Category: Philadelphia 76ers Blog

Philadelphia 76ers guard Markelle Fultz was examined and evaluated today by Dr. Ben Kibler, Medical Director of the Shoulder Center of Kentucky at the Lexington Clinic, for the soreness and scapular muscle imbalance that he has been experiencing in his right shoulder. The soreness is dissipating and the muscle balance is improving, and Fultz will continue with physiotherapy and begin progressing toward full basketball activities. Fultz will be re-evaluated in approximately two to three weeks. His return to gameplay will be determined by how the shoulder responds to progressive basketball training and practices in the interim.

President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo announced today that the Philadelphia 76ers have restructured the terms of forward Robert Covington’s contract for the current season and signed Covington to a multi-year contract extension.

According to ESPN.com, it is a four-year, $62 million extension that “will include a $15 million renegotiation bump on Covington’s $1.57 million salary this season, plus an additional four years that will keep Covington under contract through the 2021-22 season.”

“Robert Covington is a prime example of what hard work, dedication and commitment can lead to. Rob’s growth as a player on both ends of the floor makes him one of the most versatile and effective wings in the league, while his contributions of character and professionalism feature prominently in our evolving organizational culture. This extension is both well-deserved, and a really great story,” Colangelo said.

Through 14 games this season, Covington holds averages of 16.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals in 31.1 minutes per game. His scoring average, 50 percent mark from the field and 49.5 percent mark from three-point range (eighth in the NBA) all represent career-highs.

The fifth-year forward has converted on 50 three-pointers this season, which ranks fourth in the NBA and he is one of just nine players in the league with at least 20 steals and 10 blocks in 2017-18. After leading the league in deflections per game a season ago, and finishing fourth in the league’s Defensive Player of the Year voting, his average of 3.4 deflections per contest this season places him fourth among NBA players.

Covington is one of 14 NBA players to make at least 500 three-pointers since the start of the 2014-15 season, while his 524 three-pointers in a 76ers uniform rank fourth in franchise history, behind Hall of Famer Allen Iverson, Kyle Korver and Andre Iguodala. He has finished second on the team in steals in each of his seasons in Philadelphia and is one of 17 players league-wide with at least 350 steals in that timeframe. Just five players have both 500 threes and 350 steals in that span.

Covington signed with the Sixers on Nov. 15, 2014 after being waived by Houston. In 217 games (178 starts), he holds averages of 13.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.6 steals in 28.6 minutes per game with Philadelphia. Covington originally was unselected in the 2013 NBA Draft after four seasons at Tennessee State and signed a free-agent contract with the Rockets in July 2013.

Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo announced today that the team has exercised the third-year options on the contracts of guard-forward Ben Simmons, forward Dario Šarić and guard-forward Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, as well as the fourth-year option on the contract of guard-forward Justin Anderson.

By exercising their options, these players will be under contract with the Sixers for the 2018-19 season.

Simmons, the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, is in the midst of his first NBA season. He became just the third player ever to post a triple-double within the first four games of his career when he registered 21 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against Detroit on Oct. 23. The Australia native began his career with double-doubles in his first four games as he was the first player to do so since Shaquille O’Neal notched double-doubles in his first 11 career contests in 1992-93.

Šarić, who was acquired by Philadelphia in a draft-night trade in 2014 after being selected 12th overall by the Orlando Magic, joined teammate Joel Embiid on the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team a season ago, after finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting. In his debut season, the Croatia native played in 81 games (36 starts) and averaged 12.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 26.3 minutes per game. He was the 11th rookie in franchise history to score at least 1,000 points (1,068) and the first foreign-born member of the group.

Luwawu-Cabarrot was drafted by the Sixers with the 24th overall selection in the 2016 NBA Draft. He went on to appear in 69 games (19 starts), averaging 6.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game as a rookie in 2016-17. The 6-6 swingman from France, started the last 18 games of the season while averaging 12.9 points in those contests. He produced a 23-point performance at Toronto on April 2 and a career-high 24-point outing vs. Indiana on April 10.

