Trendon Watford ended up being an odd man out for the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason.
Going into NBA free agency, the Sixers had a decision to make on Watford's contract, which carried a $2.8 million team option for the 2026-2027 NBA season. The Sixers decided to decline it, sending him to free agency a year early. Clearly, the NBA hasn't been totally interested in keeping Watford around right now.
Spain is calling Watford
Over one month into the free agency process, Watford is getting linked to a team overseas. According to BasketNews, Watford is gaining a look from Valencia Basket. If he joins, he would be the third American player added to the club this offseason.
Recently, Valencia brought in Mario Saint-Supery, who just wrapped up a stint at Gonzaga. They also added Mouhamadou Gueye, a 28-year-old who played a few games with the Chicago Bulls last season. A few weeks back, Gueye was traded to the Charlotte Hornets, but was waived right after. That led him to the move to Spain.
Why did the Sixers cut ties with Watford?
The addition of Watford was an exciting one for the Sixers during the 2025 offseason. Amid an offseason where the Sixers prioritized re-signing a handful of players, Watford was one of the few new additions to the team. He had a close relationship with the starting guard Tyrese Maxey, which was a plus.
Watford brought four seasons of experience to the table. He spent two years with the Portland Trail Blazers and two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets. During his lone season with the Sixers, Watford appeared in 53 games with seven starts. He averaged 16.3 minutes on the court.
The veteran forward produced 6.5 points per game, while shooting 51.5% from the field and 20.0% from three. In addition to his scoring, Watford came down with 3.3 rebounds per game and dished out 2.5 assists per game. The Sixers clearly saw the forward position as an area that needed a notable upgrade. They kept Dominick Barlow, but went out and invested in Dean Wade and, eventually, LeBron James.
Watford was left out of the equation and didn't seem to gain too much traction on the open market at this point. A move overseas for the 25-year-old could be just what he needs to get back on track and showcase himself to other teams while working on a comeback to the NBA.
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