76ers News: Former first-round pick works out with the team

Free agency may have just began, but the Philadelphia 76ers are definitely not wasting any time. Thanks to the early conclusion of the 2024 NBA Finals, the team and the rest of the league can now hold negotiations with impending free agents this offseason, signaling the start of the annual summer-long fever.

The 76ers will be major players in both free agency and the trade market this offseason, but it appears that the front office intends to explore all avenues to fill out and improve the roster, as they recently worked out a former NBA journeyman who’s been away from the league in recent seasons.

76ers work out journeyman forward and five-year veteran Sam Dekker

According to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark, the 76ers recently hosted a workout for free agent forward Sam Dekker, a five-year veteran who was a former first-round pick of Daryl Morey back when he was with the Houston Rockets.

Dekker, who last saw NBA action in a cameo appearance for the Toronto Raptors in 2021, has been suiting up for the London Lions in the British Basketball League (BBL) since 2022, and he seems intent on making a comeback to the big league.

Holding career averages of 5.4 points and three rebounds per game, Dekker is a long shot to make it to training camp with the 76ers barring a spectacular showing during his workouts and potentially, in other primers like the Summer League. Dekker profiles as a combo forward who mainly spaces the floor, though his career 28.8 percent three-point shooting doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence for someone pegged as a floor spacer.

The 18th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft had his most productive season in 2016-17, his sophomore year, where he was a constant in Houston and Mike D’Antoni’s rotation as Ryan Anderson’s main backup. Since then, he’s struggled to find his footing in the league.