Sixers' Kelly Oubre Jr. discusses free agency following Round 2 loss

PHILADELPHIA -- Now that the 2025-26 season is in the books for the Philadelphia 76ers, the focus now turns to the offseason. The Sixers had a solid season at 45-37 plus a historic Round 1 comeback win over the Boston Celtics, but were then swept in Round 2 by the New York Knicks.

As the Sixers now look ahead to the summer, there are some free agency questions to address. One of them is Kelly Oubre Jr., an 11-year veteran who has spent three seasons with the Sixers now. He is coming off a productive season with averages of 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists while shooting a career-high 36.0% from deep.

"I love it here, of course, but it's not my first rodeo," Oubre said of free agency. "I've averaged 20 points in this league and still found myself barely getting any contracts, right? But at the end of the day, man, I learned so much. 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."

Oubre came to Philadelphia in the 2023 offseason looking to retool himself a bit and be a part of winning basketball. He was able to accomplish that after, as he said, not receiving any offers until late in that offseason after he averaged 20.3 points in his final season with the Charlotte Hornets. He has been an impactful player in Philadelphia and will look to keep things moving in the right direction.

"Obviously, I don't like how it ended," Oubre said of the season. "I always say I like to finish where I start, and this is a bit sour for me, but at the end of the day, man, it's already written. God already has it written upstairs, and it's just gonna follow through. So, I hope I did myself a good service by being more efficient, slowing down and just playing better overall basketball, and just continue to grow as a human being and as a player. So it's already written, and we'll see where the chips fall."

In terms of what Oubre is looking for in free agency, he is focused so much on his family as he wants them to be in a spot where they can be comfortable, especially his children.

"Somewhere where I'm loved," Oubre continued. "Just somewhere where my family can be comfortable. You know, I have a family now. So, it's not like I'm thinking for myself and being able to do spontaneous stuff, right? So, I just want my kids to have somewhere that they can call home."