The 76ers on Monday claimed swingman Sonny Weems off waivers and released Christian Wood from his 10-day contract. The Suns had waived Weems on March 5.
Selected by the Bulls in the second round (39th overall) of the 2008 draft, Weems (6-6, 205) has played in 176 career games, averaging 6.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 19 minutes. In 36 games for the Suns this season, he averaged 2.5 points in 11.7 minutes per game and shot 40.6 percent (13 for 32) from three.
Weems, who played two seasons at Arkansas, played overseas from 2011-15. He spent the previous three seasons with CSKA Moscow in Russia. Weems was named the All-Euroleague First Team in 2013-14. Prior to that, he played for BC Zalgiris in Lithuania.
The move helps the Sixers reach the salary cap floor of $63 million, which they would have hit if the Joel Anthony deal had not been negated. Before the deal, the Sixers' salary total, per Spotrac, was $60.7 million. Weems is earning $2.8 million this season. (Anthony's salary is $2.5 million.) As Eric Pincus from Basketball Insiders noted, the Sixers only have to pay a remaining portion of this season's deal. His contract is non-guaranteed next season at $2.9 million.
The Sixers had one roster spot open after they waived JaKarr Sampson on Feb. 18 to make room for the later-voided Anthony trade. Last week, head coach Brett Brown said the team was not in a hurry to bring in a 15th player. The two-guard and wing position have been the most glaring needs on the floor.
"We’re trying to show some level of judgement of patience when somebody comes up that makes sense that we will do it," Brown said before the Sixers played the Wizards on Feb.29 (see story). "I think the people that sort of study our roster can say accurately that that seems to be the most likely place you should go or would go, and it’s hard to argue that, especially without a body in JaKarr.”
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The Sixers signed the 6-11 Wood to a 10-day contract on March 5 amid injuries to big men Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor. Wood did not appear in either of the Sixers' two games during this stint.