Sixers waive ex-Arkansas standout Ricky Council IV after two seasons
Philadelphia opened up another roster spot Friday, trimming the team down to 13 players. To clear that second-to-last spot, the Sixers waived swingman Ricky Council IV, according to Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice.com.
Council's salary for next season was set to become guaranteed Jan. 10, and despite a lackluster sophomore season with Philadelphia, it wouldn't be surprising to see him garner interest on the open market.
MORE: Former 76ers guard drawing interest from Golden State in free agency
After going undrafted in 2023, the 23-year-old began his NBA career on a two-way contract with the 76ers. However, he was eventually promoted to a four-year, $7.38 million standard deal in April 2024.
Council saw inconsistent playing time in the 2024-25 campaign but stepped into a larger role at times due to several injuries to key contributors, especially in the latter half of the year. He averaged 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists across 17.1 minutes per game, though he shot just 38.2 percent from the field and 25.8 percent from three-point range in 73 regular-season appearances.
The 6-foot-5 wing will now explore other opportunities in the NBA. Council played his final collegiate season at Arkansas where he earned AP All-SEC Second Team honors while averaging 16.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals across 34.1 minutes per game in 36 outings.
MORE NBA NEWS:
NBA executive predicts breakout season for ex-Nuggets forward
Ex-Bucks star Damian Lillard shares daughter's hilarious reaction to Portland reunion
Bucks' blockbuster three-team trade proposal lands $160 million forward
Ex-Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic looking to put conditioning concerns to rest
Josh Giddey reportedly growing frustrated with Bulls amid contracts talks
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


USA Today
22 minutes ago
- USA Today
Lakers jersey history No. 1 — Jordan Farmar
Through the 2024-25 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have had a total of 506 players suit up for them, going back to their days in Minneapolis. Some were forgettable, some were serviceable, some were good and a select few were flat-out legendary. As the Lakers approach their 80th season of existence (they were founded back in 1946 as the Detroit Gems in the National Basketball League), LeBron Wire is taking a look at each player who has worn their jersey, whether it has been a purple and gold one or the ones they donned back in the Midwest during their early years. This article takes a look at a key reserve guard many Lakers fans will likely remember fondly — Jordan Farmar. Farmar is a local product who grew up in the San Fernando Valley and attended Taft High School in Woodland Hills. He spent two seasons at the University of California, Los Angeles, and he was named to the All-Pac-10 first team while helping the Bruins reach the men's NCAA championship game during the 2005-06 season. The Lakers took him late in the first round of the 2006 NBA Draft. At the time, they were badly in need of depth as they retooled around Kobe Bryant, and while Farmar struggled as a rookie, he started to make an impact in his second season. That year, he averaged 9.1 points and 2.7 assists in 20.6 minutes a game while shooting 46.1% from the field and 37.1% from 3-point range. The Lakers, buoyed by the acquisition of Hall of Fame big man Pau Gasol, reached the 2008 NBA Finals, only to lose in six games to their archrivals, the Boston Celtics. But Farmar had established himself as a key member of a bench unit that was starting to look impressive. Over the next two seasons, the 6-foot-2 point guard played a significant role in L.A. winning back-to-back world championships, including one over the Celtics. He spent the next two seasons with the New Jersey Nets and had brief stints with Maccabi Tel Aviv during the 2011 NBA lockout and Anadolu Efes in the Turkish League during the 2012-13 season before returning to the Lakers for the 2013-14 campaign. After subsequent stints with the Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings, Farmar's NBA career ended. He finished with career averages of 7.7 points and 2.9 assists in 19.5 minutes per game.


USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Fox Sports analyst offers a direct but confusing opinion about Eagles QB Jalen Hurts
Fox Sports analyst Danny Parkins says Jalen Hurts has been 'propped up by the system' .@DannyParkins tells Eagles fans the TRUTH about Jalen Hurts At this point, it has become obvious that the promise can't be kept. No longer will you be told that further energy won't be given to a Jalen Hurts discussion about where and how he should rank. He is simply too fascinating. The Philadelphia Eagles are much too big a brand. The theories about his brilliance are all over the place. So, every time, just when one thinks he or she is out, they are pulled back into conversations about his impact and, of course, where he ranks among his peers. Recently, FS1's Colin Cowherd took a day off. Breakfast Ball's Danny Parkins hosted the Herd. What did he do? Well, of course, he talked about Jalen Hurts. "Jalen Hurts having nine different play callers over nine years, spanning back to college, speaks incredibly highly to his football character and his football intelligence. Jalen Hurts playing, not one but two, not good but great, Super Bowls obviously is incredibly valuable. No one would deny any of it". Having said all of that, here's where things become hard to follow. If that's the theory he believes in, how on Planet Earth is he, as Parkins states, the NFL's tenth-best quarterback? Where does that idea come from? For answers, we dig a little deeper. Parkins' argument isn't much different from a tired angle that has been expressed far too often. "It's totally reasonable to say that the guy who was 22nd in the NFL in pass attempts last year is propped up by the system in which he plays in and the guys around him." Much is overlooked in that theory. First, Jalen Hurts isn't the only Philadelphia Eagle whose passing game production has declined. A.J. Brown was targeted 97 times, catching 67 of those for 1,079 yards and one touchdown—his lowest numbers since joining the team. DeVonta Smith was targeted 89 times, securing 68 receptions for 833 yards, which also marks a career low for him. What caused this decline? Philadelphia committed to Saquon Barkley to lead its rushing attack, resulting in a remarkable 2,000-yard season for him, which stands as the best in franchise history. DeVonta Smith was targeted 89 times and hauled in 68 grabs for 833 yards. Again, all were career lows. What happened? Philly committed to Saquon Barkley leading its rushing attack. The result was a 2,000-yard season for him, which doubles as the best in franchise history. Here's another way of stating that. Everyone sacrificed something for the good of the Eagles' offense this past season. The goal was winning, and Philadelphia achieved it frequently. They notched a franchise-record 14 regular-season wins. They won their second Vince Lombardi Trophy. Hurts was often asked to throw less because that was the game plan, not because he wasn't skilled enough to do so. Parkins listed his top ten quarterbacks. They are as follows: If you're confused, don't worry. It's completely understandable. The criteria for building these rankings often change while the ranking is being constructed. Look at the ranking. Think about everything you have heard Danny Parkins say. Jalen Hurts outplayed Patrick Mahomes during two Super Bowls, and he won one of them. Seven guys on this list haven't won their first yet. Hurts is clutch in big moments. Justin Herbert and Baker Mayfield aren't. Hurts has never lost to Jayden Daniels in a game where both started and finished. Plus, Daniels hasn't won a Super Bowl, nor has he been to one. Let's not look at this through rose-colored lenses. If you want to place Mahomes, Allen, Burrow, and Jackson ahead of Hurts, even if someone were to disagree with the ranking, they could understand the argument, but don't you dare place him behind Herbert, Stafford, Daniels, Goff, and Mayfield. That's just disrespectful. It's especially disrespectful if you are using terms like clutch, winning, and Super Bowl. When has Mayfield won without great talent? Where is Goff and Herbert's signature win during the postseason? Wait! Isn't Herbert winless in two postseason attempts? Didn't he have a big lead in one of those games? Seriously everyone... What are we doing with these rankings?


New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Can Quentin Grimes and the Sixers find a deal that works for both?
Every dollar matters for the Philadelphia 76ers, a 24-win team caught in a financial crunch. But every dollar matters for the Sixers' most important current free agent, too. Can they and Quentin Grimes meet in the middle? Grimes, a two-way shooting guard who balled out last season for the tanking 76ers after arriving in a February trade, is one of four restricted free agents who remain on the market. The Athletic recently polled 16 people in NBA front offices (including no one from Philly's), asking them what they would deem a 'fair' contract for each member of the four: Grimes, the Golden State Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga, the Chicago Bulls' Josh Giddey and the Brooklyn Nets' Cam Thomas. Advertisement Results for Kuminga and Giddey have already published. Now, it is on to Grimes, a 25-year-old who averaged an efficient 21.9 points in 28 games with the 76ers last season after a midseason trade. Most people polled for the story considered Grimes within shouting range of the midlevel exception, which is worth $14.1 million in starting salary. Twelve of the 16 proposed average annual salaries between $12 million and $16.7 million. One front-office staffer who is especially high on Grimes suggested a four-year, $75 million deal, the most total money and the highest average annual value ($18.8 million) anyone in the poll mentioned. On the other side of the spectrum was an executive who considered Grimes worth just $30 million over three years, $10 million in average annual value, the lowest number in the poll. The executive said he couldn't properly contextualize Grimes' scoring outburst at the end of last season, when the injured 76ers were losing intentionally in the hopes of keeping their first-round pick, because he 'played on a bad team.' Others who suggested salaries lower than the midlevel exception mentioned market conditions as to why Grimes, a strong on-ball defender and 3-point sniper even at his worst, may not receive a salary commensurate with his end-of-season numbers. 