Gerald Henderson agrees to 2-year, $18 million contract with 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers have added a much-needed perimeter veteran, agreeing to a two-year, $18 million deal with Gerald Henderson, according to Chris Haynes of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.

Henderson was a key bench player for the Portland Trail Blazers last year after spending the first six years of his career in Charlotte. He began the year out of the rotation, but worked his way back in to provide solid minutes as the team’s lone veteran. While his minutes per game dropped to just under 20 per contest, he still managed to average nearly nine points a game while shooting 35 percent from three-point range.

Prior to his time in Portland, Henderson was a regular starter for the Bobcats and then the Hornets. He averaged a career-high 15.5 points per game in 2012-13, then followed it up with a 14-point season as the starting shooting guard on Steve Clifford’s first playoff team the next year. He was expected to lose minutes to Lance Stephenson in 2014-15, but instead worked his way back into the starting lineup, though his average per-game total dropped to 12.1. The Hornets then traded him to Portland as part of a package to acquire Nicolas Batum.

Henderson should slot in as a starter or bench scorer for the 76ers on the wing. Philadelphia has Robert Covington and Hollis Thompson to space the floor, but Henderson is a better driver than either and a more experienced defender. Brett Brown could use his know-how given his team’s youthful core.