Latest news with #TrendonWatford
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
‘Doesn't seem real' — Maxey on close friend Watford signing with Sixers
Tyrese Maxey was a spectator at Las Vegas Summer League and spoke on his close friend Trendon Watford signing with the Sixers. 'Doesn't seem real' — Maxey on close friend Watford signing with Sixers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
New York Times
14-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Sixers' roster being built to absorb the inevitable absence of superstar center Joel Embiid
LAS VEGAS — On the day free agency opened, Philadelphia 76ers point guard Tyrese Maxey got on the phone with Trendon Watford. The two have been friends for years, well before the days of Maxey's rise with the Sixers and Watford's emergence with the Brooklyn Nets. And as all friends do, they talked about one day playing on the same team. Advertisement On this day, that conversation was more business-like, as Watford and Maxey talked about his possibilities in free agency. Then, Maxey took a nap. When he woke up, he realized his phone had blown up with text messages and calls. 'I had, like, five missed calls,' Maxey said. 'I had calls from coach (Nick) Nurse. I had messages. I was like, 'Let me see what's going on.'' Watford, Maxey's friend since the beginning of his high school years, had been signed by the Philadelphia 76ers, a team looking for a replacement for Guerschon Yabusele. At that point, Yabusele hadn't yet signed with the New York Knicks. But it appeared he wouldn't be back with the Sixers, the team that last season signed him to a one-year deal. Of course, Maxey and Watford were happy with the development. But Watford's inclusion with the Sixers has a chance to be one of the more effective signings on the margins a team can make. A 6-foot-8 power forward, Watford's NBA skill is that he's a unique playmaker for his position. He's good enough as a ballhandler to play at the point guard spot on some select possessions. He has always been a terrific passer. He's a fierce competitor, something Philadelphia's roster can use. 🎥 roll the @trendonw highlight reel: — Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) July 3, 2025 Those attributes offset the fact that he's not the greatest athlete or defender. Where he helps the Sixers is with his ability to alleviate some of the ballhandling duties on Maxey and Jared McCain and the rest of a Philadelphia backcourt that projects to have a lot of pressure on it to produce a significant number of points once the season starts. 'I think he brings an element that we haven't had,' Maxey said. 'He's someone who can rebound and kind of push the pace and create. He's someone who can guard multiple positions on the other end of the floor. At the end of the day, if you have somebody we can throw the ball to in the post in mismatch circumstances, then he can go and get a bucket for us, for sure. So, I think he'll do a lot of different things. And I think it's the perfect platform for him to showcase his talent to help a team that's trying to win.' Advertisement The vision for this roster has slowly come into focus over the passing days and weeks. And now that it's almost crafted in full — the Sixers are still trying to work things out with shooting guard Quentin Grimes — you see, for perhaps the first time, a roster that's being built to absorb the inevitable absence of superstar center Joel Embiid. To be clear, the Sixers know they can't get anywhere close to where they want to go — championship contention — if Embiid isn't healthy and playing at the peak of his powers. But that's a playoff issue, if Philadelphia were to get there. For the Sixers to win games in the regular season — when matchups are coming for them night after night — they need a roster deep enough to withstand the fact that Embiid will probably never approach playing 82 games. That means having other places to go for production when he isn't in the lineup. The end of last season became a vehicle for tinkering with lineups, seeing what works and analyzing what doesn't. It makes sense that a backcourt of Maxey, McCain, Grimes and rookie VJ Edgecombe can and perhaps should be counted on for significant production. Maxey is a terrific and instinctual scorer. Grimes watched his game grow once he got traded to the Sixers from the Dallas Mavericks. McCain may one day become one of the best weapon shooters in the league, and Edgecombe is someone whom the front office hopes to one day develop into a star. What the Sixers are hoping Watford does is fill what has become a significant gap at power forward. He probably comes off the bench at least to start his Sixers tenure. But his versatility and toughness might become more and more important as time passes. And what the Sixers are hoping for from Maxey is that he continues to grow his game as he becomes more mature. Maxey has played at an all-star level for the past few years. Can he make a leap to playing at an all-NBA level? If he can do that, and if Embiid can even come close to resembling the MVP-level player he has been in the past, that's the path for the Sixers to rebound from what turned into a miserable season. 'I think the biggest way we have to look at it is that we have got to focus on the Sixers right now,' Maxey said. 'That's what we have to focus on. Honestly, from day one, starting with summer league and the draft and all that, we've got to focus on just the Sixers. Once we figure out that portion, then we can worry about everyone and everything else. We have to figure out our rotations. We have to make sure that we're all healthy, and we have to make sure that we're all out there to play. That's the biggest thing I think for us right now. And then, once we do that, then we can worry about the Eastern Conference and the rest of the league.'
