J.P. Tokoto is apparently weighing it now – whether to sign with the 76ers or not after they drafted him with the No. 58 pick.
Last year, Jordan McRae went to Philadelphia late in the second-round. He rejected his required tender – a one-year contract, surely unguaranteed and at the minimum – the 76ers had to offer to keep his rights. Instead, he signed in Australia, and he played for Philadelphia’s D-League affiliate after the Australian season ended.
Jake Pavorsky of Liberty Ballers:
Jordan McRae will be joining the Sixers for training camp, league source says. No deal yet.
— Jake Pavorsky (@JakePavorsky) August 1, 2015
The only way for a player to attend training camp is with an NBA contract.
Like last year, Philadelphia had to offer another tender to keep McRae’s rights. Perhaps, he’ll get more as a result of his loyalty. He did the 76ers a big favor by going overseas – spending a year developing without taking up an NBA roster spot or making NBA money.
Because he rejected the required tender last year, McRae can negotiate only with Philadelphia now for an NBA contract. Had he accepted the tender, he would have either forced his way onto the team last season or gotten waived. If he had gotten waived and then gone the overseas/D-League route, he could have now negotiated with any NBA team. The only apparent potential downside would have been if the 76ers – coached by Brett Brown, who previously worked in Australia – helped secure McRae a better overseas job than he could have gotten anyway.
Surely, Tokoto is watching how Philadelphia treats McRae. This situation will be telling about whether it’s worth it for second-round picks to allow the 76ers to stash them.