Sixers on the chopping block: Charles Bassey
Charles Bassey is slated to make $1.5 million in 2022-23. Only $74,000 of that is guaranteed, and the rest doesn’t become fully guaranteed until January 10 of 2023. That simple financial fact, combined with the arrival of Montrezl Harrell and the precipitous rise of Paul Reed, makes Bassey a prime candidate to see his name wiped from the roster after training camp.
That’s somewhat unfortunate: Doc Rivers talked Bassey up a lot last season, and he showed real flashes both in the NBA and in the G-League. He’s a dominant athlete on the block. NBA teams should be monitoring his availability: rim protectors with his frame, mobility, and explosiveness are not a dime a dozen.
In the end, however, the Sixers don’t need four centers. They rostered five centers last season with DeAndre Jordan and Paul Millsap in the mix, so don’t count Bassey out entirely, but there’s no immediate need when you have two reliable backups behind Embiid. Both Harrell and Reed qualify as reliable backups.
There’s something to be said for diversifying your options at a position — Bassey, Reed, and Harrell all bring different skills to the table — but the Sixers should be more focused on filling out the wing and guard rotations. Joe, Korkmaz, Springer — those are players who might have a role somewhere down the line. Bassey is probably never getting a fair shot if we’re already questioning Reed’s future with the franchise.
PROBABLE OUTCOME: CUT FROM TEAM
FINAL REGULAR SEASON ROSTER PREDICTION: Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, P.J. Tucker, James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, De’Anthony Melton, Danuel House Jr., Georges Niang, Montrezl Harrell, Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle, Paul Reed, Isaiah Joe, Jaden Springer, Furkan Korkmaz, Charlie Brown Jr. (two-way), Julian Champagnie (two-way)