Brad Keller knew something was wrong a few weeks ago when he rolled over in bed, reached for the pillow, and felt an ache in his right elbow.
When he pitched, though, everything seemed normal.
But the right-handed reliever reached a tipping point on June 14. He threw 32 pitches and gave up three runs in the eighth inning the night before in a Phillies victory in Milwaukee, then woke up and couldn’t straighten his elbow.
So, Wednesday was an important day for Keller. After facing hitters for the first time in 2½ weeks in live batting practice, he was eager to see how his arm bounced back. Keller has been on the injured list since June 16 (retroactive to June 14) with right forearm tendinitis.
“It’s a night-and-day difference,” Keller said. “Like even just waking up, I remember there would be times where I’d grab a pillow and it would hurt. Today I didn’t have any of that, so I’m really happy with that.”
Next up: Keller will pitch in a minor league game Friday night, interim manager Don Mattingly said. Depending on how he responds, he could be reinstated from the injured list after that.
Regardless, the Phillies expect Keller to return before the All-Star break.
Phillies reliever Brad Keller has a 4.15 ERA in 31 appearances this season.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
“If it continues on this path, for sure,” Mattingly said. “He hasn’t been down very long, and he was throwing fairly quickly. I don’t know why you would need a ton of outings down there. So, yeah, if everything goes good, I think we would get him back before the break.”
It will represent a boost for a bullpen that has been tested lately. The Phillies signed Keller to a two-year, $22 million contract in the offseason to fortify the bridge to closer Jhoan Duran. In his absence, the bullpen has posted a 4.26 ERA compared to 3.98 before he was sidelined.
Keller overcame a rocky start and had allowed three earned runs over 12⅔ innings in a span of 13 appearances before the blowup in Milwaukee. Overall, the 30-year-old righty has a 4.15 ERA in 31 appearances.
“We were kind of pinpointing some things that I was doing, more so [pitch] usage-wise and stuff,” Keller said. “And then there was some other stuff, like some mechanical things that maybe have led to this.”
Keller said he began feeling an unusual amount of soreness after back-to-back appearances in Boston in mid-May. It would surface when he played catch before games, subside, and then come back.
“Last year, I literally was never sore,” he said. “And this year, I was battling with this stuff, and all of a sudden, something mechanically is not right.”
Keller will return a little less than a month before the Aug. 3 trade deadline and could inform the Phillies’ approach. They have other needs, including a right-handed bat and back-end starter. If Keller pitches well upon his return, it would lessen the need for another late-inning reliever.
Justin Crawford had three hits in the Phillies’ victory Tuesday night.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Crawford adjusts
Justin Crawford hit .322 in the minors, including .334 last season in triple A to win the International League batting title.
It hasn’t gone as smoothly in the majors.
Crawford got off to a promising start, then slumped as the league adjusted to him. But he has worked with hitting coach Kevin Long to shorten his leg kick, even eliminating it at times.
Over his last 16 games entering Wednesday night, the rookie center fielder was 18-for-48 (.375) with a .400 on-base percentage. He finished with three hits Tuesday night, including a two-run cue shot down the left-field line in the second inning.
“I’m definitely working on being shorter to the ball,” Crawford said. “Just trying to take a little bit of that extra movement out, making me a tick late on the ball. I’ve definitely been trying to do that a little bit. It’s been good.”
Gabriel Rincones Jr. remained in the lineup on Wednesday amid his recent slump.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
Extra bases
Amid a 5-for-38 slide to begin his major league career, lefty-hitting right fielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. remained in the lineup, even against Pirates ace Paul Skenes. “He’s here for a reason,” Mattingly said. “If he doesn’t play [against a righty], then he shouldn’t be here.” … The Phillies moved veteran outfielder Tommy Pham to triple A after two games in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. Pham, 38, signed a minor league contract last weekend. … Thursday marks the Phillies’ last home game before the All-Star break. They will finish the first half with nine consecutive road games in Kansas City, Cincinnati, and Detroit. … Alan Rangel (0-1, 4.50 ERA) is scheduled to start the series finale at 12:35 p.m. Thursday against Pirates righty Jared Jones (1-1, 5.76).
The 76ers have officially entered the summer of blockbuster trades.
They agreed to acquire All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics in exchange for Paul George, two first-round draft picks, and two second-round draft picks, The Inquirer confirmed Wednesday evening.
From the Sixers’ perspective, it is a stunning move for new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey to pull off in his first offseason. George’s max contract — still with two years and more than $110 million remaining — was considered difficult to trade given his age and injury history.