'The way the cap (environment) is now, why would you spend $20 million on Quentin Grimes when you can get (Bucks guard) Gary Trent (Jr.) for a minimum?' said one executive, who proposed a three-year, $40 million contract for Grimes. 'We shouldn't just sign young players because they're young. … You've got to believe Grimes is gonna develop into your starting backcourt with (Tyrese) Maxey.' The 76ers are loaded with young guards. There's Maxey, already an All-Star at age 24. There's 21-year-old Jared McCain, the rookie of the year favorite until he suffered a season-ending injury in 2024-25. Coming in this season is the No. 3 selection in this past June's NBA Draft, V.J. Edgecombe. Advertisement If the Sixers consider Grimes a starter, they can pay him like one. If they worry he could lag behind those three, then they would be more hesitant to hand him a briefcase of cash. One person in the poll suggested a two-year deal (for $24 million). Eleven people proposed three-year deals. The total money for those were $30 million, $36 million, $39 million, $40 million, $42 million, $45 million (two), $45.7 million (which is the exact worth of the midlevel exception), $48 million (two) and $50 million. Four people mentioned four-year contracts: One for $60 million, one for $64 million, one for $72 million and one for $75 million. The restricted free agency experience, rarely a fun one, is even damper than usual this summer. The little cap space that was once out there has evaporated. Meanwhile, leverage isn't easy to find for players in Grimes', Kuminga's, Giddey's and Thomas' situations. Since they are restricted free agents, their 2024-25 teams have right of first refusal, meaning if Grimes, for example, signed an offer sheet with another franchise, the Sixers could match it to bring him back for the same price. It makes rival organizations hesitant to tie up cap space with restricted free agents. Meanwhile, sign-and-trades are difficult because of a niche rule in the collective bargaining agreement called base year compensation, which makes the math in matching salaries far more complex than usual. Yet, whether he's a 20-point scorer or not, Grimes can play. By his second season, he was a starter on a New York Knicks team that won a playoff series. He drained 3-pointers and consistently guarded the opposition's best perimeter player. He's bounced around since — to the Detroit Pistons and then Dallas Mavericks and eventually to the Sixers, who let him cook after most of their top performers left the court late in the season. Advertisement As Grimes' usage climbed in Philadelphia, his above-average efficiency maintained, not normally the case when a young player ratchets up his responsibilities. He ran more pick-and-rolls, attacked the basket and controlled his squad's offense more than ever while in Philly. 'There are not many Swiss Army knife wings out there that score it as efficiently, defend, pass or rebound like he does,' said the front-office staffer who suggested the four-year, $75 million contract. 'He might not be elite at any one thing, but (he's) very good at a lot of them.' But even if the 76ers agree with that assessment, they have a problem. The cheapest salary a four-year, $75 million contract could start at is $16.7 million. As of now, Philadelphia is approximately $3 million below the luxury-tax threshold. Any Grimes contract, including if he picked up his qualifying offer of $8.7 million (which would send him back to Philly on a one-year deal and allow him to enter unrestricted free agency a year from now), would drive them past it. But this contract would blast them into the first apron and only approximately $5 million short of the second apron, which the team is hoping to avoid. The Sixers may overflow with talent but they also have the largest delta between their possibilities for the upcoming season. In a best-case scenario, a former MVP in Joel Embiid looks like himself again; a renaissance season from nine-time All-Star Paul George emerges; and a young stud in Maxey continues to improve. There is additional talent to fill in the gaps. In a worst-case one, Embiid and George, who just underwent another surgery, can't stay on the floor and the team combusts, just as it did in 2024-25, when expectations were high and results were the league's most disappointing. The Sixers finished 24-58. It will be difficult to justify such an expensive roster if they falter again this season. Advertisement For that reason, people polled about Grimes' contract concentrated on keeping him tradable. If the Sixers need to break it down, if they need to flip him for a center because Embiid misses time, maintaining him either on a short-term contract or on one with a salary below the midlevel exception could be an emphasis. 'I like Quentin Grimes. He's a very good player. I would present him with two options: You can have a three-year, $48 million deal or a four-year, $60 million,' one executive said. A three-year contract of that value would crest barely above this season's MLE, which can be used as a trade exception (meaning the Sixers could hypothetically trade Grimes into someone else's midlevel exception without having to match salaries). His 2026-27 salary would clear that season's MLE, too. But the four-year, $60 million deal could keep both seasons under it. 'You say to him, 'Do you want money or do you want longevity?'' the executive said. 'And if he says both, you say, 'We can't offer both.'' Starting-caliber players tend to make more than this. In 2025-26, 22 point guards, 28 shooting guards, 21 small forwards, 25 power forwards and 22 centers will earn more than the MLE. One participant in the poll suggested a salary barely above the midlevel, just to signal that Grimes is worth it. 'It's the same ballpark as what (Caris) LeVert and Nickeil Alexander-Walker got in average annual value,' he said. So now, like the rest of his restricted counterparts, Grimes waits, hoping to make the money his performance dictates he deserves and hoping to avoid the contract his lack of leverage could plop in front of him.