The Philadelphia 76ers had a hard time finding consistent playing time for the third-year guard Isaiah Joe in the preseason.
After the young sharpshooter made his third preseason debut last Monday against the Brooklyn Nets, Joe failed to see the court two nights later against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Fortunately, Joe was issued playing time on the road in the rematch against the Cavs, but when Wednesday's finale against the Charlotte Hornets approached, the young sharpshooter remained on the bench for the entire outing.
By Thursday morning, Joe was on the outs in Philadelphia. According to a source, the Sixers waived the young guard, along with the second-year center Charles Bassey.
While Bassey's departure from the Sixers was expected, Joe's release came as a surprise to many. Before Joe landed on the 76ers, he was linked to the team numerous times leading up to the 2020 NBA Draft. Inevitably, he was selected by the Sixers in the second round.
Despite gaining a ton of interest from Philadelphia, Joe struggled to crack the main rotation throughout his two seasons with the Sixers. At times, he was also sent down to the team's G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, to further work on his development.
Joe has shown flashes at times on both levels — but the Sixers' recent offseason moves crowded the wing position making it difficult for the third-year guard to stick around. Joe will hit the free agency market, where he could potentially land in a better position personally. But if he doesn't, the Sixers could explore the idea of bringing him back, according to Kyle Neubeck of Philly Voice.
“There is some interest, according to a source, in bringing Joe back on a two-way deal if that ends up being possible. From the player's perspective, a standard NBA contract would obviously be the first priority, so the Sixers may not have the luxury of bringing Joe back on a deal with better terms for the team. That said, it's too early to say if his time with the organization is up yet, or if he can be retained in a role that allows Joe to put time in with the Blue Coats in the hope of becoming a reliable role player.”
Joe will likely gain some notable interest on the free agency market for teams that are searching for a three-point scorer on a team-friendly deal. If not, then he's back in play for Philadelphia.
Getting Joe back on a two-way deal would be ideal from the Sixers' perspective, but it might not be possible at this time. Considering teams are always on the hunt for affordable shooters, Joe brings a reliable skill set to the table for a team who might view him as an ideal fit for their organization.
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