But the Celtics clearly were motivated to move Brown, who finished sixth in last season’s voting for NBA Most Valuable Player and had spent his entire 10-year career with the franchise.
Boston reportedly offered Brown to the Milwaukee Bucks in a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, before the Bucks instead sent Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat. On social media and his popular Twitch streams, Brown publicly expressed displeasure with his name being dangled in trade talks and defended his career accomplishments.
So the Sixers have swapped out one three-star roster construction for another, linking Brown with All-NBA guard Tyrese Maxey and former MVP Joel Embiid. Brown has three years and approximately $183 million remaining on his supermax contract. But he is 29 years, played in 71 games in 2025-26, and is an elite attacker and shot-maker coming off his best individual season.
Brown, a five-time All-Star, created an excellent wing tandem with Jayson Tatum that propelled Boston to the 2024 championship and the Finals MVP award that year. Last season, he became the bona fide No. 1 offensive option while Tatum recovered from Achilles surgery, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists to spearhead the Celtics’ surprise 56-win season to finish in second place in the Eastern Conference. He called it his “favorite” season on Twitch, drawing criticism — or, at least, eyebrow raises — from some outsiders wondering if that was a swipe at his role (or partnership with Tatum) or why he valued a disappointing first-round exit more than a title run.
Jaylen Brown had a career-year for the Celtics last season and is a five-time All-Star.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
Such every-night responsibility will not necessarily be the case with the Sixers, given Embiid and Maxey both have experience as the team’s offensive centerpiece. Yet it is a seismic win-now swing in an Eastern Conference race already boasting the defending-champion New York Knicks — and that has already been revamped with significant trades in recent days.
After Antetokounmpo was moved the night before the NBA draft, the Toronto Raptors agreed to re-acquire Kawhi Leonard from the Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday. Elsewhere, LaMelo Ball was traded from the Charlotte Hornets to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Ja Morant was dealt from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Portland Trail Blazers.
But George was hampered by multiple injuries his first season as a Sixer, and then last season was suspended for 25 games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy. He finished 2025-26 strong on both ends of the floor — including in the Sixers’ rally to upset the Celtics in the playoffs’ first round — and said he was looking forward to focusing on basketball training this offseason.
Free agency began quietly for the Sixers, with forward Dean Wade agreeing to sign a four-year, $39 million contract late Tuesday, The Inquirer confirmed. Things picked up Wednesday, when reserve center Ariel Hukporti agreed to a one-year deal, The Inquirer confirmed, and Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes reportedly agreed to leave the Sixers to sign with the Indiana Pacers and Los Angeles Lakers, respectively.
Then came the stunning blockbuster trade, making Brown a Sixer.
After a slow start, the 76ers‘ first move of free agency came late Thursday night as they signed Dean Wade, formerly of the Cleveland Cavaliers, to a four-year, $39 million deal.
Last season, the 6-foot-9 forward played 59 games (38 starts) and averaged 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 22.3 minutes. With Kelly Oubre Jr. on the move to the Indiana Pacers, Wade could shift into the starting lineup come October.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Sixers’ new signing:
Gansey’s guy
New Sixers president of basketball Mike Gansey has a long history with Wade, so it is quite fitting the former Cavalier is his first free agent acquisition.
As the Cavaliers assistant general manager, Gansey helped bring Wade in as an undrafted free agent on a two-way deal in 2019. After a year playing mostly for the Canton Charge, the team’s G League affiliate, Wade cracked the Cavs’ rotation in the 2020-21 season. Since then, the Kansas State product has been a key contributor for the Cavaliers, whose role players included Max Strus, Sam Merrill, Jaylon Tyson, and Tyrese Proctor.
New Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey has a preexisting relationship with Dean Wade.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
Though the Cavaliers boasted stars Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and, later, James Harden, they relied heavily on “glue guys” like Wade under Gansey’s watch. Cleveland won 64 games in 2024-25 and 52 games last season. Meanwhile, the Sixers have struggled to roster role players who fit around the team’s stars in recent years, something Gansey is hoping Wade can change.
“It’s not a championship-caliber team right now, but we’re going to work on that,” Gansey said at his introductory news conference. “Obviously get those four, get the big four [Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and VJ Edgecombe] together on the floor, but we’re going to do everything we can to bring players in here that fit and that obviously can help.”
In Cleveland, Wade was best known for his defense.
With the Cavs, Wade was tasked with defending players at all positions. During the playoffs, Cleveland dominated defensively with Wade on the court, outscoring opponents by 16.2 points per 100 possessions. Additionally, just five players gave up fewer points per drive than Wade last season, according to the ALL NBA Podcast.
