Sixers Sign Mo Bamba To One-Year Deal
Will he even be good if he’s playing someone other than the Sixers?
Adam Aaronson, whose legal name is Sixers Adam (@SixersAdam on Twitter), covers the Sixers for The Rights To Ricky Sanchez. He believes cantaloupe is the best food in existence, and is brought to you by the Official Realtor of The Process, Adam Ksebe.
The Sixers are signing free agent big Mo Bamba to a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract, a league source tells The Ricky.
The deal was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, and its terms were first reported by Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.
Bamba, 25, was the sixth overall selection in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic, who shipped him to the Los Angeles Lakers last year in a deal for Patrick Beverley, who also signed with the Sixers this week.
Bamba has a 7-foot-10 wingspan and some guard-like skills, which is what made him a high lottery prospect. He has failed to live up to the full potential many hoped he would, but has still been a serviceable player thus far.
Bamba’s most noteworthy improvement has come from beyond the arc. Bamba has knocked down over 38 percent of his three-point tries in each of the last two seasons on an average of 3.4 attempts per game. Centers capable of protecting the rim and knocking down threes do not grow on trees, though Bamba must improve as a defender to truly fit that bill. His massive length enables him to block shots, but his other defensive skills are not necessarily advanced at this point.
Ironically, Bamba’s career-highs in points and three-pointers made in a game came on the same night in Philadelphia in January of 2022, when he scored 32 points and made seven triples, with 28 of the points and all of the triples coming in the first half of the game.
Bamba has long had a strong relationship with Sixers reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, as they have shared the same trainer in Drew Hanlen since Bamba prepared to enter the NBA.
Sixers restricted free agent center Paul Reed remains unsigned at the moment, but the signing of Bamba is not expected to deter the Sixers from bringing Reed back into the fold after he emerged as their backup center last season.
Because he is signing a minimum deal, Bamba’s contract will almost certainly not impact how many years and dollars the Sixers and Reed will eventually agree to — assuming the sides do ultimately make a pact.
Bamba is a more than viable third center who is qualified to step in and give the Sixers capable minutes, particularly on nights when Embiid is unavailable.
Rather than thinking of Bamba as a downgrade from Reed, think of him as an upgrade from the Montrezl Harrells and Dewayne Dedmons of the world.