Sixers

Report: Sixers to sign Marco Belinelli after clearing waivers

Josh Liddick Sports Editor

Published10 Feb 2018

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By Josh Liddick, Sports Talk Philly editor

The Sixers will have a new member on their team, once he clears waivers after a buyout with his last team. The Sixers plan on signing guard Marco Belinelli, previously with the Atlanta Hawks to a contract.

Guard Marco Belinelli has committed to the Philadelphia 76ers to sign a free agent contract, league sources tell ESPN. Belinelli agreed to a buyout with the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, and can sign with the Sixers upon clearing waivers.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 11, 2018

The 31-year-old shooting guard from Italy has acted as a journeyman during his 11-year NBA career, playing for eight different teams. The Sixers will be his ninth team played for.

Belinelli was averaging 11.4 points per game, 1.9 boards, two assists, and almost a steal per game in 52 games played this season for Atlanta.

The Sixers were reportedly "keeping tabs" on Belinelli before the trade deadline, according to Michael Scotto of The Athletic, but now will have the opportunity to instead offer the two-guard a free agent contract.

Belinelli is coming off of a less than impressive month of January, shooting under 39 percent from the floor and 31.7 percent from three-point range. Over his 11 years in the NBA, the 31-year-old veteran is shooting 42.4 percent overall and 37.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Originally, the Sixers would've offered a second round draft pick for Belinelli, which would've been low-risk, but now they won't have to give anything up in order to get him.

The move really seems to be a low-risk move to better the Sixers chances of claiming a playoff spot down the stretch, all while adding veteran talent that will also help the bench improve drastically in terms of overall shooting.

It may be important to note the relationship Belinelli and Sixers GM Bryan Colangelo have back in 2009, when Colangelo traded for Belinelli to join the Toronto Raptors.

In 09, Bryan Colangelo and TOR traded for Belinelli from GSW. At that time in 09 Colangelo said,"Marco fills a void at the wing position where his shooting and scoring strengths will be needed. Marco's versatility and playmaking abilities make him a very valuable piece for us.”

— Jessica Camerato (@JCameratoNBCS) February 11, 2018

As of late, the Sixers have had help from Justin Anderson and TJ McConnell off the bench, with McConnell recently improving his outside shot in addition to everything else he does so well.

Although Belinelli has struggled in the last month or so, he was playing for a 15-win team, where now he gets to play with a much more talented cast of characters with a true chance of competing for anywhere between the 4th and 8th playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.

There is no word quite yet how much the Sixers are planning on offering Belinelli for a contract, but I doubt it'll be anything more than a one-year deal.

Oh, and we now know how on board Belinelli is on joining the Sixers, giving his best JJ Redick impression on Twitter.