Wade’s defensive prowess was noticeable against the Raptors in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, when he was the primary defender on Brandon Ingram. Through the first four games of the series, Wade held the Raptors’ leading scorer to 3 of 14 from the floor.
“As much as y’all talk about us three, me, [Harden], and Evan [Mobley], Dean Wade deserves a bunch of credit tonight,” Mitchell told the Athletic after the Cavaliers’ 115-105 win over Toronto in Game 2. “On both ends of the floor. He’s rolling. He’s screening. He’s defending. He’s doing everything. I know he only had three points, but his impact is extremely high outside of just the scoring.”
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (right) acknowledged Dean Wade’s contributions during their time as teammates.David Dermer / AP
Mitchell was not the only teammate to take note of Wade’s pestering defense. Former Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson nicknamed Wade the “White Blanket.”
“For me, it’s easy,” Wade told Cleveland.com in January. “I just get out of their way and let them do their thing. I’m out there focusing on defense, trying to bring some energy, bring an edge, fly around and make the extra effort. Evan [Mobley] and [Jarrett Allen] make it stupid easy to be a good defender.”
Rural roots
Wade’s hometown of St. John, Kan. is a bit different from his landing spot in Philadelphia. The rural town is home to roughly 1,200 residents. For reference, Xfinity Mobile Arena has a capacity of 21,000 for Sixers games.
“It’s a small little farming community, but it’s filled with great people who care,” Wade told Abilene-RC.com in 2018. “Everyone loves each other. If you go there, you really understand what it means to have a family environment. It’s a great little town.”
Added his father, Jay Wade: “It’s rural America. When we need something, we don’t just hop in the car and go down to the Home Depot. We’re 25 miles away from the nearest Walmart.”
Before carving out a role in the NBA, Dean Wade (left), here defending a pass from Kennesaw State guard Tyler Hooker, had a solid career at Kansas State.Charlie Riedel
Wade led St. John to three state titles. During his senior campaign in 2014-15, he was named Mr. Kansas Basketball and the Gatorade Kansas Boys Basketball Player of the Year. That season, Wade averaged 24.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.7 steals, and 3.4 assists as St. John went 26-0. Wade was a finalist for national Gatorade Player of the Year but lost out to Ben Simmons.
When Wade arrived at K-State, his hometown followed him.
“There are die-hard [Kansas] fans in this town that have bought season tickets to K-State just to keep watching Dean,” Jay Wade told Abilene-RC.com. “They drive to Manhattan for every game and wear purple.”
Jett Harrison is following in his older brother Marvin Jr.’s footsteps.
On Wednesday, Jett announced his pledge to Ohio State on social media. Harrison, a rising junior at St. Joseph’s Prep, is ranked No. 4 by 247Sports’ composite rankings and is the top overall player nationally on the 2028 Rivals300 recruiting list.
Harrison finished with 15 receiving touchdowns as a sophomore for the Prep, which finished 5-5 last season and lost to La Salle College High in the Catholic League final.
He is the latest player to join the St. Joe’s Prep-to-Ohio State pipeline. Recently, his brother, Marvin, Kyle McCord, Maxwell Roy, and Isaiah West also chose to start their college careers with the Buckeyes after playing at the Prep.
Jett is the son of NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison Sr., who played at Syracuse. Marvin Jr. was selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals.
Jett Harrison joins defensive lineman Jameer Whyce (Dayton, Ohio) and running back Elijah Newman-Hall (Bradenton, Fla.) as Ohio State’s commitments so far in the class of 2028.
Between four events this past weekend, including one where Jason Kelce drank beer from a prosthetic leg, Kelce’s Team 62 broke its own fundraising record for the sixth year in a row.
Raising $1.26 million for the Eagles Autism Foundation, the events that were held at Ocean Drive in Sea Isle City on June 24-25 saw another year of huge crowds. This year, efforts stretched beyond the bar, with an online auction, beer bowl, and a family-friendly park takeover complete with an all-abilities sports clinic, and a silent disco.
Since 2021, Team 62 — the name an homage to Jason Kelce’s Eagles jersey number — has expanded from a single celebrity bartending event to a multiday affair that has raised more than $3.69 million for the Eagles Autism Foundation.
“We are beyond thankful for everyone’s support and generosity in setting a Team 62 fundraising record,” Jason and Kylie Kelce said in a statement. “While we are certainly humbled by the overwhelming success this year, it’s not surprising when you’re surrounded by such an incredible group of people.”
