9:11pm: The claim is official, according to the RealGM transactions log.
4:37pm: The Sixers have claimed Chris Johnson off of waivers, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). Johnson, not to be confused with the player of the same name on the Heat, was waived by the Celtics on Thursday as Boston began paring down their roster to the maximum of 20 players. This move brings Philadelphia’s roster count to 21, so they will have to release someone in order to add Johnson.
This move continues the trend of the Sixers adding young, minimum salary players for their season-long quest for the No. 1 overall draft pick. Johnson will compete for minutes at small forward, and with a strong training camp it’s conceivable that Johnson could end up contributing as a rotation piece during the regular season.
In 48 career games Johnson’s numbers are 5.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, and 0.7 APG. His career slash line is .402/.338/.844.
The Sixers are not on a “season-long quest for the No. 1 overall draft pick”. They’re bringing in young players to compete in camp. Also, Grant and McDaniels will be on the team this year. The Sixers are at 23 players.
They haven’t struck a deal with either Grant or McDaniels yet, so they’re at 21 deals (not all are official, which allows them to essentially hang on to that many players without actually doing so). As for Philadelphia’s goals this season, I don’t think we’re alone in believing that landing the No. 1 pick is one of them. They’re bringing in young players to compete in camp, too, but every team does that.
–Chuck
Philadelphia’s main goals this season are the development of MCW, Noel, Embiid, and further establishing their offensive and defensive systems. 2015 draft position down the list. Signing Chris Johnson is not a move to help their quest for the #1 pick. Every NBA team is signing training camp bodies right now.
I’m not sure there really is a distinction between developing prospects like MCW, Noel and Embiid and angling for the No. 1 pick; they are not necessarily competing priorities, since the Sixers seem to have such little chance of making the playoffs even if all three outstrip expectations this year, and thus they needn’t rank in any particular order. I believe the point of the sentence is to say that rather than commit resources toward proven veteran mainstays of NBA rotations, the Sixers have concentrated on young, inexpensive talent for the season ahead, one in which the long-term future is more important than the 2014/15 win-loss record.
–Chuck
I think that’s what he meant,,, and has been the “plan” from day 1…….
I would agree with that.
Not sure that # 1 pick is necessary..
Hinkie has already robbed the henhouse and will be happy with a top 5 pick..Especially considering that he hijacked the (hopefully) 15ish pick,,, HInkie has taken the draft for all that it has to give,,,,,,
Sixers are a damn joke!