The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed on a three-year, $27 million deal with free agent guard Jerryd Bayless, according to The Associated Press' Jon Krawczynski.
76ers, Jerryd Bayless agree on 3-year, $27 million contract
Philadelphia is starting to round out its roster by adding guards.
Bayless, now 27 years old, has been a journeyman throughout his career. After stints with the Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets, Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies and Boston Celtics, he played the past two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks. His role was to be a spark plug off the bench and he filled it well, averaging 13 points, four rebounds and four assists while splitting his minutes between the point guard and shooting guard positions.
The do-it-all combo guard has always posted solid numbers, but his play has traditionally lacked consistency. This is still a good signing for the 76ers, not only because it came relatively cheap but because Bayless fits their roster well. Bayless can handle the ball but he can also play off it. He might have turned a corner as a marksman last season, as his three-point shooting percentage jumped all the way to 44 percent after a career hovering around the league average.
With rookie combo forward Ben Simmons likely handling the ball a lot next season, someone like Bayless who can help out when needed while also being a threat spotting up is just what the 76ers need. He's better suited to come off the bench, but if Philadelphia fails to land a better point guard, he could win the spot over Kendall Marshall and T.J. McConnell.
The 76ers still have a lot of work to do -- they have a glut of big men and not enough backcourt players -- but the addition of Bayless, while not sexy, is a good first step.
See More:
