NBA Rumors: 3 players who will not continue with the Sixers

Philadelphia once again fell short of expectations in the playoffs. The 76ers surprised in the first round by coming back from a 3-1 deficit against the Boston Celtics, but once they reached the conference semifinals, the old ghosts returned: a 4-0 sweep against the New York Knicks led to another early exit.

This marks the sixth time in the last nine years that the franchise has been eliminated in the second round. During the same period, they had two first-round exits and one season missing the playoffs. The new setback has already brought significant consequences. Daryl Morey has lost his position as the franchise's general manager, but he won't be the only anticipated change for Philadelphia heading into the next season.

The franchise now faces a summer full of uncertainties. Joel Embiid and Paul George will once again be under scrutiny after another disappointing finish, although George's contractual situation greatly complicates any potential moves. Beyond the stars, several role players also seem to be on their way out of the team for the 2026-27 season.

Quentin Grimes, Below Expected Level

Quentin Grimes will be an unrestricted free agent this summer after completing the qualifying offer year he accepted last season following lengthy negotiations. The guard couldn't replicate the impact he showed in the previous year's 28 games. This season, he averaged 13.4 points per game with a modest 33% from three-point range. His playoff performance further complicated his situation as Grimes only contributed 6.7 points on average in 22 minutes per game during the series against the Knicks, and it seems likely that Philadelphia will not attempt to re-sign him.

Kyle Lowry, Near the End

Kyle Lowry, now 40 years old, played this season for the veteran's minimum salary, but had minimal impact on the court. His role resembled that of an assistant coach rather than a key player in the rotation. It remains to be seen if both parties consider maintaining that relationship in a different capacity, but all signs point to the veteran guard's career nearing its end.

Trendon Watford Losing Ground in Rotation

Trendon Watford may also depart from the Sixers this summer. His involvement during the regular season was minimal, and he completely disappeared from the rotation in the playoffs. His signing raised high hopes last summer, especially after a surprising triple-double in November and some promising flashes on both ends of the court.

However, he ended up losing the coach's trust, likely due to his poor 20% three-point shooting accuracy. Philadelphia now must decide whether to exercise the $2.8 million option on his contract for the upcoming season or not.