As training camp approaches, the Philadelphia 76ers have begun to fill out the rest of their extended roster. The first player to join the list of Sixers for camp is nonother than Summer League standout Javonte Smart, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
After playing three seasons for the LSU Tigers, Javonte Smart went undrafted in 2021 before joining the Miami Heat’s Summer League team. Ahead of the upcoming season, Smart signed with the Heat but was before the season and went on to play for the Sioux Falls Skyforce. That changed in November of the same year as the Milwaukee Bucks then signed him to a two-way contract where he would play for both the Bucks and their G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, before being waived again in January of 2022.
Smart would return to the Sioux Falls Skyforce and eventually even the Heat on another two-way deal but would be waived yet again after the season. The following year, he played for the Birmingham Squadron, the New Orleans Pelicans G League affiliate, where he would average 13.6 points per game.
After a year in the G League, Smart would return to Summer League, this time with the Sixers. He would rank second on the Summer Sixers in points per game and first in assists, averaging 16.4 and 6.0, respectively.
It was an overall impressive outing for Smart, who made several big shots while fighting to get out from under the shadow of Jaden Springer and Summer League darling Terquavion Smith. Now signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Sixers, Smart has a chance to participate during training camp and perhaps even fight for an upgraded deal.
For a quick refresher on Exhibit 10s, they are essentially one-year contracts that teams can convert into a two-way contract before the start of the regular season. The contracts are signed for the league minimum, and if a player is waived by the team, there is a bonus of $5,000-$50,000 if they sign with the team’s G League squad. In this case, the Deleware Blue Coats.
Could Smart earn a two-way deal with the Sixers?
The Sixers currently have three two-way contracts signed, the maximum allowed by the current CBA; however, there remains the possibility of a shakeup before the start of the season. Currently filling the Sixers’ two-way slots are Terquavion Smith, Ricky Council IV, and Azuolas Tubelis. While Council’s spot is secure, Smith may find himself promoted to the full-time roster at some point while Azoulas Tubelis may not make the team altogether unless he can improve from his Summer League performance.
While Smart heads into camp with an uphill battle, he’s certainly proved himself capable of exceeding expectations and could very well do so once again.
