The Sixers are still struggling. Even with the return of Tyrese Maxey and part-time returns of Paul George and Joel Embiid, the Sixers record is still only 4-14, and they are currently the 14th seed in a weak Eastern Conference. Embiid and George continue to be in and out of the lineup, making the Sixers injury report a must-check daily. Now, they are making minor roster changes to bring some life into their incredibly disappointing season. The Sixers have decided to waive Lester Quinones and sign Pete Nance to a two-way contract.
Sixers Shake-Up Roster While Injury Report Remains Concerning
Sixers Record Not Improving
When Embiid returned from suspension and injury on November 13th against the New York Knicks, it seemed like the Sixers’ fortunes could be turning. Unfortunately, things haven’t gone that way. Embiid has only played four of the nine games since being cleared by the medical staff and the league to play. The Sixers haven’t won a single game with Embiid in the lineup, and the former MVP doesn’t look that good.
Although it is a small sample size, Embiid is only shooting 37.9% from the field this year. That is way below his career average of over 50.3%. On top of Embiid’s subpar play, George has still only played nine games this season, and Maxey mixed a small chunk as well.
The Sixers record is feeling these injuries. As they currently sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, it is going to be a battle just to get into the playoff picture. Luckily, the East has been terrible this year and only has five teams with an above .500 record. The Sixers are only three games out of the 10th-seed play-in spot.
Pete Nance Signed, and Lester Quinones Waived
The Sixers are trying to strengthen their frontcourt by signing 24-year-old center Pete Nance from the G League’s Cleveland Charge to a two-way contract, as reported by Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
At 6-foot-11 and 230 pounds, Nance could provide some size to a depleted Sixers front line. Nance played in eight NBA games for the Cleveland Cavaliers last season. Over the past two seasons in the G League, he has posted averages of 14.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game.
As a result of this move, Philadelphia is releasing two-way guard Lester Quinones. Despite numerous injuries in Philadelphia, Quinones has only played in four games for the Sixers this season.
Sixers Injury Report Not Getting Better
With Andre Drummond sidelined for at least a week and Embiid’s return from knee issues and personal reasons still uncertain, the Sixers decided they needed to grab a bit more size. Nance will certainly provide that, although it is unclear how many minutes he will get. If Quinones only played in four games despite the full Sixers injury report, Nance shouldn’t expect a ton of run.
One other player who may see a big uptick in minutes with Drummond and Embiid sidelined is rookie Adem Bona. Bona has already played in 12 games this season for the Sixers, though he is only averaging 5.2 minutes per game. He saw 20 minutes of playing time in the Sixers’ most recent game and totaled four points, five rebounds, and three blocks.
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