Furkan Korkmaz officially signs contract to join Sixers

Markelle Fultz isn’t the only young, versatile talent set to make his Sixers debut this season. Per his agent, Misko Raznatovic, Furkan Korkmaz has officially signed a deal with the team.

Korkmaz, a swingman, blossomed overseas this season as a 19-year-old after being selected No. 26 in the 2016 NBA draft by Bryan Colangelo. Following Korkmaz’s signing, the Sixers’ general manager and President of Basketball Operations offered his sentiments on the new Sixers addition.

We are happy to have Furkan Korkmaz join us in Philadelphia this year where we feel he will be best positioned to develop physically and acclimate to the NBA game. Furkan is another talented young player that we are excited to have in our program.

There were hints of Korkmaz vying to join the team over the past week, and Tuesday officially cemented his status as a new member of the organization. Korkmaz is leaving dough on the table, having to fork over $1.3 million in his $2 million buyout. It speaks volumes towards his willingness to join the foundation that Philadelphia has built.

Korkmaz will perform on the 2017-18 rookie scale as the 26th pick in that draft.

In terms of his status for Summer League, there has yet to be a determination.

Turning 20 in later this month, Korkmaz is still green as a player and Summer League would be a small, important taste of NBA competition. But even if he makes his debut during training camp, there’s ample time to build off a successful year overseas.

Korkmaz is coming off a season for Banvit in Turkey, on a loan from Anadolu Efes, in which he averaged 11 points and five rebounds. He was deemed the Basketball Champions League “Best Young Player” for his efforts in eight BCL appearances, and his respectable shooting clip (50 percent from 3) certainly factored into the accolade.

With sharpshooter J.J. Redick set to man the starting two-guard spot, there’s competition for the backup roles. Currently, Nik Stauskas, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Justin Anderson appear to be Korkmaz’s competition.

With the team failing to address their backup three slot, both Luwawu-Cabarrot and Anderson could occupy the small forward position in a pinch. Korkmaz also can play either wing, which speaks to his versatility. He may not be physically capable to begin the season, weighing in at just 190 pounds, but there’s hope.

As one of 26 teams with a G-League team, Korkmaz should be primed for minutes in Delaware to become acclimated and avoid rust on the bench. His shooting ability is his most prominent trait, and will be invaluable to a team that needs as many shooters as it can get. Korkmaz is another promising addition to the Sixers’ core.