The Philadelphia 76ers front office has been busy the day before the NBA’s free agency window officially opens Tuesday at 6 p.m. EST. And of their moves, one decision is making more noise than the rest.
According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, the Sixers picked up team options on forward Dom Barlow and guard Dalen Terry. Both are coming back to Philly next season. But the team also declined its option on Trendan Watford, who’ll become an unrestricted free agent.
Barlow, 23, just had the best year of his four-year career. He averaged career highs across the board: 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists a night. He shot nearly 54% from the floor, though from deep he hit just 25.6%. Still, as a key bench piece for head coach Nick Nurse, Barlow proved he could absorb minutes and make a difference in the rotation.
Terry’s situation is a little different. The 23-year-old guard only played 14 regular season games for the Sixers after coming over in a trade. In those 14 outings, he averaged 4.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists, shooting 43.4% from the field and 25% from three. It’s a small sample size, but clearly Nurse and the front office saw enough to keep him around. Sometimes that’s all it takes — a couple of weeks of good practices and a solid vibe with the coaching staff.
Watford Hits the Open Market
On the flip side, the Sixers chose not to pick up Trendon Watford’s team option. That means Watford, 24, is now an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any team.
Watford played 53 games for the Sixers last season and started seven of them. But his minutes dropped compared to his previous stint with the Brooklyn Nets. He averaged 16.3 minutes a night in Philly versus 20.8 with the Nets. His numbers: 6.5 points, 3.3 boards and 2.5 dimes, shooting 51.5% from the field and a rough 20% from distance.
It’s not hard to see why the Sixers might want to move on. Watford is versatile and can play both forward spots, but he never really carved out a consistent role in Philadelphia. And with the roster likely to see more changes this summer, the front office probably decided to free up a roster spot and see what else is out there.
Watford will have options though. Teams looking for a big wing who can handle the ball and pass a little might take a flier on him. He’s only 24 and has shown flashes. It just didn’t click in Philly the way either side probably hoped.
The Sixers now head into free agency with two roster spots already decided — Barlow and Terry are locked in. Whether they make a splash signing or keep tinkering around the edges, at least they know who’ll be in the gym when training camp starts.
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