It was rumored that former top pick Thomas Robinson was set to sign a 10-day contract with the Nets after being waived by the Nuggets, but the Sixers had other ideas.
The 76ers have placed a claim on Thomas Robinson, league sources tell Yahoo Sports. He'll belong to Philadelphia at 5 PM ET.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) February 24, 2015
Wojnarowski explains this move makes sense financially for the Sixers with regard to the NBA collective bargaining agreement.
The Sixers needed the sum of Robinson's remaining salary to honor the obligations of the collective bargaining agreement that dictate a team needs to reach within 90 percent of the NBA's salary floor before season's end – or pay out that shortfall amount equally among the rest of the players on the roster.
Robinson's $3,678,360 salary pushes the Sixers over the salary floor. Denver is no longer responsible for paying Robinson's salary.
Robinson, selected fifth overall by the Kings in the 2012 draft, was part of the Aaron Afflalo trade between the Trail Blazers and Nuggets. Because Robinson wasn't getting enough minutes, he asked them to waive him. Shortly after that occurred, reports surfaced that the Nets were going to sign him to a 10-day contract.
According to ESPN, the Nets had coveted Robinson back in the 2012 draft. They had sent a top-three protected pick to the Blazers for Gerald Wallace, but that pick fell to number six, foiling the Nets plans. Damian Lillard went sixth to Portland while Robinson was plucked fifth by Sacramento.
Drafted out of Kansas, the 23-year-old power forward is averaging 3.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game this season. He's averaging 4.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 172 career games. In his final year as a member of the Jayhawks (2011-12), Robinson put up 17.7 points and 11.9 rebounds in 39 games.
Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that the Sixers plan to waive Tim Frazier in order to make room for Robinson. In six games for Philadelphia, Frazier averaged 5.7 points and 7.2 assists in 28.5 minutes per game.
The Sixers are back in action tomorrow night against Michael Carter-Williams and the Bucks in Milwaukee. MCW is slated to make his debut with his new team during the game. Tip-off is scheduled for 8PM.
