Philadelphia 76ers 2018-19 season preview: Can Jerryd Bayless rebound from last year?

Jerryd Bayless fell out of the Philadelphia 76ers’ rotation last season. Is there any way back in?

After rumors aplenty this summer, Jerryd Bayless is still on the Philadelphia 76ers‘ roster. Barring a last-second move before training camp, it appears as though he’ll begin his third season with the Sixers in October.

Last year, Bayless played 39 games for the Sixers, starting in 11. He averaged 7.9 points in 23.7 minutes per game, shooting a cool 37 percent from three-point range. It’s almost jarring how big a role he played early in the season.

After a while, Bayless’ subpar performances began to take a toll on the Sixers’ success. Brett Brown would eventually remove Bayless from the rotation entirely, gluing him to the bench for the second half of the season. He seldom saw playing time down the stretch, even in garbage time.

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Entering the 2018-19 campaign, the question is simple: can Bayless revive his career, and is there any chance that happens in Philadelphia?

To put things simply, probably not.

Bayless is listed generously at 6-foot-3, making him a below-average, one-position defender on the perimeter. He also lost some pop offensively last season, struggling to finish at the rim and experiencing bouts of inconsistency with his three-point stroke.

He was easily the worst player who saw regular minutes, and that includes Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot. That’s why the Sixers’ bench will have the benefit of addition by subtraction this season.

The Sixers will have little motivation to give Bayless playing time. If they’re looking to compete, he’s not their best option. If they’re looking to get more experience for younger players, he’s an ever worse option. There’s no good reason to put him in the rotation.

Things can change, of course. Bayless has dealt with wrist injuries over the past couple seasons, and maybe that slowed him down. If he’s back to full health and puts together a strong preseason, perhaps Brown considers letting Bayless fight for minutes.

Bayless has been marred by inconsistency throughout his 10-year career. In 2015-16 — the year before he signed a three-year, $27 million deal with the Sixers — he averaged 10.4 points and shot 43.7 percent from deep with the Bucks. He played like someone deserving of that contract.

In 2014-15, however, Bayless averaged 7.8 points while shooting 30.8 percent from deep. His production tends to fluctuate, and maybe last season was just another example of that. Perhaps he’s in store for a nice bounce back.

With that in mind, it’s still unwise to expect significant contributions from Bayless next season. He’s out of the rotation now and would have to fight past Wilson Chandler, Markelle Fultz and T.J. McConnell for minutes on the perimeter. The odds become even longer once Zhaire Smith returns.

Now 30 years old, Bayless is beginning to reach the tail-end of his career. As an undersized comboguard who lacks one elite skill, age won’t be too kind to him. Expect Bayless to ride the bench once again next season, with a buyout or trade seemingly inevitable.

On an expiring contract worth $8.6 million, Bayless’ best value is as a trade asset. If he can be used as salary filler in a deal that acquires a useful player, the Sixers should pull the trigger. If not, buying him out and opening up a roster spot before the playoffs would be wise.

Just don’t use that roster spot on Jamal Crawford. Please.