The Eagles Autism Foundation was founded in 2019, and has raised over $56 million. The proceeds go toward funding more than 223 research projects and community grants worldwide. The Eagles efforts were recognized Tuesday when ESPN announced that team owner Jeffrey Lurie will be recognized with the Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award, acknowledging his philanthropy in connection with autism awareness.
Kylie Kelce adds some money to the cash register during the Shore Birds celebrity bartending event in Sea Isle.Courtesy of the Philadelphia Eagles
The Kelces have taken part in not only the Team 62 event but the annual Eagles Autism Challenge as well.
“Jason and Kylie Kelce have always been incredible ambassadors for the Eagles Autism Foundation,” Ryan Hammond, the foundation’s executive director, said in a statement. “It is their passion, creative vision, and drive that have transformed this annual fundraiser into one of our biggest events.”
The Kelces certainly know how to fundraise with style, recruiting friends in their celebrity network to sling beers and serve gelatin shots. Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean, rugby star Ilona Maher, and more brought multiple fan bases to the Jersey Shore bar.
“The growth of this event all starts with our good friends at the Ocean Drive enthusiastically leaning into this idea of ours back in 2021,” the Kelces said in a statement. “Six years later, we now stand here amazed at what we’ve accomplished for the autism community. A special thank you also goes out to the Eagles organization, the incredible town of Sea Isle City, and most importantly, the best fans in the world for always showing up and supporting such a worthy cause.”
And show up they did, raising $1.26 million in just 36 hours, between tickets, donations, drink sales.
Long rumored to be a target of the Flyers for the fourth line, Noel Acciari is heading to Philly after signing a two-year deal that carries a $2.8 million average annual value. His arrival comes less than a week after the Flyers traded fourth-line winger and fellow veteran agitator Garnet Hathaway to Florida.
“Checks a lot of boxes,” Flyers general manager Danny Brière said Wednesday. “The experience, playoff experience, the hardness, the fourth-line role, face-offs, the leadership. So, we just felt it was a good mix for where we are now and what we needed. We talked about [our] younger lineup — we realized that — and we felt it was a good fit, and he’s the guy we targeted.”
Acciari, 34, had 13 goals, 25 points, and an impressive plus-14 rating in 67 games last season for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Noel Acciari (center) had 13 goals, 25 points, and an impressive plus-14 rating in 67 games last season for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
During the regular season, Acciari was part of a melee with Trevor Zegras that saw both players tossed after Acciari wasn’t too happy with the Flyers forward knocking off his helmet. He had one assist in six playoff games against the Flyers, winning 61% of his faceoffs in the series.
“He’s going to hopefully bring some offense as well. What he did now in the playoffs with our stingy defense, he wasn’t able to do much, but we respect that,” Brière said with a grin. “Now, the way he played, though, in the playoffs, he was hard to face. Our guys did not like playing against him, completely dominated us in the face-off circle, and we thought that he would be a player that could really help us.”
A natural center — and a right-shot, which makes him the only one on the NHL roster — Acciari also has played a lot of wing, including in Pittsburgh, where he combined with Connor Dewar and Blake Lizotte to make up one of the league’s top fourth lines.
Known primarily for his faceoff prowess, agitation abilities, and penalty killing, Acciari has also quietly registered four double-digit goal seasons with bottom-of-the-lineup deployment, including a 20-goal campaign in 2019-20 with the Panthers. Last season, Acciari won 52% of his faceoffs (53.5% since 2022-23) and ranked 11th among all NHL forwards in average shorthanded ice time per game at 2 minutes, 35 seconds.
“It’s options that are good to have,” Brière said. “He can play center [but] the most important piece for us when we targeted him was what he can bring taking face-offs on the right side. … We were looking for a right-shot center, also a guy that brings us a little hardness, a guy that can be versatile as he is, and a little offense.”
In 585 career games with the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Penguins, Acciari has amassed 81 goals and 144 points. He was a teammate of Owen Tippett’s in Florida and worked with Todd Reirden in Pittsburgh for one season. He and Dan Vladař also briefly overlapped in the Boston organization. In 2019, he was a valuable contributor for a Bruins team that came up one game short of winning the Stanley Cup.
Acciari was a major target as he fit specific needs with the Flyers wanting to see their young players grow and develop their games this upcoming season.
“Our young guys have shown a lot of promise last year, the way they battled in the playoffs. I think they deserve the first look, and it’s part of the reason why we didn’t feel like we had to dive in, other than that specific need with Acciari,” Brière said. “Didn’t feel like we need to go out and blow our brains out on crazy contracts on the outside. … If they can’t do it, then we’ll readjust along the way.”
