12 People who turned their backs on the Philadelphia 76ers
By Tyler Watts
7. Chris Webber
Webber was one of the best power forwards in the NBA in the early 2000s. He made four straight All-Star and All-NBA appearances with the Kings and had Sacramento in contention. The 76ers made the NBA Finals in 2001 and tried to get Allen Iverson a co-star when they acquired Webber in 2005.
It was a bold move that never quite worked. The Sixers lost in the first round of the playoffs in 2005 and missed the postseason in 2006. Webber did averaged 20.2 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.4 steals in 38.6 minutes per game during his lone full season with the 76ers. His numbers do not tell the full story.
Injuries started to catch up to Webber. His production declined, and the Sixers bought him out in January of 2007. He signed with the Pistons five days later and was back to playing a key role. The 6’10 forward took some shots at the 76ers (subscription required) after his departure, including blaming the coach for his struggles. It was disappointing to see him turn his back on the franchise after being bought out, but things did not go as planned for either side.
Acquiring Chris Webber was not the only big-man acquisition that did not work out for the Philadelphia 76ers.