- Sixers rookie Markelle Fultz played in a five-on-five practice last Sunday and while he was limited, he looked good, Sarah Todd of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Fultz’s return is “accelerating” but his first NBA season has been disappointing. Jason Concepcion of The Ringer examined Fultz’s mysterious injury and absence.
5:46pm: The signing is official, the team announced in a press release.
7:41am: After opening up a two-way contract slot on Thursday, the Sixers are expected to fill it soon. According to Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days, Philadelphia plans to sign former first-round pick James Young to a two-way deal.
Young, the 17th overall pick in the 2014 draft, spent the first three years of his NBA career in Boston, but had his fourth-year option declined by the Celtics and became a free agent last summer. After catching on briefly with the Bucks, the 22-year-old was waived during the preseason and headed to the G League to play for Milwaukee’s affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd.
While Young’s career NBA numbers aren’t impressive (2.3 PPG in 89 games), he has looked good in the G League this season. In 20 games for the Herd, the former Celtic has posted 22.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 3.0 APG, with a .443/.371/.765 shooting line.
[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Two-Way Contracts]
The Sixers waived one of their two-way players, Jacob Pullen, on Thursday, creating an opening. The team will have to officially sign Young sometime before January 15, which is the last day teams can add players on two-way contracts. If he finalizes his two-way deal today, Young will be eligible to appear in the NBA for about 25 days, a prorated portion of the standard 45-day limit.
The Sixers have released two-way guard Jacob Pullen, Derek Bodner of The Athletic tweets. The point guard had played sparingly for the big league club, seeing NBA action in only three games.
Pullen inked his two-way deal in October and played in 14 games for the franchise’s G League affiliate in Delaware, averaging 15.7 points and 4.5 assists per game in the process.
The 28-year-old’s release will open a roster spot for the Sixers. Currently James McAdoo holds the team’s other two-way slot.
The Sixers have yet to narrow down a return timeline for rookie Markelle Fultz but that doesn’t mean they don’t still have big plans for him in the future, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.
The Sixers have yet to narrow down a return timeline for rookie Markelle Fultz but that doesn’t mean they don’t still have big plans for him in the future, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.
“The design of our team was […] with him in mind and Ben Simmons in mind,” Sixers head coach Brett Brown said, “And then you have a bunch of Danny Greens. You do, you have a bunch of receivers.”
Limited to just four games prior to a mysterious shoulder injury, Fultz didn’t have much time to make a positive impression. While his 6.0 points per game leave much to be desired, Pompey reiterates that the guard was drafted to be a complete offensive weapon for the Sixers.
“I feel like, when you see in doses [Fultz] play, you are reminded of what he was brought in to do,” Brown said. Fultz recently started scrimmaging with the Sixers.
- Forward Dario Saric can step into a starring role if needed, as he showed during the final three games of the Sixers’ recent road trip, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes. He averaged 24 PPG and 7.3 RPG while making two-thirds of his 3-point tries. “I need to stay focused and believing in myself, believing in what I’m doing on the court,” Saric told Pompey.
- Forward Dario Saric can step into a starring role if needed, as he showed during the final three games of the Sixers’ recent road trip, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes. He averaged 24 PPG and 7.3 RPG while making two-thirds of his 3-point tries. “I need to stay focused and believing in myself, believing in what I’m doing on the court,” Saric told Pompey.
- Sixers coach Brett Brown considers guard Jerryd Bayless as the team’s hardest worker, as he relayed to Brian Seltzer of the team’s website. “His day starts when mine does. You go in at like 6:00 a.m., 6:30, and shortly thereafter you hear the tom toms, and he’s in a gym with a ball. That could be after a game,” Brown said. “He’s just a maniacal worker. … When he doesn’t perform like he wants to perform, he doesn’t shoot like he wants to shoot, he wakes up early and tries to fix it quick.”
