76ers ink former first-round pick, still have important decisions that will impact rest of season

The Philadelphia 76ers have faced significant adversity this season, including injuries and the suspension of Paul George. Still, the 76ers are hanging onto a top-6 playoff spot in the Eastern Conference for the time being. The Sixers will have some important roster decisions to make over the All-Star break, and those choices will likely have a major impact on whether they are a playoff team.

76ers Ink Former First-Round Pick, Still Have Important Decisions That Will Impact Rest Of Season

Philadelphia dropped to 30-23 on the season after last night’s 135-118 blowout loss at Portland. The 76ers, who entered the game against the Trail Blazers having won 6 of 7, were extremely shorthanded last night as Joel Embiid, Quentin Grimes, and Dominick Barlow joined George on the sidelines.

As a result, Justin Edwards, Kyle Lowry, and MarJon Beauchamp got considerable run in the game. Beachamp, making his Sixers debut, played  20 minutes while Lowry saw action in a season-high 18 minutes in just his seventh game of the season.

Grimes sat out due to the game versus Portland after being a late addition to the injury report due to illness. Barlow was also sick while Embiid missed the game due to injury management. Grimes and Barlow should be available on Wednesday versus New York. However, Embiid will likely sit out again to ensure he is healthy for the stretch run, though he is officially listed as questionable.

“Injury report for tomorrow vs. Knicks: QUESTIONABLE: Joel Embiid (right knee injury management), Quentin Grimes (illness), Dominick Barlow (illness),” Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire tweeted.

Speaking of the all-star break, the time off will give 76ers president of basketball operations Darryl Morey time to plug some roster holes. While the Sixers are technically carrying 17 players, Charles Bassey and Patrick Baldwin Jr. are on 10-day deals that will expire over the break. 

Bassey, on his second 10-day deal, has yet to play for the 76ers. His present 10-day contract is set to expire on February 15.  Meanwhile, Baldwin Jr. saw only two minutes in his lone appearance, and his deal will also end on February 15. Additionally, with George having served five of the 25-game suspension, he has been moved to the league’s suspended list.

What Can The 76ers Do?

As a result, Philadelphia can add three players.  However, the 76ers are just $1.5 million below the tax line. The Sixers also had an open two-way spot before signing Dalen Terry to a minor league deal earlier today.

Terry averaged 3.5 points and nearly two rebounds in 34 games while shooting 44.1% from the field and 41.3% from the 3-point line. Terry, who has 204 games of NBA experience, was selected with the No. 18 pick in 2022. He was traded to New York and then to New Orleans at the trade deadline. The Pelicans waived him on February 6.

Despite being in his fourth NBA season, Terry is still in a developmental stage, as he is just 23. Terry is an athletic, lengthened, connecting wing whose value lies in the energy and defense he brings. He can guard 1 through 3 and some small power forwards. Additionally, he loves to run the floor in transition and is capable of making quick decisions.

Terry could get some run with the 76ers. Jabari Walker is out of eligibility as a two-way player, and Beauchamp has been just as big a disappointment as Terry has. Plus, Beauchamp does not have the upside that Terry does.

However, Terry will have to show that he can knock down jumpers consistently. He shoots a decent 44% from the field, but he shoots less than 32% from the arc for his career. The 6-6 shooting guard is mainly a straight-line driver, though he is not good at breaking down defenders.

Terry is eligible for up to 18 contests on his two-way deal. But the Sixers will have to maintain 15 players on standard contracts for him or Beauchamp to play more games, per Luke Adams of Hooprumors.

Sixers Plan On Being Active On The Buy-Out Market?

It was originally thought that Philadelphia traded Jared McCain and Eric Gordon was to open a pair of roster spots for them to promote Walker and Barlow.  Walker has appeared in 45 contests but has been sidelined since February 3. Also, the last time he was a major part of the Sixers rotation was on January 26.

While Walker has been an important member of the 76ers’ bench, he hasn’t been good enough to warrant a standard deal. The 6-8 forward averaged 3.7 points and 3.1 boards with 40.3/27/72.7. He scored in double figures just three times and produced one double-double.

Nevertheless, Walker could still get a standard contract. However, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Sixers want to be active on the buyout market.

“Jabari, for sure,” Morey said a couple of days ago/“Not to reference our [collective bargaining agreement] we all live under, [but] it’s sort of like, you know, annoying … just how it all works, that Jabari can’t play for some games here. He’s obviously been part of our next man up mentality. I think coach [Nick] Nurse has done a good job when we’ve had players in and out, which we’ve had fewer of this year.

“He’s been a tremendous next man up type contributor,” Morey continued about Walker. “We hope to have his services going forward, but we do have to weigh optimal use of our sort of scarce two roster spots, and against the other opportunities as well. So that’ll be written over time, whether or not we do that conversion there.”

Pompey said the 76ers can add two rest-of-season minimum-salary contracts without entering tax territory. Pompey added that  Chris Boucher, Lonzo Ball, and forward Haywood Highsmith are potential options.