The 76ers on Friday waived guard Ricky Council IV, a move that trims the roster to 13 players.
Council showed glimpses in 105 NBA games over the last two seasons since signing as a free agent out of Arkansas. In 32 games in 2023-24, his athleticism and scoring burst made him an enticing piece to see develop.
But given ample opportunity in 2024-25 as the 76ers stumbled to a 24-58 record, Council never showed that progress. He played 73 games, the most on the team, and started 12. But he averaged just 7.3 points in 17.1 minutes per game. His shooting numbers took a major step backward – from 48.2 in 2023-24 to 38.2 from the field, and from 37.5 from 3-point range to a rough 25.8 last year. He averaged 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists with a turnover rate of 2.1 per 100 possession.
That wasn’t enough reason for the 76ers to keep Council, who turns 24 next week, around to see if there’s more development. The 76ers have used their first-round pick each of the last two years on guards in Jared McCain and VJ Edgecombe, and if Quentin Grimes accepts his offer sheet as a restricted free agent, the backcourt rotation seems fairly set. Council’s contract wasn’t guaranteed until January, and waiving him now gets the 76ers out from underneath that obligation.
Originally Published: July 25, 2025 at 5:43 PM EDT