For the second time this season, the Philadelphia 76ers will bid Chuma Okeke farewell after the 10-day deal he signed with the Sixers on March 16 expired. Okeke was signed to reduce the impact of the injury crises that have plagued the team this season and push them closer to the finish line as they look to hastily close the chapter of their woeful 2024-2025 season.
Okeke was signed to an initial 10-day deal in February before he was brought back a month later. And due to the fact that it was his second 10-day trip with the Philadelphia 76ers, it’s likely a final goodbye this time, as he cannot sign a third 10-day deal. The only possibility of a comeback for Chuma Okeke is if he is signed to a standard deal, which is highly unlikely due to the salary implications of such a move.
His initial contract in February hardly paid off, as he only played two minutes in one game against the Pistons during the 10-day period.
However, during his second stint with the Philadelphia Sixers, Okeke had quite an impressive run, averaging 8.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 54.5% from the floor and 45.5% from deep.
Sixers Head Coach Nick Nurse highly commended his ability to catch and shoot three-pointers while showing up on both ends of the court after the Sixers’ game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. In the game, he had 14 points and 15 rebounds off the bench, shooting 5-for-6 overall and 4-for-5 from deep. He used his size and athleticism to help the team with scoring and rebounding.
With his contract expiring, Okeke will return to the G League with the Westchester Knicks. Before joining the Sixers, he played and played 16 games with the Knicks of the NBA G League in 2024-2025, where he averaged 17.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.4 blocked shots. He also reached the 15-point mark in 12 of his 16 games.
Okeke’s performance over the last ten days has been good, but has it been enough to ensure he makes an NBA return next season? Time will tell.
