The Philadelphia 76ers waived high-flying wing Ricky Council IV late Friday afternoon. Council’s contract was non-guaranteed for the upcoming season, and with the Sixers holding their final roster spot for restricted free agent Quentin Grimes, waiving Council opens the door for the Sixers to make another signing in free agency or carry only 14 players into the upcoming season.
Ricky Council IV joined the Philadelphia 76ers as an undrafted free agent on a two-way contract for the 2023-2024 season. The former NC State Wolfpack wing impressed in his rookie year. He appeared in 32 games, averaging 5.4 points on 48.2/37.5/74.6 shooting splits. This was good enough for the Sixers to convert Council to a standard deal. His combination of shooting and untapped potential brought a certain level of excitement around RC4.
This positive connotation began to turn this past season. With the Sixers struggling to win games and multiple players struggling to stay healthy, Council IV was leaned on heavily. He played in 73 games, starting 12, and saw nearly a thousand more minutes of playing time.
However, this did not lead to much success for Council, as his efficiency took a nosedive under the added playing time. He shot only 38.2% from the field and a stunningly low 25.8% from three. While these struggles were indicative of the team’s shortcomings, they also showed that Council IV wasn’t quite at the level he needed to be to maintain a rotational spot for the upcoming season.
While Council IV’s time is ending with the Sixers, it does not mean that his time in the NBA should come to an end. He still may have some untapped potential, and many teams could look to add Council IV with the intent of developing him into a serviceable 3-and-D player for the future, either on a minimum deal or a two-way deal. For the Sixers though, an extra roster spot was more valuable than a developmental wing who more than likely wouldn’t see much playing time next season, especially after power forward Guerschon Yabusele’s departure from the team.
