The Philadelphia 76ers‘ blockbuster signing of LeBron James came at a bargain price. It still may cost another player his roster spot.
Despite James agreeing to a two-year, $8 million veteran minimum contract, the Sixers must make one more roster move to officially fit the future Hall of Famer beneath the NBA’s first-apron hard cap, according to ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks.
Philadelphia is hard-capped after using more than $6.1 million of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign veteran forward Dean Wade earlier this offseason. That restriction leaves the Sixers needing to trim salary before James’ contract can be finalized.
“For starters, because Philadelphia had only the veterans minimum exception to offer, James will sign a two-year, $8 million contract,” Marks wrote. “As a result, the 76ers will need to waive one of their non-guaranteed contracts (Jabari Walker or Dalen Terry) or make a minor trade to clear out salary to fit James’ salary below the first apron.”
Jabari Walker, Dalen Terry Among Potential Roster Casualties
GettyJabari Walker, one of the young wings Bobby Marks identified as a possible roster casualty, defends LeBron James during a Lakers-76ers game.
Neither Walker nor Terry entered training camp projected as a major rotation piece, but both remain intriguing young depth options.
Walker earned his place in Philadelphia after initially signing a one-year, two-way contract last summer. His development convinced the Sixers to reward him with a two-year, $3.31 million contract in February.
The fourth-year forward appeared in 64 regular-season games, averaging 4.3 points and 3.0 rebounds in 11.9 minutes while providing energy and frontcourt depth off the bench. At 24 years old, Walker appeared positioned to compete for a larger role entering the 2026-27 campaign.
Terry, meanwhile, remains more of a long-term developmental project.
Philadelphia exercised the 25-year-old guard’s 2026-27 team option earlier this offseason after he averaged 4.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 12.4 minutes across 14 appearances following his arrival with the Sixers. His defensive versatility and positional size have made him an intriguing piece, even if his offensive game is still developing.
Marks also noted Philadelphia could pursue a minor trade instead of waiving either player, though no such move has surfaced publicly.
LeBron James’ Discount Didn’t Eliminate 76ers’ Cap Challenges
James already did Philadelphia a significant financial favor.
Rather than seeking a larger payday in free agency, the four-time NBA champion agreed to a veteran minimum contract worth roughly $3.9 million next season. However, because the deal spans two years, the Sixers do not receive the salary-cap relief that would have applied had James signed a one-year minimum contract.
That technical distinction leaves Philadelphia with little flexibility despite landing one of the greatest players in NBA history on one of the league’s biggest bargains.
The Sixers’ front office now faces one final decision before fully turning its attention to championship aspirations. Whether it comes through waiving Walker or Terry or completing a smaller trade, Philadelphia appears destined to sacrifice a young depth piece to complete the final step of bringing James aboard.
For a franchise chasing its first NBA championship since Hall of Famers Moses Malone and Julius “Dr. J” Erving led the Sixers to the 1983 title, it is a relatively small price to pay for adding LeBron James to an already star-studded roster.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post 76ers’ LeBron James Signing Could Cost Young Wing: Insider appeared first on HEAVY.