NBA Roster Rumors: Marco Belinelli to Sign with the Philadelphia 76ers After Clearing Waivers
It looks like the Philadelphia 76ers have come out ahead of their competitors in the Marco Belinelli sweepstakes.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that Belinelli has agreed to sign with the Sixers for the remainder of the season once he clears waivers on Monday.
The veteran wing confirmed the deal by tweeting the team's unofficial slogan.
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The Atlanta Hawks bought out Belinelli's expiring $6.3-million contract on Friday after they failed to move him before the trade deadline.
Belinelli averaged 11.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.9 steals in 52 games with the Hawks this season, and he shot 41 percent from the field, 37.2 percent from the three-point line, and 92.7 percent from the free-throw stripe.
According to Wojnarowski, the Sixers reportedly promised Belinelli a significant role off the bench if he joined them. He is expected to receive most of the minutes behind starting shooting guard J.J. Redick, so Jerryd Bayless and Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot probably will not be seeing much game action moving forward.
Belinelli is a great addition for the Sixers as they continue to fight for a spot in the playoffs this season. He should give their second unit a much-needed offensive boost with his ability to space the floor and hit shots from beyond the arc.
"Belinelli not only brings veteran playoff experience to the Sixers bench, he also gives the team a reliable player who is good at creating space off the ball and hitting from deep. He is the kind of player who has few liabilities," Sarah Todd wrote in her column for the Philadelphia Inquirer.
"Additionally, Belinelli has a bit of a reputation as a clutch shooter. He has multiple game-winners under his belt, and is the kind of player who can hit a shot when his team really needs a bump in a high-pressure situation," she continued.
