Philadelphia 76ers Enhance Roster Ahead of Playoffs
The Philadelphia 76ers have taken significant steps to enhance their roster ahead of the playoff season, making two key player moves on Monday.
Acquisition of Cameron Payne
Their first notable action is the acquisition of experienced point guard Cameron Payne, whose signing was initially reported by Marc Stein of The Stein Line. Payne, who has a decade-long career in the NBA and played for the New York Knicks last year with averages of 6.9 points and 15 minutes per game across 72 games, found himself without a contract this season.
This led him to sign with Partizan Belgrade in Serbia, where he averaged 12.4 points and 3.9 assists in just 10 appearances. To facilitate his return to the NBA, the Serbian team has agreed to a buyout, with Partizan reportedly set to receive $1.75 million, although the 76ers can only cover half of that amount under the collective bargaining agreement.
Philadelphia’s backcourt depth was already tested after trading Jared McCain to Oklahoma City, making Payne’s addition a strategic move for head coach Nick Nurse, who now has reliable options behind All-Star Tyrese Maxey.
Contract Upgrade for Jabari Walker
In a more straightforward matter, the 76ers converted Jabari Walker from a two-way deal to a standard contract lasting two years, as revealed by Shams Charania of ESPN. Walker has featured in 45 games for Philadelphia this season, earning six starts and providing essential rotation minutes at the power forward position.
This contract upgrade comes as he was nearing the limit on his two-way deal, demonstrating the team’s intention to secure his contributions moving forward. It’s worth noting that the second year of this new contract is likely to be minimally guaranteed, allowing flexibility in roster management as they approach the final stretch of the regular season.
