Trendon Watford looked like one of those sneaky good free-agent finds for the 76ers last summer. Philadelphia got him on the cheap, and for a while it seemed like the kind of move that could pay off in a big way. A year later, though, he’s sitting in a strange spot: out on the market, with very little buzz around where he might land next.
The Sixers moved on by declining his team option for next season, and since then the trail has gone cold. Watford is still available, but the noise around him has been minimal.
LeBron James’ free agency spectacle has slowed down plenty of transaction chatter across the league, but Watford’s situation appears to be about more than that. A lot of teams simply don’t have many open roster spots right now, and some front offices are choosing to save those spots for moves later in the season.
That could leave the former Sixer waiting a while longer, possibly all the way into the 2026-27 circuit without a team.
That’s a pretty sharp turn for a 25-year-old forward with real utility. Watford has the kind of size and versatility that usually keeps a player in demand. He’s the sort of guy who can handle the dirty work and still make plays for others, which is not exactly a common combo at his position.
His time in Philadelphia showed why teams liked him in the first place. In 16.3 minutes per game, Watford put up 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. Nick Nurse and the staff used him all over the floor, plugging him into different looks and different positions depending on what the team needed.
The problem was the outside shot. Watford hit just 20 percent from three, and he didn’t take many to begin with. At times, it looked like he was hesitant to let it fly from deep, and that limited how far his role could grow when it mattered most.
Even so, there’s still plenty to like. He can function as a table-setter from the forward spot, and his rebounding and defensive instincts give him value that goes beyond the box score. For the right team, and at the right price, he could still be a useful addition.
For now, though, his free agency has gone quiet in a way that’s hard to ignore.
In Other News...
Sixers LeBron Chase Could Bring Another Former Top Pick Into Play
As the Sixers keep one eye on their LeBron James pursuit, another former lottery pick has quietly entered the picture. Marc Stein reported that multiple NBA teams have interest in Mario Hezonja, who has been playing for Real Madrid and has spent the past few seasons overseas after last appearing in the league during the 2019-20 campaign.
What makes the name worth tracking in Philadelphia is the overlap Stein noted between the teams chasing Hezonja and the teams in on LeBron. For a club trying to maximize every roster spot around a star swing, a return for Hezonja would add another veteran wing option to the conversation, even if the bigger domino in the Sixers' summer still has to fall first. [Read more 🡒]
LeBron Rumors Just Took Another Turn Heat Fans Need To See
LeBron James is still in the middle of the free-agency process, and the list of teams circling him keeps the conversation alive for anyone watching the leagues top contenders. At 41 and still a free agent, he is being linked to Cleveland, Miami, Golden State, Philadelphia and Minnesota, with the common thread being the same one he has made clear for years: he wants a team built to win now and backed by a strong culture.
For the 76ers, that alone keeps them in the picture, even without any public commitment from James. The longer this stretches on, the more it feels like a moving target rather than a straight line to a destination, especially after reports suggested the process has shifted again and the field is still open. [Read more 🡒]