With the roster boasting several new additions, Alex Poythress‘ spot on the roster could be relegated to a two-way contract — if the Philadelphia 76ers decide to sign him at all.
The Philadelphia 76ers brought on Alex Poythress late last season, using an injured player exception to add the former Kentucky Wildcat. Listed at 6-foot-7, Poythress is obviously undersized at the four spot, but showed enough last season — and in Summer League — to warrant another run on the roster.
Philadelphia 76ers
It’s just a matter of whether or not he has a spot.
If we look at the current roster at face value, Poythress would have a tough time working his way into the original 15-man window. While Jahlil Okafor is likely lurking around the trade block and Nik Stauskas hasn’t insured himself a spot, the most likely scenario is one in which both of them are with the team on opening night.
Anzejs Pasecniks, Jonah Bolden and Mathias Lessort will all be going overseas, though, which essentially leaves Poythress as the 16th man, should they decide to bring him back. That makes him a prime option for a two-way contract.
With the new CBA in place, two-way contracts are an easy concept to grasp. They afford teams two more roster spots, allowing them to send two players freely between the NBA and the G-League without committing to them with one of the original 15 slots.
Poythress would be shuffled behind a loaded frontcourt in Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Dario Saric, Amir Johnson, Richaun Holmes and Okafor. Spending some time in the G-League, where he’d see the floor in consistent minutes as a featured option, would be beneficial.
All of that depth could very well persuade the Sixers to walk the other direction. The Clippers are reportedly looking into signing Poythress to a two-way contract, while Philadelphia could be tempted to use their two-way contracts on potential backcourt depth and shooting.
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Poythress did, however, make a valid case for himself on the basis of talent alone. He’s undersized, but his energy on the boards and excellent instincts around the basket made him extremely effective in Summer League play, while he found himself producing in legitimate minutes towards the end of last season.
He does a nice job of exploiting open lanes to the basket, finding his way behind the defense and making smart cuts to the rim. He also runs the floor well, providing a consistent outlet option and somebody who could thrive when placed around more transition playmaking a la Simmons and Markelle Fultz.
He’s also a plus defender, using his mobility to cover ground out to the perimeter while showing tremendous bounciness as a shot blocker around the basket. That may not translate as well against NBA competition as it did in Summer League, but his ability to stay mobile and bother shots is inherently valuable.
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There’s also the positives he brings on the boards, with excellent hustle leading to putbacks offensively and a stable presence on the glass defensively. Akin to Montrezl Harrell in many ways, Poythress makes up for his size disadvantage with workable athleticism and relentless energy. Those are the types of players teams want in their second unit, and it could be enough to convince Bryan Colangelo to give him another shot after a full offseason with the team.