Charles Bassey’s reportedly coming back to where his NBA career began.
The Sixers are set to sign the 25-year-old center to a 10-day contract, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Saturday night. The Sixers plan to officially sign Bassey on Monday, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey reported.
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey used the 53rd overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft to take Bassey. He appeared in 23 NBA games a rookie, averaging 3.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in 7.3 minutes per contest. Bassey had an impressive night in the Sixers’ Nov. 18, 2021 win over the Nuggets, posting 12 points, seven rebounds and three blocks against Denver and superstar big man Nikola Jokic.
The Sixers waived Bassey in October of 2022. He’s appeared in 92 NBA games over the last four years and also suffered two season-ending left knee injuries. Bassey has played 10 times this season for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G League and averaged 18.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.
As PhillyVoice’s Adam Aaronson detailed, adding Bassey brings the Sixers’ roster to 15 players, which enables Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow to remain on two-way contracts for the time being. If the Sixers hadn’t made any moves, both Barlow and Walker would’ve been ineligible to stay on the roster starting Monday.
Barlow and Walker have each contributed much more than the typical two-way player and appear strong candidates to eventually be converted to standard contracts. The 2026 trade deadline is Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. ET.