Flyers add organizational depth
The Flyers also added depth to Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League, signing forwards Zach Aston-Reese, Danila Klimovich, and Jack Studnicka, and defenseman Cam Dineen, who is a native of Toms River, Ocean County. It comes as the Phantoms get retooled with several players either not brought back as unrestricted free agents or not given qualifying offers.
“Give them a little spunk,” Brière said about the new additions. “Also, two things there: first, it’s a little depth for us. You’re going to run into some injuries along the way, so you want guys that could help you if you need [it].
“Change a little bit of the vibes too down in Lehigh and protect some of our young players that are turning pro [like Oliver] Bonk, who was there last year but the Bonk, the [Spencer] Gill on defense, [Jett] Luchanko, [Cole] Knuble up front. Try to protect them too, and give them some players that have some experience at the pro level to hopefully give them a chance to get on to building some confidence, because eventually we hope to see some of the young guys step up and play here.”
Aston-Reese’s deal is a two-year deal with an AAV of $875,000. Klimovich has signed a one-year, two-way contract with, according to a league source, a cap hit of $850,000 in the NHL.
A league source has also confirmed that Dineen’s two-year, two-way deal is for $850,000 in the NHL, the league’s minimum. Studnicka is signed to a two-year, two-way deal.
The Flyers added Zach Aston-Reese in an organizational depth move on Wednesday.Lindsey Wasson
Aston-Reese, who is best known for his time with the Penguins and can play center or wing, has compiled 49 goals and 102 points in 416 career NHL games. The 31-year-old from Staten Island, N.Y., split last season between the Columbus Blue Jackets and their AHL team in Cleveland, tallying five points in 27 NHL games and another 16 points in 27 AHL contests. He will be expected to compete for an NHL spot in training camp, but he seems more likely to be ticketed for the AHL.
He has some ties to the Flyers organization. In Pittsburgh, he worked with Mark Recchi, a senior adviser who was an assistant coach, and Reirden, and played with Garrett Wilson, the Phantoms captain, in the NHL and AHL. Aston-Reese was a teammate of Acciari and new backup goalie, Joseph Woll, in Toronto. He also worked with Flyers assistant coach Jay Varady in the Detroit Red Wings organization and played with David Jiříček in the Columbus’ system.
Drafted in the second round by the Vancouver Canucks in 2021, Klimovich has spent the past five seasons playing for Abbotsford of the AHL. Last year, the 6-foot-2, 202-pound right winger had 34 points (18 goals, 16 assists) in 63 regular-season games and was a member of the 2025 Calder Cup championship team, scoring four goals in 16 playoff games.
Klimovich, 23, was a teammate of goalie Aleksei Kolosov with Belarus at the 2021 IIHF men’s World Championships and overlapped with Rick Tocchet and Yogi Svejkovský’s time in the Canucks organization.
The talented Studnicka, 27, has never seemed to stick in the NHL. Across 126 NHL games in six seasons, the right-shot center has six goals and 16 points, but in the AHL, he has 69 goals and 192 points in 266 games.
He is coming off a season where he had 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists) in 41 games for Charlotte of the AHL and played in 19 games, but did not get on the scoresheet for the Florida Panthers. His best pro season was 23 goals and 49 points in 60 games with the Providence Bruins in 2019-20, when he was a teammate of Flyers goalie Dan Vladař. Studnicka’s other Flyers ties are with Tocchet, Svejkovský, and Klimovich in Vancouver and Tippett at the 2019 World Juniors for Canada.
Dineen, 28, is a local kid who has played 38 NHL games, notching seven assists, between the Arizona Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers. In 383 AHL games, he has 37 goals and 191 points, including 10 power-play goals. This past season, he had 21 points in 40 games for Bakersfield, the Oilers’ farm team, and two years ago he had his best season with 43 points in 59 games.
In his final year of juniors, he was traded to Sarnia of the Ontario Hockey League, where former Flyers defenseman Derian Hatcher was the head coach. Drafted by Arizona in the third round of the 2016 draft, he played three seasons for Varady with Tucson of the AHL.
Breakaways
The Flyers announced that Carl Grundström re-signed for one-year at $1 million. … Former Flyers goalie Sam Ersson signed with the Ottawa Senators for two years with an AAV of $2.2 million; forward Bobby Brink signed with the Minnesota Wild for one year at $2.75 million; and defenseman Noah Juulsen signed with the Colorado Avalanche for two years with an AAV of $1.1 million. … Ex-Phantoms defenseman Christian Kyrou and forward Philip Tomasino signed with the Senators. … Ex-Flyers Scott Laughton (Los Angeles Kings) and Andrei Kuzmenko (Pittsburgh Penguins) also signed new deals. … Overnight, the Flyers lost out on defenseman John Carlson, who inked with the Tampa Bay Lightning for two years at an AAV of $8.5 million. … Flyers defenseman Adam Ginning signed with Vegas. … Former Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov returned to the Kontinental Hockey League, signing a two-year deal with Spartak Moskva.
Kelly Oubre Jr. will not return to the 76ers, instead agreeing to a two-year contract worth “nearly” $17 million with the Indiana Pacers, ESPN reported Wednesday afternoon.
Oubre’s departure became more plausible when the Sixers agreed to sign forward Dean Wade, who now is projected to slide into a starting spot, to a four-year, $39 million contract late Tuesday, The Inquirer confirmed.
Oubre rebuilt his NBA career in three seasons with the Sixers, and now joins a Pacers team that made the 2025 NBA Finals and is expected to return to contention when All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton recovers from a torn Achilles tendon.
The 30-year-old Oubre was a starter who impacted both ends of the floor for the Sixers, averaging 14.1 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 50 games in 2025-26. The 6-foot-8 wing used his athleticism in a more controlled way on offense, shot a career-best 36% from three-point range last season, and was willing to take on challenging perimeter defensive assignments.
Oubre signing with Indiana occurred after he also reportedly planned to meet with at least the Sixers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Portland Trail Blazers. The Sixers had Oubre’s full Bird rights, which permit teams to re-sign their own free agents even if they are over the salary cap. Oubre’s new contract with Indiana is only a slight raise on the $8.3 million he made last season, suggesting the Sixers could instead complete their offseason by signing a player to a veteran’s minimum deal to stay under the luxury tax ($201 million).
Though Oubre said “I love it here” in Philly during his end-of-season news conference last month, his length, athleticism, and positional archetype are typically valued leaguewide. Oubre also said he hopes he “did myself a good service” by putting a concerted effort into a more efficient playing style.
Former Sixers guard Kelly Oubre Jr., is reportedly leaving Philly to join the Indiana Pacers. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer
“I learned so much,” Oubre said of his time with the Sixers. “The game of basketball has reinvented itself to me through different lenses and different eyes throughout my tenure here, and I’m forever appreciative for the opportunity to play for this city.
“Obviously I don’t like how [the season] ended. I always say I like to finish what I start, and this is a bit sour for me. But at the end of the day, it’s already written.”
Yet the veteran entering his 12th NBA season also has previous experience with the harsh realities of free agency. Oubre reminded during his end-of-season news conference that, after averaging 20.3 points per game with the Charlotte Hornets in 2022-23, he “still found myself barely getting any contracts” until the Sixers signed him to a veteran’s minimum deal that September.
Oubre’s departure comes after the Sixers also lost sixth man Quentin Grimes, who reportedly agreed to a four-year, $60 million deal with the Lakers Wednesday afternoon. Backup center Andre Drummond, reserve forward Trendon Watford, and veteran guard Kyle Lowry (who is expected to retire) are the Sixers’ other unrestricted free agents and remain uncommitted to returning to Philly or signing with a new team.
During free agency’s first 24 hours, the Sixers also agreed to add reserve center Ariel Hukporti on a one year, $3.4 million deal. They also picked up the team options for Dominick Barlow ($3.4 million) and Dalen Terry ($2.6 million, nonguaranteed until Jan. 10).
Hukporti’s and Wade’s salaries came out of the nontaxpayer midlevel exception, leaving the Sixers with $2.6 million remaining from that to sign an outside player. They also still have the $5.5 million biannual exception.
Dean Wade (right) is expected to slide in the starting role vacated by Kelly Oubre Jr.’s departure. YONG KIM / Staff Photographer
The Sixers entered free agency with limited financial flexibility, with All-NBA guard Tyrese Maxey ($40.8 million), former NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid ($57.7 million), and former perennial All-Star Paul George ($54.1 million) all on max contracts that account for the bulk of the salary cap of nearly $165 million. Using the nontaxpayer midlevel exception on Wade hard-capped the Sixers at the first apron ($209 million).
The Sixers finished last season seventh in the Eastern Conference standings (45-37) and, after their stunning rally from down three games to one to upset the Boston Celtics in the playoffs’ first round, were swept by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks.
It’s been a roller coaster start to his career, but Tyson Foerster’s feet are firmly planted in Philly.
On Wednesday, the 24-year-old winger inked an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $7.1 million. According to league sources, the deal features limited trade protection in years 3-8, but it does not contain a no-move clause. The contract will start in 2027-28, when Foerster was scheduled to become a restricted free agent.