Anderson, who was acquired by the Sixers on Feb. 23, 2017 from the Dallas Mavericks, has appeared in 29 games for Philadelphia. His best outing as a Sixer came on April 12 at New York, when he tallied a career-high 26 points on 9-of-11 shooting. Against his former team on Mar. 17, Anderson scored 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds in 26 minutes. As a member of the 76ers, he has increased his scoring, rebounding and assist averages as well as his field goal and three-point percentages. The third-year man out of Virginia was originally selected by Dallas with the 21st overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.

The Philadelphia 76ers have waived guard Andrew Andrews, forward Marc Loving and forward James Webb III, 76ers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo announced today.

With the move, the Sixers roster stands at 17 players, including two Two-Way players (James Michael McAdoo and Jacob Pullen) who will spend time with Philadelphia and its G League affiliate, the Delaware 87ers.

The Philadelphia 76ers have converted guard Jacob Pullen’s contract to a two-way contract, 76ers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo announced today.

And in separate moves, Philadelphia has agreed to terms with guard Andrew Andrews, forward Marc Loving and forward James Webb III.

Per NBA rules, teams are permitted to sign two players to two-way contracts in addition to the 15-man NBA regular-season roster. A two-way player for the Sixers will provide services to the team’s G League affiliate – the Delaware 87ers – but can spend up to 45 days with the Sixers, not including any time spent with the Sixers prior to the start of Sevens’ training camp or following the conclusion of the Sevens’ regular season. Pullen is the second player that the Sixers have signed to a two-way contract, joining James Michael McAdoo.

Pullen appeared in four preseason games with the Sixers, posting averages of 2.8 points and 1.0 assist in 6.8 minutes per game. He most recently played professionally for BC Khimki of the VTB United League in Russia. Across VTB and Eurocup play, Pullen appeared in 40 games and averaged 10 points and two assists per contest. Since 2011, he has played professionally in Italy, Israel, Spain and Croatia in addition to his most recent season in Russia.

A 6-foot-1-inch guard, Pullen starred at Kansas State from 2007-11, averaging 16 points, two rebounds, three assists and two steals across 135 games (67 starts). As a senior in 2010-11, he posted 20 points and four assists per game as he was named First Team All-Big 12; an honor he also earned as a junior. The Wildcats reached the NCAA Tournament in three of Pullen’s four seasons at the school, including an appearance in the 2010 Elite Eight.

Andrews spent last season playing for Best Balikesir Basketbol Kulubu in the Turkish Basketball Super League. He appeared in 19 games (18 starts) and averaged 14.2 points on .431 shooting along with 3.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Andrews was undrafted in 2016, following a four-year career at University of Washington, which included 2016 Pac-12 All-Conference First Team honors after leading the league in scoring (20.9 ppg). The Portland, Oregon native spent 2016 training camp with the Charlotte Hornets, appearing in three preseason games.

Loving was undrafted in 2017. He played four seasons at Ohio State University, appearing in 134 games (86 starts) for head coach Thad Matta. For his career, Loving averaged 10.0 points on .419 shooting with 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 25.5 minutes for the Buckeyes. As a junior, he helped Ohio State reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament, earning 2016 All-Big Ten honorable mention honors. Loving is a native of Toledo, Ohio.

Webb III spent the 2016-17 season with the Delaware 87ers of the NBA G League, appearing in 39 games (all starts) averaging 13.1 points on .447 shooting and 9.3 rebounds in 34.8 minutes per contest. The Augusta, Georgia native was on the Sixers 2016 training camp roster, appearing in six preseason games before joining the Sevens for the regular season. Webb III was undrafted 2016 after three standout seasons with the Boise State University basketball program where he was named Mountain West All-Conference First Team as a senior.

The Philadelphia 76ers have waived guard James Blackmon Jr., forward Kris Humphries and center Emeka Okafor, 76ers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo announced today.

Blackmon Jr. originally signed with Philadelphia on Aug. 30 after spending time with the Sixers Summer League teams in Utah and Las Vegas. He appeared in four preseason games and averaged 3.0 points in 5.6 minutes per game.

Humphries and Okafor both signed with the Sixers on Sept. 26. Humphries played in three preseason games, while Okafor appeared in four.