Sixers will guarantee Trey Burke’s contract for rest of season

CAMDEN, N.J. — The Sixers have made a decision on Trey Burke’s contract.

Burke said Tuesday that general manager Elton Brand confirmed to him that he’ll remain with the Sixers. Today was the deadline for the Sixers to waive the 27-year-old Burke, who signed a partially guaranteed contract this summer. Because they did not, they’ll take on his full veteran’s minimum salary for this season.

In the past nine games, Burke has assumed backup point guard duties, as well as stepped in at the two in certain situations. He’s been impressive offensively during that span, scoring in double figures four times and averaging 7.7 points on 58.3 percent shooting in 13.9 minutes per game.

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“I’m very grateful,” Burke said. “I always wanted to be a part of a winning situation. What better city than Philly, a team that I watched growing up? Obviously, [Allen] Iverson. Just being guaranteed today is a special thing for me. I’m looking forward to continuing to play at a high level, continuing to help this team win.”

While head coach Brett Brown initially preferred Raul Neto as his backup point guard, Burke has seized that spot over the last couple of weeks. On a very large Sixers team that posts up far more than anyone else in the NBA and has sometimes looked labored and awkward in the half court, Burke’s burst has been valuable.

“You make a decision,” Brown said. “You go with Raul or you go with Trey and most times we went with Raul. Then all of a sudden, I started off playing [Josh Richardson] as a backup one and then we came in and we just went with Raul. And then Trey came in.

“I don't think there's anything that we missed. I think opportunities create sort of expectation and reward, and I think that he ultimately had an opportunity, he grabbed it, he did quite well then we played him again, and isn't that life? Especially in sport, and certainly in the NBA. He's clung to something. He hasn't let go of it. He's been rewarded with minutes and he has rewarded us with performance.”

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Brown also credited Burke for his conditioning and the work he did behind the scenes to stay ready.

Monday night, after scoring 12 points on 5 for 7 shooting in the Sixers’ win over the Thunder, Burke went into detail on why he didn’t make any significant changes to his routine when he wasn’t receiving playing time.

Honestly, not really,” Burke told NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I’m playing much more than I was, but I feel like if I kind of relax — why would I relax? I think my routine has helped me get better each and every day. [Player development] coach Eric Hughes has done a phenomenal job, [player development specialist] Roy Hibbert and those guys have done a phenomenal job of just keeping me ready. Just doing the extra work, I think, is what’s showing. I gotta speak on my faith. I’m a guy who believes in the Lord — every time I’m out there, I play confident and try to play with my abilities. But I think my faith mixed in with my extra work has kept me prepared all the way up to this point.

Burke’s role might shift again when rookie wing Matisse Thybulle returns. Thybulle, who’s missed the past seven games with a right knee sprain and bone bruise, was a full participant in Tuesday’s practice.

Along with the impact of Thybulle’s sliding back into the rotation, Brown is still figuring out how much he can trust the 6-foot Burke defensively. Though Burke’s effort hasn’t been a problem on defense, he’s often been targeted, and he’s struggled against bigger players.

“He has exceeded, by a mile, my expectations of what we can expect from him,” Brown said. “There are still some defensive things we're trying to absorb and figure out and help him with where he can succeed defensively. But in relation to the pop and creating your own shot, and a burst of speed and being dynamic off a live ball — he's different than damn near all of them. And he has shown it. He has given us a pop and a spark. The influence that Matisse's return will have on his minutes and role, certainly there would have to be some. The level, I'm not sure."

For the time being, Burke understands his job and has done well enough at it for the Sixers to stick with him.

“As of late, Coach has been making it clear that he’s going to roll with me,” he said. “Like I said, my job is to come in and be Trey Burke — be aggressive, take risks, try to get in the paint, break the defense down. And just take what the defense has been giving me, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do.”

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