More often than not, with the Philadelphia 76ers touting such a resounding win-now design as an organization thanks to Daryl Morey and his star-hunting proclivities, the front office is tasked with the mandate to be more creative than usual to find high-value players who do not cost an arm and a leg. The team perennially boasts one of the more expensive rosters in the league, making it an imperative to find bargain bin deals here and there.
Two years ago, the 76ers took a flier on Mo Bamba, the sixth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. At that time, the gamble was well-received by most fans and pundits, especially with the springy big man touting a highly coveted skill set thanks to his unique mix of shot blocking, three-point shooting, and uncanny mobility for a player in a 7’0” frame.
Unfortunately, the Bamba experience was a short-lived one. Appearing in just 57 contests, he barely had a consistent role, averaging only 13 minutes per outing for the 76ers as one of Joel Embiid’s backups alongside Paul Reed.
Bamba was marred by inconsistencies on both ends. While his physical gifts cannot be denied, his execution fell flat for the most part, and the coaching staff slowly drifted away from the promise he initially flashed.
Former 76ers project Mo Bamba is on the brink of exiting the NBA
Now, the 27-year-old seems destined to make it out of the league. According to some reports coming out of Europe, Bamba is being courted by Partizan Belgrade, a ball club participating in the Euroleague.
The market for Bamba is currently inexistent, especially after he similarly struggled to land a role last season when he played for the Clippers and appeared briefly for the Pelicans. In all likelihood, he will be absent from the NBA this season, so this is still a positive development for the former lottery pick.
Of course, this could end up being a beneficial redirection for him. Jumping to Europe sometimes yields good results, with Guerschon Yabusele as the best example of that after successfully returning to the NBA after being absent from the league in five years.
Hopefully, Mo Bamba can still unlock parts of what made him such an intriguing prospect. But for now, the Philadelphia 76ers definitely made the right call to halt their experiment when it clearly was not working the way they envisioned it would.