“We believe he’s a big piece and part of our future,” Flyers general manager Danny Brière said Wednesday when asked why he was extended on the day he was eligible.
“It’s another great leader, grown inside the organization. The leadership part, the scoring threat that he is, the 200-foot game that he plays, the size. He’s worked really hard to improve his physical condition, to improve his skating.”
The Flyers now have Foerster, Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim, Owen Tippett, Sean Couturier, Cam York, and Christian Dvorak inked to long-term deals. Goalie Dan Vladař signed a five-year extension that will begin after next season on Wednesday, and restricted free agents Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale are expected to be locked down in the coming days.
Foerster has one more year left on a two-year bridge contract he signed last May at a cap hit of $3.75 million. The GM acknowledged he could have signed him at that time for eight years, but it would have meant he’d be with the Flyers for eight years. Now, between the two deals, he’s slated to play in orange and black for 10. Also, if he had waited, the expectation is that the cap hit would have been larger.
“You probably remember when we drafted him [that] the big knock on him is that he’ll never play in the NHL, [that] this is a fatal flaw, he can’t skate,” Brière said. “He worked really hard at overcoming that, and when you watch him now, it’s not even a question [about] the skating part.
“So a lot of credit goes to him, and he’s growing into a leadership role that’s very important on our team, very respected by his teammates. We see him as a big part and piece of our future. So, to get those guys at a respectable number … you have to jump on them, and we believe he’s going to be a big-time goal scorer and overall player for us, and if we didn’t do it now, it’s going to cost us a lot more down the road.”
Drafted by the Flyers with the 23rd overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft, Foerster has solidified himself as a top-six winger but has battled a multitude of injuries.
Flyers forwards Tyson Foerster and Trevor Zegras are poised to become part of the team’s long-term core.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
This past season, he missed four months with an upper-body injury that required surgery. Injured Dec. 1 during the follow-through of a one-timer against the Pittsburgh Penguins, he underwent surgery in mid-December and missed 49 games.
Before the injury, Foerster had 10 goals and 13 points in the first 21 games of the season, including a goal in the game against Pittsburgh. He was not expected to return during the season, but recovered to do so on April 2 and marked his return with a goal .
Foerster had three goals and one assist in his final eight games before adding another goal in the postseason. He also missed time in November with a lower-body injury from a blocked shot.
“I think right when I came back, we were kind of looking at must-win games. So, the first couple were adrenaline and stuff, and then you kind of get tired or whatnot,” Foerster said at his end-of-season availability. “Everyone’s been playing for so long, and they’re up to speed and stuff. So yeah, it was a little tough,” he said about his lack of production after returning in April.
“But I got no excuses. I came back, and it was a lot of fun for me to come back. I missed the team, and I missed everybody, and I missed playing in front of the fans.”
Two seasons ago, Foerster set career highs in goals (25), assists (18), and points (43) in 81 games. He finished the season on a high with nine goals in his final nine games, including notching his first career hat trick on April 9 against the New York Rangers.
But then his training was impacted in the summer after suffering an elbow injury while playing for Canada at the men’s World Championships last May. He underwent a procedure to remove the infection, and the team said he did not have any structural issues with the elbow. He started training camp in a non-contact jersey, but shed that pretty quickly.
Flyers right wing Tyson Foerster returned after upper-body surgery in December last season and returned in early April, right before the playoffs.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
In his first full season with the Flyers in 2023-24, Foerster played in 77 games and potted 20 goals and 33 assists. He missed four games in February with an injury to his right foot — also scoring in his return. Foerster also had a few injuries that cost him significant time in the minors, including a shoulder injury that cost him most of the 2021-22 season.
A reliable two-way forward, coach Rick Tocchet has also long lauded his shot.
“I’m sure you guys noticed, but I noticed that even in the corner, just a little bit of a play to keep the puck possession, body position, just a little play to our guy, instead of losing the puck. He’s a real smart player,” Tocchet said toward the end of the regular season.
“Even for a guy like him, even if he doesn’t have his A-game, he contributes. … Sometimes those guys are whatever, might not have their best night in the legs, but somehow they contribute. He’s that type of guy for us. He’s a real glue guy for us.”
One year after he was drafted by the Phillies, Gage Wood will make his Citizens Bank Park debut in the Futures Game.
Wood and fellow right-hander Wen-Hui Pan were selected to represent the Phillies in the annual prospect showcase as part of MLB’s All-Star festivities. The seven-inning game takes place July 12 (noon, NBC10).
