Another shooter that will eventually be on the roster, but is on the same timeline as the rest of their core....Korkmaz was named the Best Young Player of the European Basketball Champions League
CAMDEN — Furkan Korkmaz, similar to Dario Saric's situation last year, has a buyout in his contract playing professional basketball in his native Turkey that would allow him to join the NBA.
But, unlike Saric, who was the No. 12 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Korkmaz went No. 26 in 2016. That means a great deal because Korkmaz's slotted NBA salary in the 2017-18 season would be $1.22 million. Saric's, meanwhile, was $2.32 million during his recently completed rookie year with the Sixers after spending two seasons with Anadolu Efes in Istanbul.
Since the league limits how much every team can contribute toward a buyout, it might not be financially feasible for the
19-year-old Korkmaz to join the Sixers now.
"I believe he’s got a desire to come (to Philadelphia)," Sixers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo said on Wednesday at the team's training facility. "He’s actually really long and he’s growing. He might be 6-7, 6-8 now and with ball skills. (He's a) good decision-maker, shot-maker (and) does a lot of good things — very interesting player."
Korkmaz, a slender, 190-pound shooting guard, averaged 10.4 points and
shot 48.8 percent from 3-point range in eight Basketball Champions League games in Europe. He also plays for Anadolu Efes in Istanbul.
While Korkmaz has put on nine or 10 pounds, he still needs to get stronger and gain more high-level experience.
Colangelo saw Korkmaz play and then sat down to talk with him in Spain during the last week of April. Colangelo said he thinks Korkmaz is "emotionally ready (for the NBA, but) I think physically he’s got a ways to go. Dario was probably farther along, age-wise and experience-wise, when he was coming over."
Colangelo also met with Korkmaz's agent Tuesday.
Since the Sixers would have 11 players already under contract if they bring back point guard T.J. McConnell and don't pick up Gerald Henderson's $9 million team option, the lack of roster spots could be an issue, too. The Sixers possess the No. 3 overall pick in the June 22 draft, along with four second-round selections.
When you factor in that Korkmaz probably wouldn't be ahead of Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot in the shooting guard rotation, another season overseas for Korkmaz seems to make the most sense.