Getty Charles Bassey #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers.
What a difference a year can make, especially for the Philadelphia 76ers. In many ways, the roster looks much the same — Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris are still around, along with rotation names in Furkan Korkmaz and Matisse Thybulle.
But the Sixers’ roster also features several newcomers. Ben Simmons is long gone and in his place is James Harden. Tyrese Maxey’s rise from bench-unit sparkplug to potential All-Star was a warm welcome. Montrezl Harrell, De’Anthony Melton, Danuel House, and PJ Tucker should all contribute as summer acquisitions.
But with the added talent comes a catch for players down the roster. Fringe candidates like Paul Reed, Isaiah Joe, and Charles Bassey were already fighting for playing time. Now, with even more names ahead of them on the pecking order, the fight for minutes could be simply futile.
That’s especially true for Bassey, according to Tom West of Liberty Ballers. Bassey, a backup center, appeared in just 23 games last season, for an average of 7.3 minutes. But with the Sixers needing to trim the roster to fit within the league’s parameters, Bassey’s minimally-guaranteed contract could be the first to go.
“With Harrell coming in to strengthen the center rotation even further, Bassey, with his small portion of guaranteed money, seems like a top candidate to be waived. With such a hard path to getting many minutes and having just under $75,000 of his salary for next season guaranteed, it’s easy to see why the Sixers may not want to use up a valuable roster spot on him,” West wrote on September 12.
It would be tough to see the Sixers give up on Bassey so soon, especially after spending a second-round pick on him last season. But with Harrell and Reed on the roster, the Western Kentucky product’s days in Philadelphia might be numbered.
Bassey Didn’t Make the Sixers’ Top-13 in Recent Rankings
Just last week, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report put together a power ranking of the Sixers’ current roster. While he only ranked 13 players, those left off shouldn’t come as a surprise. Bassey failed to make the cut, falling behind Jaden Springer and Shake Milton.
But Bassey is doing his best to stay fit ahead of the season. On August 24, he posted a video of himself pushing weights through the rain on the street. A true sign of dedication and commitment to getting in reps, even if he is to be cut.
#NoDaysOffFlow for #Sixers reserve center @CB_ONES23.
If the Sixers move on from Bassey, he should find work elsewhere in the league. If not, he might follow the footsteps of a younger PJ Tucker and find playing time overseas for a time.
Charles Bassey Struggled in Summer League
Over the summer, Bassey had a shot to showcase his value to the Sixers. Unfortunately, he fell flat in that quest.
“Next to Reed and Tucker, Bassey was only in position to fight for minutes, with the upside to give the Sixers a bigger center option off the bench and get some help to improve offensively as a roller alongside James Harden. Realistically, though, it was hard to see Bassey overtaking Reed or taking many minutes away from the small-ball option of Tucker. Bassey’s disappointing performance in Summer League this year didn’t help his case either,” West explained.