After a standout performance between the Utah and Las Vegas Summer Leagues, the Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to a new two-way deal with guard Jeff Dowtin Jr. for the 2024-2025 season.
Back in early March, the Sixers signed Dowtin from the Delaware Blue Coats to a two-way contract exactly like that which he will sign now. Less than a month later, the team signed Dowtin to a standard NBA contract for the rest of the season with a non-guarantee for 2024-25. Over 12 games, Dowtin averaged just 4.3 points and 2.3 assists but shot the ball very well, finishing with 55.6/47.4/75.0 shooting splits.
In that time, Dowtin proved himself a capable depth guard who can run the point at an effective level should the Sixers find themselves lacking at that position for any reason during the season. In spite of this, the Sixers waived Dowtin earlier this offseason in what was purely a budgetary move so that they could make the notable additions the team enjoyed this offseason, such as signing Paul George and Caleb Martin.
However, that was no signal of a permanent split.
Dowtin was listed on the Sixers’ Summer League roster and was expected to play only for their Utah series but joined for their Vegas series as well. Across 12 total games, Dowtin averaged 17.1 points and 5.7 assists while showcasing his relative veteran craftiness.
Following a strong Summer League performance, Dowtin will return to the Sixers on a two-way deal for now, but he will once again have the opportunity to sign a new standard deal during the season. That likely will not be a discussion until after the trade deadline or, more specifically, after the results of the buyout market.
Dowtin has earned the trust of the organization in part due to his ties to Sixers head coach Nick Nurse, as he played for the latter in Toronto for part of the 2022-23 NBA season. He was waived by Toronto that offseason opening up the door to reunite with Nurse the following season.
Now entering his first full season with the Sixers, Dowtin will look to continue growing in hopes of proving himself as a rotation-level guard.
