Zach Lowe free-agency update: 'First domino is Paul George, Sixers waiting'

NBA basketball writer Zach Lowe provided an update on the Philadelphia 76ers as we near the start of NBA free-agency.

"The first real domino is going to be Paul George and what happens with the Clippers," Lowe said on the latest episode of The Lowe Post podcast . "The Sixers are sitting there waiting. They're going to use this cap space one way or another…If not him, there's been reports elsewhere about some potential—is there wiggle room with OG Anunoby and the Knicks? Is OG happy with the offer that is out there? I would still be pretty optimistic given all the connections that he is going to be a Knick, but the Sixers are looming there as like, 'Hey, we got to use it.' It's like use it or lose it almost for us. Joel Embiid is right in his prime, his health has been unreliable, we've got to try to win."

The Sixers are set to have around $60 million in cap space this offseason, which is among the most in the NBA. Lowe mentions that if they are unable to acquire a top tier free-agent like PG or OG, they could go the route of splitting their cap space up to acquire a bunch of mid-level free-agents.

"If they don’t get any of those guys they can split that [cap] room among two, three, four different kinds of players—different level of players and maybe that is the better model for them?"

One name Lowe mentioned specifically, who has flown under the radar, is 31-year-old Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who is a career 36.9-percent three-point shooter and has a $15.44 million player option.

"A bunch of names have been mentioned and one that I don't think has been mentioned, I think Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a free-agent to watch this Summer potentially as a player option," Lowe said. "He's in a good position to secure a nice long term deal, I think Philly will take a look at him. Then the Lakers have to make a decision in the draft with Bronny James and of course Bronny's father LeBron has a player option."

A new rule has allowed NBA teams to negotiate with their own free-agents immediately following the conclusion of the NBA Finals.

The NBA Draft is on June 26th (round one) and June 27th (round two).

Teams can start negotiating with all upcoming free-agents beginning on June 30th at 6:00 pm E.T.

Teams can begin officially signing free-agents to contract on July 6th at 12:01 am E.T.