The Sixer Sense
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How the Philadelphia 76ers benefit from the NBA’s new two-way contract

By Matty Breisch

Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers number one overall draft pick Ben Simmons (25) and number twenty-fourth overall draft pick Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (20) pose for a photo with President Of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo (L) and owner Josh Harris (R) at the Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers number one overall draft pick Ben Simmons (25) and number twenty-fourth overall draft pick Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (20) pose for a photo with President Of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo (L) and owner Josh Harris (R) at the Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 2017 CBA expanded NBA rosters from 15 to 17 players, and introduced the two-way contract. How will these changes affect the Philadelphia 76ers going forward?

The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the NBA’s youngest teams.

After spending years collecting young players and second round picks, the team again finds itself in position to add upwards of 5 new players in the 2017 NBA draft. While adding young players is great, there’s no way the team can keep 5 players, right?

Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers /

Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers currently have 14 players under contract going into 2017 draft, but only 9 under contract in 2018. If the Sixers want to take the next step in the process, they will not only need to get better at the top of the roster, but also maintain their bench depth.

The 2016-2017 collective bargaining agreement expanded NBA team’s rosters from 15 players to 17 and introduced the two-way contract. While previously teams could only flex players at the bottom of their roster to the G League to get additional playing time, these new contracts will essentially allow the team to redshirt players who need additional seasoning in-house, instead of sending them to play abroad.

Players on a two-way contract can be flexed from the G League to their parent club at will and are eligible to play up to 45 games in the NBA while maintaining their two-way status. These players can conceivably assimilate into the culture of their NBA team and learn their team’s scheme while also receiving much-needed playing time in the G League, instead of riding the bench for 80 games.

Related Story: How the new CBA could affect the Sixers' draft approach

Players like Richaun Holmes, T.J. McConnell and Robert Covington all came to the 76ers as either second round picks or as undrafted free agents and have developed into consistent contributors. Being able to lock up additional young players who could develop into bench players, role players or eventual starters is essential to maintaining a top roster, something team’s like the Spurs and Warriors are masters of.

The additional roster flexibility offered by two-way contracts could also encourage teams to select players with injury concerns, like Harry Giles, or projects like Terrance Ferguson and not worry about their abilities to become immediate contributors.

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Regardless of how the 76ers draft and free agency goes, the team will have an influx of young talent going into the 2017 summer league, and now have the ability to keep more of these players in-house regardless of their ability to contribute on day one.