Joel Embiid is considered doubtful for Wednesday’s game, and Markelle Fultz isn’t quite ready to get back on the court yet, but the Sixers got some positive news on both players this week. As Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia details, there was some concern on Sunday night that Embiid had suffered a broken right hand, but x-rays were negative and he believes he’s dealing instead with a sprain.
Joel Embiid is considered doubtful for Wednesday’s game, and Markelle Fultz isn’t quite ready to get back on the court yet, but the Sixers got some positive news on both players this week. As Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia details, there was some concern on Sunday night that Embiid had suffered a broken right hand, but x-rays were negative and he believes he’s dealing instead with a sprain.
Meanwhile, Fultz hasn’t played since October, but he appears to be inching toward a return. The club announced today that 2017’s first overall pick has been cleared to “begin the final stage of his return-to-play program.” The press release was light on specifics, but barring setbacks, it sounds like it shouldn’t be much longer before we see Fultz back in the Sixers’ lineup.
- First overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft, Markelle Fultz, has been injured for most of the season, losing valuable development as a result. Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Fultz, who has been limited with his workouts as he rehabs, need to play with his Sixers teammates and get better acclimated to the rigors of the NBA
After both Frank Ntilikina and Jarrett Jack were upstaged by T.J. McConnell in the Knicks‘ Christmas loss to the Sixers, head coach Jeff Hornacek wants both players to be more aggressive, Zach Braziller of the New York Post writes.
- Derek Bodner of The Athletic (subscription required and recommended) examined the Sixers’ recent loss to the Raptors. Bodner also highlights the disappearance of Trevor Booker and Richaun Holmes in Philadelphia’s recent skid.
- Sixers coach Brett Brown was thrilled by T.J. McConnell‘s 15-point performance in today’s win over the Knicks, tweets Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia. The backup point guard, who has a $1.6MM team option for next season, has become a personal project for his coach. “He wears his heart on his sleeve,” Brown said. “I have a very antagonistic relationship with him. I coach him harder than I coach anybody. I’m so proud of him coming out of left field, being in the NBA, staying in the NBA and now playing in the NBA.”
One of the many great things about Christmas is a full slate of NBA games that begins at 11am Central and stretches throughout the day. We at Hoops Rumors welcome our readers to use this post to comment on all of today’s action.
The games tip off with a showcase of some of the league’s brightest young stars as the Knicks host the Sixers. Philadelphia center Joel Embiid has been medically cleared to play, joining teammate Ben Simmons and New York’s Kristaps Porzingis and Frank Ntilikina in a look at the NBA’s future.
The spotlight game of the day comes next as the Warriors host the Cavaliers in a rematch of the past three NBA Finals. Both teams come into the contest near the top of their conferences and a fourth straight Finals clash seems likely, if not inevitable. Even though Stephen Curry will be sidelined and Isaiah Thomas isn’t quite ready to return, Cleveland-Golden State games are always special.
The Wizards and Celtics are next in a rematch of their thrilling series in last year’s Eastern Conference semifinals. It’s a battle of two of the league’s best point guards as John Wall faces Kyrie Irving in Boston’s first home Christmas Day game in 69 years.
Following that, last year’s top two vote-getters in the MVP race will be on display as Russell Westbrook and the Thunder host James Harden and the Rockets. The addition of Chris Paul has helped Houston post the league’s best record at 25-6. The additions of Paul George and Carmelo Anthony were supposed to do the same for Oklahoma City, which may be coming together with four straight wins after a slow start.
The night will end at Staples Center as the Lakers host the Northwest Division-leading Timberwolves. Lonzo Ball will miss the game with a sprained left shoulder, but Rookie of the Year candidate Kyle Kuzma is still worth watching as L.A. faces Jimmy Butler and the new-look Wolves.
The staff of Hoops Rumors extends Merry Christmas wishes to all our readers. Thank you for your loyalty throughout the year and please consider spending part of your holiday with us.