Philadelphia 76ers, Dean Wade agree to terms on 4-year deal as Mike Gansey era gets underway, report says

The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to terms with forward Dean Wade on a four-year, $39 million deal Tuesday night, according to a report from ESPN. 

Wade, 29, averaged 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and shot 36.2% on 3-pointers in 59 games last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he played for seven seasons. 

Wade is the first free-agent addition to the Sixers since Mike Gansey replaced Daryl Morey as the team's new president of basketball operations.

Gansey reportedly helped bring Wade to the Cavaliers as an undrafted free agent in 2019, when he was Cleveland's assistant general manager at the time.

Wade, a Wichita, Kansas, native played at Kansas State in college before going undrafted in 2019 and landing in Cleveland on a two-way deal. He then earned a standard deal and another contract extension before getting paid by the Sixers in free agency. 

Wade joins Philadelphia as the team has a clear need at power forward heading into the 2026-27 season, and he'll have a chance to star alongside Joel Embiid and Paul George in the team's frontcourt. 

The NBA's official tampering period began at 6 p.m. Tuesday, and the Sixers will have several tough decisions to make. Deals can't become official until July 6 at 12:01 p.m.

The Sixers have several free agents who could go elsewhere, including Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andre Drummond. 

In the 2026 NBA draft last week, the Sixers selected Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. to add depth to team's backcourt behind Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.