The Sixers have agreed to a two-way deal with second-year point guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported. In a related move, David Roddy has been waived a source confirmed to Philly Sports Network.
The former No. 17 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, Hood-Schifino’s time in LA with the Lakers was uneventful, to say the least. Spending most of his time traveling between the team and their G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, Hood-Schifino played just 21 games in the NBA his rookie season before having a lumbar microdiscectomy procedure in late March, which ended his year.
During his rookie campaign, Hood-Schifino averaged 1.6 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.4 assists. So far in his sophomore season, he’s played just two games for the Lakers before being traded and subsequently waived by the Utah Jazz without playing a single game for them. He’s averaging 2.0 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists this season.
That lack of production would certainly have one questioning the move, but Hood-Schifino is still a 21-year-old 6’5″ point guard with a first-round pedigree, just two years removed from being drafted. The Sixers clearly believe there may still be a talent in the former Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and it’s up to the organization to try and find him.
There are just 24 games left between the Sixers and the end of the regular season. Despite the announcement that Joel Embiid would miss the rest of the regular season, Philadelphia has maintained that the team will continue to fight to win each and every game as the season approaches its final stretch.
It can be argued whether this move constitutes one for the short or long term, but adding a recent first-round pick on a two-way deal is simply good business. There is very little to lose and much to gain by this move, although there is a long and winding road between Jalen Hood-Schifino and a consistent role in the NBA.
For the latest breaking news on your Philadelphia 76ers and other Philly sports, follow Zach Ciavolella on X — @CiavoNBA and Bluesky — @ciavo.bsky.social
