Potential Free-Agent Target Off the Board for Sixers

Wing Haywood Highsmith is signing a multi-year deal with the Phoenix Suns, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

Highsmith, 29, had a cup of coffe with the Sixers back in 2019 as he climbed the G League pipeline with the Delaware Blue Coats. He was actually in the Sixers' system as recently as 2022, until the Miami Heat signed him to a multi-year deal.

Highsmith established himself as a credible two-way player with Miami. But he tore the meniscus in his right knee this past August. Highsmith was then traded to the Brooklyn Nets shortly thereafter and has not played this season amid a setback in his recovery.

The Nets waived Highsmith on the day of the trade deadline last week.

Highsmith did not make OnSI's top five buyout candidates for the Sixers. But that was related to his health and having concerns about trusting a wing player coming off a meniscus injury with meaningful minutes.

At 6-foot-5, Highsmith would've made for a solid fit with Philadelphia. Most of his shots come from three. He's been especially adept in the corners and about average from the other spots around the arc. But even that would've been good enough to amplify the mediocre product the Sixers are offering from beyond the arc.

Perhaps his truest value to Philadelphia would've been on defense, where Highsmith — a pretty good shot-blocker and disruptor for a forward — could've assisted with the team's tendency to overhelp in the paint by serving as another player with wing size who could help deny driving lanes and keep the Sixers' bigs in position to protect the rim.

It's irrelevant now. He's off the board. There are still options out there for Philadelphia. But Highsmith's age made him one of the more appealing choices if you were not concerned about his health.

The more this writer thinks about it, though, the less sense it makes to pursue a guard, even if they're a capable shooter. It did not matter that Jared McCain was a skilled shooter. He was still buried behind Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes in Nick Nurse's guard rotation. Introducing a guard to the team at this juncture of the season would merely place him behind guys who have been here all season.

So if the Sixers are going to go for anyone, it should probably be a wing type unless there's a floor-spacing big available.