Philadelphia 76ers: End of Boban Marjanovic era

Former Philadelphia 76ers big man Boban Marjanovic has found a new franchise to play for during free agency in the Dallas Mavericks.

Its the end of a very short era in Philadelphia 76ers franchise history. When the Sixers traded for Tobias Harris this past season, they also gained a very unique center in Boban Marjanovic. The 7-foot-3 center has found a new home in free agency, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Boban Marjanovic is signing a two-year, $7M deal with the Dallas Mavericks, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. https://t.co/hGQ2YY7mVw
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 3, 2019

The fact that Marjanovic found a new home isn’t a surprise. The Sixers solidified their center depth very quickly with the free agent additions of Al Horford, Kyle O’Quinn and Norvel Pelle, who signed a two-way contract. The 76ers already had Joel Embiid and Jonah Bolden on the roster as well. There simply wasn’t anymore room on the big man rotation for Marjanovic.

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Marjanovic’s stint with Philly was short, but he made an impact on the franchise. He was able to bring more stability to the backup center position. He was the best offensive option that the Sixers had at the reserve big man spot. He averaged 8.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists, while converting 62.5 percent of his field goals with the Sixers this past season.

He was key in the Sixers front round matchup against the Brooklyn Nets this past postseason. He averaged 10.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists, while making 56.4 percent of his shots from the floor.

Despite his offensive skills, he struggled at the defensive end. Hard to believe of a guy of who is 7-foot-3 and 290 lbs big man. He only averaged 0.5 blocks with the Sixers and his lack of rim protection skills wasn’t the biggest hole in his defensive game. He couldn’t defend the pick-and-roll and out on the perimeter either. He was too slow to guard quick players.

Fans may miss his relationship with newly re-signed Harris, but the European big man wasn’t an ideal backup the Sixers needed heading into next season. Marjanovic poor defense didn’t make him a top priority for Philly when free agency began. As a result, he joins a Mavericks team that has some elite international talent. Both Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis will be leading the Mavs heading into the upcoming season.

Despite Marjanovic’s tenure being short with the Philadelphia 76ers, there’s no doubt he made a positive impact with the franchise. We at The Sixer Sense wish nothing but the best for his future endeavors.