LeBron James' decision to play for Philadelphia next season wound up costing the job of a former Arizona Wildcats player.
The 76ers cut Dalen Terry to make room under the salary cap for James, who agreed to play for them last weekend. Terry, 24, is now a free agent, though he is no longer eligible to sign a two-way contract because he has four years of NBA service time.
Drafted No. 18 by the Chicago Bulls in 2022 after two seasons at UA, the Phoenix-area native played three full seasons with the Bulls and their G League affiliate before going on a wild ride since February: He was traded to the Knicks, who immediately shipped him to the Pelicans, who then waived Terry before the Sixers signed him to a two-way deal.
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Dalen Terry celebrates towards the ASU bench during the Wildcats' win in Tempe in February 2022.
Terry played 14 games for the Sixers late last season, and the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Terry took in a Sixers summer league game in Las Vegas along with other Philadelphia players and staff. He said then he was working on his shooting, and expressed excitement over the Sixers' acquisition of Jaylen Brown.
Now, never mind.
Instead, Terry's departure from the Sixers prompted this headline on the Bulls-oriented Pippen Ain’t Easy website: "Former Bulls player is sacrificed on the altar of LeBron James' ambition."
Contact sports reporter Bruce Pascoe at bpascoe@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @brucepascoe
Bruce Pascoe
Reporter
