Latest news with #CleaningtheGlass
USA Today
08-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Get to know new Sixers addition Dominick Barlow and how he can help
The Philadelphia 76ers have had a quiet free agency period as they focus on winning around the margins in an effort to get younger and have more depth around their star trio of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey. The few moves they did make in the summer achieved that goal. One of those additions was Dominick Barlow who the Sixers were able to land on a two-way deal despite having three years of NBA experience under his belt. He averaged 4.2 points and 2.4 rebounds in 35 games for the Atlanta Hawks in the 2024-25 season after he spent two seasons with the San Antonio Spurs. Here is an overview on Barlow and what he can bring to the table: Barlow's profile and career thus far Barlow went undrafted in 2022 and landed a two-way deal with the Spurs that offseason. Across 61 games with San Antonio, Barlow averaged 4.2 points and 3.5 rebounds as he looked to build and grow as a youngster in the league. A native of Hackensack, NJ, Barlow went to St. Joe's prep in Philadelphia so he knows what Sixers fans are looking for in their team. Barlow on offense Barlow is rather limited at the moment as he is going to focus more on put-backs and dribble dump-offs to get his points, but he has continued to develop a bit. He showed an ability to step out and shoot the 3-pointer in the summer league while playing for the Sixers and getting in front of the coaches. There were plenty of times in those two games when he came up with some big rebounds for Philadelphia and helped create extra possessions. For a team that can struggle with rebounding at times and needs some type of help on the frontline, Barlow makes a lot of sense in that department. Barlow on defense This area of the floor is where Barlow will make his biggest impact. Per Cleaning the Glass, Barlow rejected 2.4% of shots, which is good for the 75th percentile as he continues to make an impact in that area. He averages 1.5 blocks per 36 minutes for his career so that is a good sign for the Sixers. He is a bouncy athlete who will be able to play multiple positions from center and power forward to even having the ability to switch out on the perimeter and defend a smaller player due to his quickness. One has to believe the Sixers will give him a look in an effort to add more depth at the big man spot.
USA Today
06-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Which free agency addition will make the biggest impact for Sixers?
The Philadelphia 76ers were quiet in the free agency market in 2025 after a big spending spree in 2024. The goal for President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey was working on making sure the team got younger as well as add players who can provide legitimate depth and versatility. In terms of the additions for the Sixers, they added the versatile Trendon Watford as well as two young big men in Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow who can produce right away on two-way deals. The Sixers getting either player on a two-way deal is a steal when considering they're both NBA rotational player. The question for the Sixers now is which of those three will make the biggest impact? Jabari Walker 2024-25 stats: 5.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.6 spg, 51.5% FG, 38.9% 3FG Walker progressed in a big way in 2024-25. He shot 38.9% from deep on 1.2 attempts per game, and per Cleaning the Glass, shot 53% on corner 3s. He took a big leap forward in the 3-point shooting department and was able to take steps forward in the pick-and-roll/pick-and-pop game as well. He is also a more than solid offensive rebounder as he averaged 1.4 offensive rebounds per game in his three seasons with Portland. Offensive rebounding is an important skill and Walker brings that to Philadelphia. If he can continue building a reliable jumper, then he will have a permanent spot in this team's rotation. Dominick Barlow 2024-25 stats: 4.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.5 bpg, 53.1% FG Signed to a two-way and then playing for the Sixers in the summer league, Barlow was able to produce some good numbers at 13.5 points and 7.0 rebounds. Specifically, he averaged 4.0 offensive rebounds per game in Vegas. The Sixers always need some help in that department and with somebody like Barlow who is bouncy, athletic, and relentless on the glass, they can rely on him to be a backup to Joel Embiid at times. While on a two-way deal, one can assume he will spend a lot of time in the G League, but when the Sixers need some young legs to turn to in the dog days of the season in January and February, Barlow will take on a bigger role. Trendon Watford 2024-25 stats: 10.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.6 apg, 0.6 spg, 46.9% FG, 33% 3FG Watford uses his size and strength to put the ball on the floor and convert on herky-jerky looks at the basket to make an impact with his scoring. For example, he scored 18 points on 7-for-8 shooting--all 2-point attempts--in a win over the Sixers on Feb. 12. An underrated area of his game is his playmaking ability. Per Cleaning the Glass, Watford had a 21.1% assist percentage in 2024-25 which stands in the 92nd percentile. The 2.6 assists he averaged for the Nets were a career high for him and a number that he can continue to grow in Philadelphia with the talented offensive players around him. He brings a lot of help on the wing which is an area the Sixers can always use help in as they move forward. In terms of overall great impact, Watford will likely be the one who will do that for Philadelphia. He has four years of experience under his belt and will look to provide some immediate production for the Sixers. When the season gets underway, he will certainly receive a lot of attention from teammates and the coaching staff to give something right away.
