Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot
Position: Guard/Forward
Status for 2018-19: Third year of rookie deal ($1,446,360)
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Luwawu-Cabarrot in 2017-18
After a strong finish to his rookie campaign, there was an opportunity for Luwawu-Cabarrot to take on a decent role this season. Unfortunately, patellar tendinitis kept the French guard from joining his national team during the summer and slowed him up in training camp.
When newcomer JJ Redick missed seven games because of back issues, TLC stepped in and actually played pretty well to start. In the first four games of that stretch, Luwawu-Cabarrot averaged 14.5 points and shot a ridiculous 15 of 26 (57 percent) from three. The next three contests didn’t go as well before Redick came back to claim his starting spot.
During the back half of the season, Luwawu-Cabarrot struggled to get minutes and also had his knee issues resurface. They lingered for the rest of the season, as the 23-year-old missed the final 17 games of the regular season and all of the playoffs.
For the season, Luwawu-Cabarrot averaged 5.8 points in 15.5 minutes a contest in 52 games (seven starts).
NBA
Signature game
During that seven-game stretch, Luwawu-Cabarrot’s best game came during a disappointing loss on the road in Memphis. The Sixers lost by four, but Luwawu-Cabarrot had one of the better games of his career, pouring in 20 points and hitting 6 of 8 from three. The six treys were a career high.
Looking ahead to 2018-19
This certainly wasn’t the season the Sixers were looking for out of Luwawu-Cabarrot after he looked so promising to close out his rookie season. Was the young Frenchman still feeling the effects of patellar tendonitis or was he simply unable to carve out a role?
He just turned 23, is a great athlete and has shown flashes with his jumper. He’s still a very cheap option for the Sixers over the next two seasons. The Sixers will need decent players with low price tags if they’re able to add a superstar.
Luwawu-Cabarrot will get another chance to crack the Sixers’ rotation. If he falters, there will be options. Justin Anderson will be one of the players he’ll be fighting for minutes with along with fellow 2016 first-round pick Furkan Korkmaz, who had injury issues of his own. If none of those players can provide what the Sixers need, look for Bryan Colangelo to be aggressive at the trade deadline and/or with the buyout market.
On Luwawu-Cabarrot
“I’ll probably come here, fight for my role. The perfect thing would be coming off the bench, play hard, play for the team, have good minutes.”
-Luwawu-Cabarrot on his expectations for next season