The Sixers don’t expect that draft-and-stash prospect Jordan McRae will be at training camp in spite of an August report that he would be, a source tells Michael Kaskey-Blomain of Around the Arc. Philadelphia issued the required tender of a non-guaranteed one-year offer for the minimum salary that the team had to make to retain McRae’s draft rights, but the Tandem Sports & Entertainment client hasn’t taken that yet, Kaskey-Blomain writes, cautioning that the situation may still change before the start of camp. J.P. Tokoto, this year’s No. 58 pick, reportedly signed his required tender from the Sixers. Tokoto is one of 20 players aside from McRae with whom the Sixers reportedly have either signed contracts or verbal agreements, as our roster count shows, and Philadelphia can’t bring more than that to camp, so McRae would risk ending up on waivers even before camp began if he were to sign the tender.
His alternatives would be playing overseas or in the D-League, since he can’t sign with another NBA team. McRae, a 6’5″ shooting guard who was the 58th overall pick in 2014, connected on only 29.5% of his shots from the floor during four summer league games in July, as Kaskey-Blomain points out. He nonetheless managed to score by other means for the summer Sixers, averaging six made free throws and 12.5 points on 11.0 field goal attempts per game. McRae, now 24, averaged 19.9 PPG in 27 games with CTI Melbourne United in Australia last year, and their season ended early enough for him to join the Sixers D-League affiliate for 13 contests. He put up 18.4 PPG for the D-League Delaware 87ers.
Philadelphia acquired the rights to McRae, along with the rights to 2014 No. 60 pick Cory Jefferson, in a draft-night deal last year with the Spurs, who received the rights to Nemanja Dangubic, the 54th pick that year. The Sixers flipped Jefferson’s rights to the Nets for cash.
Do you think the Sixers should work out a deal with McRae for camp or let him continue to develop elsewhere? Leave a comment to tell us.
I think McRae should be offered a guaranteed contract. When you look at the sixes roster not other player on it besides Wallace could have had a better season if playing in a league like Australia, Avg. 19 points. No one could have did a 13 game stint in D-league and Avg 18 points. McRae us the scorer they need he has out played Stackus in college in Sweet 16 they guarded each other. Out play Wilberkin over seas in Australia. If this guy isn’t on the roster you can take everyone of there shooting guards this season add there points up and no matter were he plays this year he is going to out score them all. So I don’t know what else this guy has to do to show he is the best guard the sixers will come across for the next 10 yrs. If you don’t believe me just watch in Phila. Or a team near you. And you can TRUST THAT PROCESS!!!