Getty Charles Bassey #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers reaches for the ball at Wells Fargo Center on January 31, 2022
The Philadelphia 76ers are coming off an impressive offseason in which they made some notable additions across the board to increase their postseason chances. The team brought in several scrappy veterans with the hopes of getting past the postseason plateau that continues to hold them up. However, the roster currently has 17 players for the 15 roster spots the team will be forced to cut down to. The unfortunate reality of this means two players on the current roster will be forced to search for an NBA opportunity elsewhere. Kyle Neubeck of the Philly Voice recently laid out the most likely candidates and why Charles Bassey and Trevelin Queen seem likely to be the odd men out.
Charles Bassey
The Sixers spent the 53rd overall pick in the 2021 draft on Charles Bassey. The Western Kentucky product was a top-ten recruit coming out of high school but suffered a tibial plateau fracture in college which derailed his NBA path. Bassey ended up spending three years in college mostly because of the injury. He averaged 17.6 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game in his final season which ensured his NBA opportunity.
Despite having only sporadic opportunities with the Sixers, Bassey has shown some impressive flashes. Perhaps his best performance came against the Denver Nuggets as Bassey held his own against Nikola Jokic. The 6’11” big man has an intriguing frame with solid shot-blocking ability and is a threat as a screener and roller which is effective alongside James Harden.
James Harden is the type of passer who can make a big man look terrific and Charles Bassey is the type of big man who is dependent on his guards for his offense
Cool to see them working out together at the Rico Hines runs and here’s a little tease at what the two could do
Unfortunately, the addition of Montrezl Harrell does not bode well for the future of Charles Bassey. While many were looking forward to Paul Reed and Charles Bassey getting a full opportunity to play the backup center role, this will not be the case. Given the win-now intentions of the team, there simply may not be time to go through the growing pains of the young centers. Bassey carries just a $74,742 cap hit for the season if the Sixers elect to move on. With Joel Embiid, Paul Reed, and Montrezl Harrell all claiming a spot on the roster, Bassey seems to be on the outside looking in.
Trevelin Queen
One of the surprise signings of the offseason was the Sixers’ addition of Trevelin Queen. The former G-League MVP was handed a two-year deal worth $3.5 million shortly after free agency opened. However, the deal carries just $330,000 in guaranteed money.
Given the team’s previous commitment to the other young players, Queen needs to greatly impress in training camp to earn a spot. He possesses a skill set that the team has previously been starved of but had an uneasy showing in summer league. The undrafted guard had some positive moments but was overall inconsistent in the opportunity.
During the G-League regular season last year, Queen averaged 25.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 3.4 steals per game. He also launched an impressive 9.7 three-point attempts per game. The 25-year-old’s scrappy style and confident attitude would certainly make him a favorite among Philly fans. However, he is the player the organization has the least invested in and has not flashed enough to pave the way for him to gain a roster spot to this point.
6’6, athletic, and not afraid to attempt 10+ threes in a game. Trevelin Queen’s the exact player Sixer fans have been asking for for years.
Really hope he gets an opportunity here.
In all circumstances, the best case scenario would be for the Sixers to find a trade partner to round out the roster. Flipping three young role players for a win-now veteran capable of playing rotational minutes would allow an upgrade without sacrificing any current players. However, they must find a trade partner for this to be possible. If this does not materialize, these two unlucky Sixers could find themselves on the outside looking in ahead of the October 17th deadline.