The Sixers have reportedly worked out Dennis Smith Jr.
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The Sixers have reportedly worked out Dennis Smith Jr.
The Philadelphia 76ers will need to get creative as they look to retool their roster this summer. It appears that Daryl Morey is already starting to explore potential avenues to add fresh talent to the rotation.
Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Thursday, June 5, that the Sixers worked out former lottery pick Dennis Smith Jr. as part of a two-day mini-camp.
“Former NBA lottery pick Dennis Smith Jr is working out for the #Sixers, according to sources,” Pompey posted on X. “Smith is among several participants at the team’s two-day veteran minicamp.”
Keith Pompey
Former NBA lottery pick Dennis Smith Jr is working out for the #Sixers, according to sources. Smith is among several participants at the team’s two-day veteran minicamp.
Smith Jr. spent the 2023-24 season with the Brooklyn Nets. He averaged 6.6 points, 3.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds on 43.5% shooting from the field. Smith Jr. spent the past few months playing for Real Madrid in Europe.
Nevertheless, the explosive guard would likely welcome another shot at the NBA. The Sixers could likely secure his services via a veteran minimum contract. Of course, Morey will certainly continue to scour the market for available talent before making a decision. That is, unless Smith Jr. makes an immediate impression.
Yabusele Confident Sixers Can Bounce Back
Smith Jr. could follow a similar path to the Sixers as Guerschon Yabusele. The “Dancing Bear” spent multiple years with Real Madrid before signing with Nick Nurse’s team last summer. Unfortunately for Yabusele, his debut with the franchise was far from ideal.
Nevertheless, the impressive forward believes the upcoming season could be far different for Philadelphia, assuming everyone can remain healthy.
“Injuries are part of the game,” Yabusele said during an interview with The Basketball Network. “You’ve got to learn and try to get back to it and get better. I think having Joel back, Paul George, this is going to be big for us. When we had those guys, and we had that run, we felt that we could beat everybody. That was really interesting, to have that part of the season, because at least people know that if they (were) healthy, that would have been a different scenario.”
Yabusele is heading into unrestricted free agency. Therefore, there’s no telling whether he will be back with the Sixers next season. However, if he does return, the Sixers can rest assured that their backup forward will be one of the most reliable in the NBA.
Morey Wants to Keep Yabusele
During a recent news conference, Morey discussed his desire to keep Yabusele with the franchise following a strong debut season.
“We love what Guerschon was able to bring,” Morey said, via Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire. “I think that was a great job by our scouting department. A great job by the coaching staff getting the most out of him. Just like Paul (George), he got pressed into some roles that were a little different from what he thought. We thought he was gonna play more of the 4 and he’s excelled there. He gave us a lot of minutes at the 5 as well.”
Morey has a lot to figure out this summer. First up will be the NBA draft. Once Morey has figured things out there, he can turn his attention to free agency and the trade market. One thing is for certain, though, and that’s how the Sixers will be under significant pressure to perform in the upcoming season.