Philly Grabs Another Ex-Blazer, But the Real Buzz Is Still About LeBron

The 76ers quietly checked off another piece of business this week, adding a young face on a two-way deal. But everyone knows where the real attention is.

Rayan Rupert is the guy. The 22-year-old shooting guard signed a two-way contract with Philadelphia on Wednesday, according to Sixers insider Zach Ciavolella of the Philly Sports Network. Rupert was a second-round pick by Portland back in 2023 and spent last season bouncing around, eventually landing eight games with the Memphis Grizzlies where he averaged 12.2 points a night.

The two-way deal gives the Sixers some flexibility. Rupert can shuttle between the main roster and the Delaware Blue Coats in the G-League if needed. He’s young, cheap, and fits the mold of a developmental project the front office seems to like collecting.

But here’s the thing nobody is pretending isn’t happening. The LeBron James rumors are still swirling. Philadelphia is one of the teams that keeps popping up in conversations about where the four-time champ could land this summer, and even 76ers president Bob Myers has reportedly been working the phones with James’ agent Rich Paul, pitching Philly as a destination.

More roster moves could be coming

Adding Rupert doesn’t just happen in a vacuum. The Sixers might need to clear space before things get busy. Austin Krell, who covers the team for Sports Illustrated, pointed out that Philadelphia could cut Jabari Walker (whose contract is partially guaranteed) or Dalen Terry (non-guaranteed) without taking a big financial hit. They’ve already used their exceptions, so anything else from here would have to be minimum deals.

Caleb Love is another name worth mentioning. He also came over from Portland and signed a two-way contract earlier. But so far, no chatter about him being on the move.

All of this is happening while the NBA waits on LeBron. Wherever he goes, it’ll reshape the conference. And the Sixers are making sure they have a seat at the table, even if that means stacking up former Blazers and creating roster flexibility along the way.

Rupert probably isn’t the headline move fans were hoping for. But this is how teams get ready for the big swings. You clear the deck, you add depth on cheap deals, and you stay ready.