The holiday weekend is over. For many, it was an extended time to enjoy a few extra days of relaxation and fun. That schedule doesn’t quite apply to the NBA.
Free agency began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday morning and since then the Sixers have been making moves. Here’s your recap from the long weekend, #ICYMI style.
The Sixers’ first move came when they waived Gerald Henderson on Friday, the deadline before his contract would have become guaranteed for $9 million this coming season. The decision to part ways with the veteran shooting guard cleared up a roster spot and cap space for a flurry of activity that followed.
The Sixers agreed to a whopping one-year, $23 million deal with J.J. Redick on Saturday afternoon. They didn't waste any time going after one of the most sought-after players on the market. The Sixers took care of their biggest offseason needs — shooting and veteran leadership — with one player (see story).
And that was just the beginning.
A few hours later, the Sixers also agreed to a one-year, $11 million contract with veteran Amir Johnson (see story). With the move, the team added frontcourt versatility to its bench. Johnson can play power forward and center while hitting the occasional trey.
Three days later, on Tuesday, the Sixers signed Furkan Korkmaz after he reached a buyout with Turkish side Anadolu Efes (see story). Korkmaz was drafted 26th overall by the Sixers in 2016 and had been playing overseas. The 19-year-old shooting guard visited the Sixers last month and expressed his interest in coming to the NBA for the upcoming season.
NBA
Meanwhile, the Sixers began their first round of summer league action in Utah on Monday. Also known as, "Markelle Fultz played his first summer league game on Monday."
Fultz scored 17 points, with two rebounds and an assist. He shot 6 for 16 from the field and 2 for 5 from long-range. Fultz showed his hustle on both ends of the floor as he blocked three shots. The Sixers lost, 89-88, to the Celtics thanks to a Jayson Tatum game winner.
For all that has gone on since Friday, the Sixers' work is far from done. They will spend the next two weeks evaluating talent for both the NBA and G League levels during the Utah and Las Vegas summer leagues. While the Sixers already have made moves in free agency, they will continue with their due diligence to look for ways to improve their roster in the offseason.