Who says you can’t come home again?
The greater Philadelphia 76ers organization welcomes a familiar face back into the fold, with reporting from Mike Scotto stating that 24-year-old forward Darius Bazley is joining the Delaware Blue Coats.
Darius Bazley will join Philadelphia’s G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, sources told @hoopshype. He began the season with the Guangdong Southern Tigers (CBA) after playing last season with the Sixers and Jazz. He’s averaged 8.9 points and 5.2 rebounds in 5 NBA seasons pic.twitter.com/LwNyG0rDkO
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) November 15, 2024
As stated in the tweet above, the 23rd overall pick in the 2019 draft was playing in China this season after bouncing between the G League and NBA last year. Bazley appeared in three games for the Sixers last season, playing a total of 10 minutes. He received more extended run following his release and signing with the Utah Jazz, appearing in six games for them, averaging 8.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steals.
Last year was his first in the G League after four seasons with Oklahoma City and Phoenix, playing 29 regular season games total between Delaware and Salt Lake City. He dominated with the Coats, averaging 20.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.4 steals. Baseball has a term called the quad-A player, meaning a guy is too good to be playing AAA but not quite good enough for the majors. Bazley might be the basketball equivalent.
Previously with the Sixers, the organization toyed with the idea of Bazley as a small-ball center, similar to how Nick Nurse has deployed KJ Martin on occasion. Maybe if Bazley impresses again this go-round and the team uses Martin’s balloon contract around the trade deadline, Darius could work his way into snagging a two-way contract and sliding into that role.
More than likely, we won’t see Bazley at the NBA level for Philadelphia. But there is definitely something there and he’s a talented player who fans getting out to games in Delaware should enjoy watching. The Blue Coats are currently 0-2 with a game in Greensboro tonight.