MLE would hard-cap the Sixers at the first apron, projected around $209 million next season. When you look at their current cap sheet, it's going to be super tough for them to make that move and still bring back either Kelly Oubre Jr. or Quentin Grimes, let alone both of them. So, this isn't just about whether they can land a guy for a starting salary no higher than roughly $15 million. It's about whether adding any of these players actually justifies costing them a realistic shot at re-signing Oubre or Grimes. With the 2026-27 salary cap projected at $165 million, the non-taxpayer MLE is set to start at $15.05 million. A three-year deal with 8% annual raises could hit roughly $48.75 million, and a four-year contract could even soar to $67.4 million. That's a lot of dough, and it means the stakes are incredibly high for every decision.

John Collins: A Blast From the Past, Or a Future Star?

Remember five years ago? John Collins and Trae Young were absolutely tormenting the Sixers in the 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Fast-forward half a decade: Young's with the Washington Wizards, Collins is wrapping up his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, and get this, Ben Simmons just won a sportfishing championship. Seriously! Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is starting to pop up in trade rumors, and The Ringer’s Zach Lowe even hinted that the Clippers could be a sneaky free

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agency threat. Lowe said on his podcast, "I don’t know if this has been decided yet, but someone who would know told me [Wednesday] that the Clippers are telling or behaving I guess as though they’re going to have cap space in the offseason." He added they could open about $20 million but would need to cut options and renounce some guys. Collins is one of those guys, with a $39.9 million cap hold. He averaged 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds in 27.1 minutes per game last season, shooting a career-best 40.6 percent from deep. Tony Jones of The Athletic has been campaigning for Collins, who could fill a big hole for the Sixers, mostly at the 4, sometimes at the 5. He's improved his three-point efficiency and is still a solid rebounder and shot-blocker. Just gotta hope he doesn't fall victim to that Philly curse that apparently robs players of their shooting once they arrive.

Rui Hachimura: The Lakers' Loss Could Be Philly's Gain

Then there's Rui Hachimura. The Los Angeles Lakers are playing some serious cap space chess, potentially creating over $50 million this summer, even though they plan to sign Austin Reaves to a monster four-year, $185 million max deal. They might pull off the same cap-hold trick the Sixers did with Tyrese Maxey. To get that much cap space, the Lakers would have to renounce their free-agent rights to LeBron James and Hachimura, among others. So, Hachimura's availability could come down to whether the Lakers can land a major splash this offseason. If he shakes loose from LA, he’d be an incredible fit in Philly on the non-taxpayer MLE. Get this: Hachimura has shot over 41 percent from three-point range in each of the past three seasons. And get this part, it's wild: he knocked down a thermonuclear 56.9 percent of his 5.8 attempts per game from deep during the playoffs. With Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves sidelined, he was a huge reason why the Lakers upset the Houston Rockets in the first round. The guy is a walking bucket from downtown. So, Sixers fans, the question is staring you right in the face: Is any of this worth potentially losing Oubre or Grimes? Will the front office make the right call for the season ahead? We're all watching to see how this plays out!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.