The Phillies selected Wood with the 26th overall pick last year. After striking out 38% of the batters he faced over eight starts this season at low-A Clearwater, they promoted him two levels to double-A Reading, where he has a 3.86 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 25⅔ innings over seven starts.
Wood, 22, achieved notoriety last year with a no-hitter for Arkansas in the College World Series. He’s widely regarded as the Phillies’ top prospect, though not yet among the top 50 in baseball. MLB Pipeline has him 54th in its midseason rankings, while Baseball America lists him 69th.
Pan, a right-handed reliever, signed with the Phillies as an international amateur from Taiwan in 2023. The 23-year-old missed last season after Tommy John surgery but was promoted to double A roughly two weeks ago.
In 20 appearances at three levels, Pan has a 3.18 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 22⅔ innings, including a 5.40 ERA mark in five games since moving up to Reading.
The future is headed to Citizens Bank Park 🤩
Congratulations to Fightin Phils pitchers Gage Wood and Wen-Hui Pan on being selected to the 2026 All-Star Futures Game! ⭐
— Reading Fightin Phils (@ReadingFightins) July 1, 2026
Like everything about All-Star week, the Futures Game will have a Phillies flavor. Shane Victorino will manage the National League roster, while Larry Bowa will manage the American League. Bowa’s staff will include several former Phillies, notably Michael Bourn (first base coach), Juan Samuel (bench coach), Milt Thompson (hitting coach), and Hall of Fame closer Billy Wagner (pitching coach).
Twelve of the top 13 prospects in Baseball America’s rankings were selected for the Futures Game: infielders Jesús Made (Brewers), Leo De Vries (Athletics), Franklin Arias (Red Sox), George Lombard (Yankees), and Eli Willits (Nationals); outfielders Josue De Paula (Dodgers), Theo Gillen (Rays), and Mike Sirota (Dodgers); pitchers Ryan Sloan (Mariners), Seth Hernandez (Pirates), and Kade Anderson (Mariners); and catcher Ethan Salas (Padres).
NBA free agency opened at 6 p.m. Tuesday, and, within hours, the 76ers had made their first move, agreeing with Dean Wade on a four-year, $39 million deal.
This was the first free agency move for new Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, who previously was the general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers, where Wade spent the first seven seasons of his career.
Outside of his familiarity with Gansey, Wade’s 6-foot-9 frame and versatility on the court have led many to think he could be a good fit in Philly, but his age (29) and contract terms garnered some criticism.
Here’s how experts are grading the move:
ESPN: B+
Wade’s ability to guard perimeter players and his 36.7% career three-point accuracy make him the type of player the Sixers have been seeking for years, ESPN said.
“The 76ers have plenty of guards and centers but a dearth of wing connectors between them” Zach Kram wrote. “Other than Paul George — a big swing on a maximum contract at forward — they’ve cycled through various options who haven’t quite panned out.”
“Philadelphia doesn’t get a full ‘A’ grade here because a four-year contract is a bit rich for a player who will celebrate his 30th birthday in November and already has an extensive injury history. Wade has played between 44 and 59 games in each of the past five seasons — which is a concern, given Philadelphia’s rough injury track record.”
The Athletic was a little more critical of the signing, with the same concerns about the four-year commitment and a lot more pause on Wade’s assets.
“I’ve never fully understood the Wade obsession within the Cavaliers,” Zach Harper wrote. “He’s about a league-average 3-point shooter (36.7 percent). I’m not convinced he’s some great defensive option. He competes on that end but doesn’t have definite matchups you feel great about. He’s never played more than 63 games in a season. He’s never made more than 80 3-pointers in a season. He’s a solid role player, and he could land nicely with Philadelphia. Committing four years is a lot, though.”
New Sixer Dean Wade will turn 30 early next season.Julio Cortez
Bleacher Report: C
Wade’s age and consistency again posed a concern, this time for the Bleacher Report NBA staff, which gave the signing one of the lowest grades among all free agency signings so far.
“Dean Wade has started a lot of games for the Cleveland Cavaliers over the years, but he turns 30 in November, has a career average of 5.3 points and has a barely-above-average three-point percentage,” the Bleacher Report NBA staff wrote. “In theory, a good floor spacer with size can open up a lot of possibilities for a rotation, but Wade’s not consistent enough to really bend defenses. And while he’s generally been a pretty good positional defender, it’s going to be tougher for him to keep up with NBA scorers as he ages into his 30s.”
The only signing graded lower by Bleacher Report was Zach Collins’ two-year $17 million extension with the Chicago Bulls which received a C-.