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
NBA 2K26 Summer League champions to earn custom rings as tradition continues for fourth straight year
(Image Source - Getty Images) The NBA 2K26 Summer League is starting up at Las Vegas, and the competition is greater than ever. Preseason action, which was previously regarded as a mere formality, now is a tournament in which the victors will receive a practical prize. Championship rings are presented to a winning team in 2022, and it makes every game even more important and significant. Considering that only four teams pass on to the semifinals, every point counts. Only four teams advance to the semifinals after the first round The NBA 2K26 Summer League takes place from July 10 to 20 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas. It's more than just a development event; it has a structured format. Every team is set to play a minimum of five games, with the first four games determining which four teams make it to the semifinals. The final two teams will then compete for the championship title and a ring. The competition is fierce—even exhibition games have to follow strict tiebreakers. Semifinal positions are decided by head-to-head records and point differentials; if teams are still tied, seeding might even be determined by a random draw. With just one game capable of making a huge difference, every possession is crucial in this format. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Starting in 2022, the champions of the Summer League have been awarded real championship rings—not just plastic trinkets, but luxurious jewelry similar to NBA Finals rings. The Portland Trail Blazers were the first to get theirs after winning in Las Vegas in 2022, where they beat the New York Knicks 85–77, and Trendon Watford took home the MVP title. The Cleveland Cavaliers got theirs in 2023, followed by the Miami Heat in 2024, who pulled off an incredible 120–118 overtime victory against the Memphis Grizzlies—and their rings marked the 20th anniversary of the event. Also Read: Vanessa Bryant quietly amplifies Mexican rescue efforts as Texas flood death toll climbs past 129 victims These championship rings have changed Summer League from a casual preseason warm-up into a serious, high-stakes tournament. Players such as Miami's Josh Christopher, who snagged the MVP title in the 2024 Championship Game, understand that every basket, block, and rebound could matter more than just personal stats—it could lead to gold on their fingers. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here . Catch Manika Batra's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 3. Watch Here!
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nets lose F Trendon Watford to 76ers in 2025 NBA free-agency
The Brooklyn Nets have gone through the 2025 NBA offseason by making some interesting moves in the 2025 NBA Draft and with their tweaks to the roster. When free-agency began on Monday, there already news that Brooklyn was looking to retain its restricted free-agents, but one of its unrestricted free-agents to the opportunity to look to play for another team. ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Monday that forward Trendon Watford had agreed to a two-year, $5.3 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers in free-agency, ending his tenure with the Nets after two seasons. Watford, 24, is set to play a "potential" key role for the 76ers next season, one year after the team finished with a 24-58 record that was dissatisfying to everyone within the organization. Advertisement Watford is coming off a 2024-25 season in which he averaged 10.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 46.9% from the field and 33.0% from three-point land. While Watford was solid for Brooklyn during the 2023-24 campaign, his production took off last season as his ability to handle the ball as a power forward was put more to use by first-year head coach Jordi Fernandez. During a season in which the Nets essentially played a game of point guard roulette by trading Dennis Schroder to the Golden State Warriors midway through the year, Watford showed that he could handle more of the ball-handling role. Once Brooklyn acquired guard D'Angelo Russell from the Los Angeles Lakers, Watford had less ball-handling responsibility on his plate, but he was still asked to be one of the main playmakers on the team. "Obviously, you want to get what you feel like you deserve. Just having a consistent role these past two years, I think I've been able to show, not only my organization, but other organizations, putting my name out there, and earn respect on my name," Watford said during his exit interview in April. After signing with the 76ers in free-agency, Watford seems to have found where he wants to be for the next two seasons. This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets lose F Trendon Watford to 76ers in 2025 NBA free-agency
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.
