JULY 17: The Sixers’ agreement with Bjelica has fallen apart, with the forward opting to return to Europe for the 2018/19 season. We have more details right here.
JULY 5: The Sixers will sign Nemanja Bjelica to a contract, a source tells Jake Fischer of SI.com (Twitter link). According to Fischer, Bjelica will receive Philadelphia’s room exception, which is worth $4.449MM in 2018/19. It’ll be a one-year deal, adds ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
Bjelica began July as a restricted free agent, but when the Timberwolves reached an agreement to sign Anthony Tolliver, they withdrew their qualifying offer to Bjelica, making him unrestricted. As such, Minnesota won’t be able to match Philadelphia’s offer to the veteran forward.
Bjelica, 30, was a key contributor off the Wolves’ bench in 2017/18, averaging 6.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 1.3 APG with a .461/.415/.800 shooting line in 67 games (21 starts). In Philadelphia, he’ll fill a stretch-four role vacated by Ersan Ilyasova, who reached a three-year deal with the Bucks early in free agency.
Bjelica will be officially signed after the Sixers use up their cap room to re-sign J.J. Redick and acquire Wilson Chandler from the Nuggets.
The acquisition of Bjelica is the latest in a string of offseason additions for the Sixers. So far this summer, the club has drafted and signed Zhaire Smith and Landry Shamet, agreed to re-sign Redick and Amir Johnson, struck a deal to acquire Chandler, and now reached an agreement with Bjelica.
Philadelphia entered the offseason with 11 players already under contract, so the team will have to trade or waive at least a couple players by mid-October to get down to the 15-man regular-season roster limit. More roster trimming would be required if the club brings draft-and-stash prospect Jonah Bolden stateside for the coming season or signs second-rounder Shake Milton to an NBA contract.
Jerryd Bayless and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot are among the players on guaranteed salaries whose roster spots could be at risk. T.J. McConnell and Richaun Holmes are on non-guaranteed contracts.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Like this signing to replace Ersan. Doesn’t make much sense tho with them resigning Amir and picking up Holmes. Either Holmes is getting traded or I don’t see Bolden coming over this year. I can’t see them carrying six bigs on the roster
I can’t figure out why they keep burying Holmes on the bench
I love his energy, but he seems aloof on defense at times. Those mental lapses are probably hurting his playing time. I was stunned they resigned Amir, but it makes me believe that Holmes is not long for Philly.
A-ha! Somebody came out with it!
I love this signing. I think he’s very underrated and will be a good backup off the bench.
Boom I called this, said get on this guy. Okay so the question is… buyout Bayless, cut or trade who? TLC has little to nofuture, same with Anderson.
Aren’t you a savant lol who knew a younger Ilyasova would replace current Ilyasova. Genius
How old do you think he is? Because they are a year apart and do not have similar career arcs… genius.
This is an easy fix. Bayless waived and stretched. Cabrott waived. Korkmaz traded for a second rounder
If Bayless is waived, I don’t think it makes sense anymore to stretch him — they don’t need more cap room this year, but they’ll want to preserve it for 2019.
Exactly, they are not stretching him, that would be dumb. It adds dead salary for 2 more years. Double the contract + 1 yr = 2.83M a year versus just a buyout saving like… 30% off 8.5M so maybe 6M BO.
I feel like Bayless’ salary could be helpful at the deadline though if they want to make an addition, because he could be sent back to match salary with a pick or two number of good role players.
If they weren’t so deep I would say that’s a logical move. But the sixers need to get down to 15 players and if they keep bayless it will come at the cost of one of their younger players. I’d rather waive bayless now and give the final spot to one of the younger guys.
They are at 19 players right now if you include Bolden, Amir, JJ, and Bjelica, and if they keep Jackson.
So lets assume Milton is a 2way? And they Keep Jackson? They need to get rid of 2 guys. Bayless is the most obvious, but if you value that contract in a trade… Justin Anderson has no role with Chandler on the team. TLC has no role with the team with Smith on the team. Trade or cut them seems like the easiest option. Anderson is injured so no one is trading for him. TLC you may get a future 2nd for him. He did ball out in the 10 win season for the last month. He can shoot and score and defend a bit, but he is a project still. Anderson would be a good Net.
Regular season roster is 15, is it not? I don’t see them keeping Jackson with 4 possible pgs on the roster (Simmons/fultz/TJ/Shamet). Still need to cut 3 guys if they bring bolden over. Those cuts (or trades) are coming from Anderson, TLC, Bayless, Korkmanz, and Holmes. I would really like to see what Korkmanz can do, so I hope they don’t cut him. I like TLC and Anderson’s game, but with drafting Smith it is a bit redundant now with chandler being the top wing reserve. My guess would be Anderson, Bayless, and TLC are gone. Maybe package TLC with Bayless to a team with cap space, throw in a 2nd rounder
17 with 2-Way/G-League contracts
Were you implying that Jackson would get the second 2-way? Assuming Milton takes the other
idk if they have plans for him, haven’t heard much.
I would had rather keep Ilyasova, but I imagine he was more expensive as he is much better than Bjelica, so I suppose for a cheaper version isn’t too bad, also Dario should play even more this year, so no need for such a good guy like Ersan around.
Ersan’s deal would have eaten into future salary cap, whereas bjelica is a one year deal. If ersan would have accepted a one year deal I think they would have done it.
Not at 3/21 hard pass
They are still trying to acquire Kawhi Leonard and that will cost them probably 3 players from the roster. They needed to add depth.
I was thinking the same thing
Ersa Part Deux
So is ZA happy yet with the offseason?
Nope. When I see Damian Lillard acquired or Kawhi + extension. Kawhi no extension or Butler no extension is just a waste of assets. Guys that will leave anyway. If all they do is another year of 1 year deals so be it. They better play Fultz dont care if he cant shoot. Neither could Wall, Fox, Rubio etc… Honestly No Plan seems to be the Plan.
Your view of Fultz seems consistent with the FO’s, such as it is. That’s a blessing, and Dame & Kawhi are still in the bidding.
This signing though, I guess to replace Saric if/when traded. Otherwise why.
I think Saric stays put… the improvement YoY was amazing with Saric, I would not give him up in a trade, add a pick over dealing him.
Damian Lillard isnt getting moved. They might move McCollum, but they wont move Lillard
Yea a lot of philly fans want CJ. I look at him as, what if you started Lou William’s instead of having has the 6th man… very similar style and stat line. CJ is def a better shooter tho, better than Lillard too… but I’d rather mortgage the farm for Lillard than CJ. Heck I’d trade for instant offense Lou on that sweet contract.
Lillard is the one dissatisfied though, supposedly. Portand is unlikely to willingly trade either, but maybe Lillard tries to force one.
So Minnesota pays more for Tolliver to hard cap themselves…and Philly adds Bjelica, even though they have nowhere to play him unless multiple guys get injured… ok? His skillset is redundant with Saric. I like the player. I’m just curious about the fit, but it’s a bargain, so cant really complain. Plus, there could still be a trade coming
Utah should have been in on Bjelica