USA Today
13-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tyrese Maxey goes into detail how Trendon Watford will help Sixers
LAS VEGAS -- The Philadelphia 76ers were able to land a versatile forward in the free agency period with the addition of Trendon Watford on a 2-year $5.3 million deal. Watford averaged a career-high 10.2 points along with 3.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists with the Brooklyn Nets in the 2024-25 season. Watford is an interesting player who can do a lot of different things on the floor for Philadelphia. He stands at 6-foot-9, with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, can put the ball on the floor, and is able to score the ball at an efficient rate while also being able to grab rebounds and initiate the offense. Tyrese Maxey, who is one of Watford's best friends, went into detail of how the new addition can help Philadelphia on the floor. "I think he brings an element that we haven't had," Maxey said about Watford. "An element of someone who can rebound and kind of push and create, who can guard multiple positions on the other end. At the end of day, we have somebody throw the ball to in the post (Joel Embiid), like in a mismatch circumstance, and he'd get a bucket for us, for sure." To Maxey's point, Watford is a guy who can create for others. Per Cleaning the Glass, he has an assist percentage of 21.1% which ranks in the 92nd percentile. He also had a 1.2% steal percentage which shows his ability to make plays defensively leading to easy baskets on the offensive end for Philadelphia. Versatility is king in today's NBA. "I think it's me being able to play a lot of good positions," Watford added. "I can play off the ball sometimes. Me being able to just do a lot of things on the floor, I think, is big. Obviously, playing alongside three great players, Jo, PG (Paul George) so, you know, I think my versatility helps that, and, you know, my ability to just play with great players." Throw in the fact that Watford is joining a situation featuring a familiar face in Maxey, all of this has the makings of being a terrific fit for both sides. "So I think he'll do a lot of different things," Maxey finished. "I think it's the perfect platform for him to showcase his talent and help a team that's trying to win."
USA Today
09-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Sixers' Jabari Walker reveals lessons from Blazers coach Chauncey Billups
CAMDEN, N.J. -- The Philadelphia 76ers brought in a solid big man in free agency in the form of Jabari Walker. The Sixers brought him in on a two-way deal which is insane value for a player who can step in and play right away. The No. 57 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, Walker spent three years with the Portland Trail Blazers averaging 6.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 188 total games. He took a big step forward as a 3-point shooter in 2024-25 as he shot 38.9% from deep in an effort to expand his game. Per Cleaning the Glass, he shot 53% on corner 3s. He took a big leap forward in the 3-point shooting department and was able to take steps forward in the pick-and-roll/pick-and-pop game as well. Walker played for a rebuilding team in Portland, but he was coached by Chauncey Billups who had a ton of success during his playing career including winning finals MVP in 2004. Billups helped Walker take steps forward and the newest Sixer revealed the biggest lesson he took from his former coach. "Keep the main thing the main thing," Walker said. "I think what separates guys is knowing what they bring and being able to do that at a high level, and obviously, working on things to bring that at some point. I think I've learned my role and the things that I do at a high level here that'll always keep me on the floor. Then there's times like during the summer right now where I'm working on things that nobody knows I really have so that when the time comes, I can show that.' The biggest step forward Walker took under the tutelage of Billups and his staff was as a 3-point shooter. As mentioned, he shot a respectable percentage in 2024-25, but that was after he shot only 28.6% as a rookie and 29.5% in his second season in the league. He only attempted 1.2 triples per game in his final season in Portland, but the work he put in was important. "First off, it would be very important in a situation like this," Walker said of his 3-point shooting. "Just relieving pressure off the main guys. We have some great ball-handlers and creators and they attract a lot of attention so what's needed is that 3-point shot. I think putting a lot of time into it has helped me a lot." Obviously, it took some time, but that time with the Blazers allowed Walker to steps forward and grow into who he is currently as a player. "It took me a year or two just to get adjusted to the 3-point line," Walker explained. "I don't think my legs had enough to comprehend the game and then being efficient from the line so I took a summer just strictly shooting, changed some things about my form to make a little bit more fluid, and it's been effective. It showed that with the limited shots." The Sixers will hope that Walker's time with Billups will help him in this new situation in Philadelphia.
USA Today
05-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Sixers' Trendon Watford explains where his versatility comes from
CAMDEN, N.J. -- The Philadelphia 76ers brought in Trendon Watford on a 2-year $5.3 million deal to begin free agency in an effort to add more versatility and ball-handling to a roster that needs it. There is a lot that Watford can bring to the roster and the Sixers will look to unlock everything he can bring to the table. Standing at 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Watford is an underrated passer as he averaged 2.6 assists in the 2024-25 season and had an assist percentage of 21.1% per Cleaning the Glass. He has the ability to play on the perimeter and make things happen on the offensive end while also playing inside and being able to provide an athletic component at the big man spots. One has to wonder where Watford found all of this versatility. It's hard to play multiple positions in the NBA, but it helped that he was put in the right position to develop that aspect of his game. "Just playing different positions since I got in the league," Watford started. "I came in as probably a small-ball 5 with Portland and sort of transitioned to playing backup point guard the last two years and point forward the last two years so just being comfortable with the ball and being comfortable playing off great players." Playing with the Trail Blazers was a big help for Watford as he was in a rebuilding situation which led to a lot of experimentation on the floor in terms of roles. He will be able to play plenty of different positions on the floor for the Sixers as he played bigger with the Blazers and then played a more perimeter role while with the Brooklyn Nets. While he was able to play off Damian Lillard during his time in Portland, Watford will be looking to play off Joel Embiid, Paul George, and close friend Tyrese Maxey in Philadelphia. "Coming from Portland playing with Dame, playing with a great point guard like that, I never had the chance to play with an MVP-caliber big man," Watford finished. "So I'm looking forward to that." One can certainly expect Watford to play a number of different roles in Philadelphia. Especially, when considering how coach Nick Nurse loves to use players in different roles so this is a great situation for him. Now, he just needs to perform on the floor to help the Sixers bounce back from a miserable 24-58 season.
