The regular season is almost here, but for a former Philadelphia 76ers big man, it is not so much of a blissful time, having just been dropped with the hammer ahead of what should have been his fifth year in the league as a young journeyman.
Charles Bassey, who had suited up for the Atlanta Hawks during the preseason, ultimately got cut by them. The Hawks only had one more spot left for taking, and their front office made the decision to stick with young center N’Faly Dante over Bassey.
The former 76ers draft pick, who only spent a single season with the 76ers, spent the last three seasons playing for the San Antonio Spurs. While he had a lot more run in the hardwood in Alamo City, he just could not stay healthy enough, and his lack of consistency further derailed his chances of netting a more major role.
Now, Bassey is left reeling as he remains homeless with the regular season set to begin in a few days. Still, the energetic center could still fetch some interest in the market as a low maintenance backup big man who can give any team a jolt on the defensive end.
Former 76ers big man Charles Bassey is left without an NBA team with the regular season looming
Bassey likewise spent time auditioning for the center-deprived Boston Celtics this offseason. In fact, he was even part of their training camp pool, although he never suited up for them and his brief participation therein did not culminate in him getting even a preseason deal with the Celtics.
Now, he will have to hope that another team picks him up off the open market, although given that teams are already starting to trim down their respective rosters ahead of opening night, he could find it difficult to crack an NBA roster, much less a guaranteed spot.
Nevertheless, what works in his favor is the fact that center depth has become increasingly important nowadays due to the reemergence of the position, and having multiple bodies to man the role would be ideal, just like the 76ers, although Philly does not really have any more room for another center given their slew of options there.
Hopefully, Charles Bassey can find a way to stay in the NBA, although this setback is definitely one that could prompt him to start looking for opportunities elsewhere, even outside the league.