The Philadelphia 76ers have been identified as a key contender in the pursuit of Pascal Siakam, according to reports.

The Philadelphia 76ers have maintained their position as a top team in the Eastern Conference despite the departure of James Harden. Given their current opportunity, the Sixers might explore free agency to acquire another star player, such as Pascal Siakam.

Siakam seems to be nearing the end of his time with the Toronto Raptors, and according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, the Sixers are expected to be prominent contenders for him in the free-agent market. Haynes suggested that Philadelphia and Indiana are prime teams to watch, as they could choose to wait until the summer to make a move if nothing transpires at the trade deadline.

Siakam’s potential appeal to the Sixers lies in his championship experience, playoff prowess, familiarity with coach Nick Nurse (despite past issues), and a shared Cameroonian heritage with Joel Embiid.

While the Raptors may trade Siakam, the Sixers have the option to sign him outright in the offseason, provided they don’t swap long-term salary for expiring contracts on their current roster. However, there are reports that the Sixers’ cap space might discourage potential suitors for Siakam, with teams like Indiana and Detroit having substantial room for maneuvering in the upcoming offseason.

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Sixers are not in a hurry to make significant additions to their current core, despite having expiring contracts to leverage from the James Harden trade. The team has been exploring point guard options on the trade market, but there’s no interest in Tyus Jones.

Furthermore, Fischer noted that the Sixers are not actively pursuing big names on the trade market, including Siakam. Instead, they could consider alternative targets, with Dejounte Murray being mentioned as a potential option. The possibility of pursuing Murray arises as various teams, including the Lakers, Knicks, Heat, and Pistons, are expected to engage with Atlanta in acquiring Murray before the trade deadline.

Trading for Murray could divert the Sixers from pursuing Siakam, especially since Murray is entering the first year of a four-year contract extension. If the Sixers believe they cannot secure Siakam in the upcoming offseason, Murray stands as a solid alternative.