Report: Sixers waive Ryan Broekhoff and Derrick Walton Jr.

The Philadelphia 76ers finally made the first of what will be multiple moves on Monday by waiving Derrick Walton Jr. and Ryan Broekhoff. Both were on non-guaranteed contracts.

This move isn’t much of a surprise, as the Sixers are working to slim down their roster to 15 players. Expect the team to make a bit more of an interesting decision with their final roster spot, which will likely come down to Justin Anderson and newly acquired Vincent Poirier.

Justin Anderson was gifted with an additional non-guaranteed year that was absent from the other late additions to the roster, which points to Anderson making the final roster spot. It also doesn’t hurt that Justin is close friends with one of the Sixers’ franchise cornerstones in Joel Embiid.

While most would assume Anderson would get the final roster spot due to those reasons, it isn’t exactly that simple. Vincent Poirier is on a fully guaranteed contract for the upcoming season. While the amount — $2,619,207 — isn’t that much when talking NBA money, we have to factor in that the Sixers are a luxury tax team that potentially faces the repeater tax.

Putting together all variables means that the Sixers would have to pay just over $9 million for Poirier in the event that they retain or waive him. That’s quite a lot for a fourth string center!

The Sixers next move could be exchanging Poirier for a non-guaranteed contract with a new team. The Sixers could waive the newly acquired contract without having to pay $9 million.

Expect an additional move — a signing, waiving, or trade — in the near future as the Sixers continue to trim down the roster before Tuesday’s first preseason contest. We will continue to update you on the news.