The Sixers waived Hasheem Thabeet on Monday, according to the RealGM transactions log, though the team has yet to formally announce the move. That means the club released him on the final day before his non-guaranteed $1.25MM salary for this coming season was to have become fully guaranteed, even though it initially appeared as though the Sixers missed that deadline. Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported last week that they were likely to release the former No. 2 overall pick after acquiring him via trade from the Thunder.
The move is the latest indignity yet for the once highly touted 7’3″ prospect whose NBA career started slowly, with a D-League assignment in his rookie season, and never reached its potential. Thabeet is set to become a free agent later today providing he clears waivers, a likely outcome even though his salary isn’t for too much more than the minimum. Teams can’t claim a player making any more than the minimum unless they have cap space, a trade exception, or a disabled player exception, and Thabeet probably isn’t tempting enough to entice a club to burn one of those resources. Still, providing he hits free agency, the timing of the move gives him a chance to sign with a team for training camp.
The trade that sent him to Philadelphia appeared to be chiefly about clearing his salary and creating a trade exception from Oklahoma City’s perspective, while the Sixers netted $100K in cash for their trouble. Thabeet’s release leaves the Sixers with 16 players, only half of whom have guaranteed deals for the coming season.