NBA Free Agency: Philadelphia 76ers Signing Gerald Henderson For $18 Million

When an NBA team has a young roster, the smart move is to bring in veterans who can both contribute and teach. According to ESPN, the Philadelphia 76ers are signing Gerald Henderson. The veteran guard is said to be receiving a two-year contract that is worth approximately $18 million. Henderson will provide much-needed depth to the Sixers backcourt.

Last season, Gerald Henderson was a valuable role player off the bench for the Portland Trail Blazers, who shocked the NBA by making it to the playoffs despite losing franchise player LaMarcus Aldridge in free agency to the San Antonio Spurs.

During free agency this summer, the Portland Trail Blazers decided to sign Evan Turner away from the Boston Celtics. Since he is expected to become the primary backup perimeter player for the Trail Blazers, management viewed Gerald Henderson as an expendable asset, which led him to seek out other teams in the NBA to sign with.

The #Sixers have reportedly signed guard Gerald Henderson: https://t.co/qHzIyMNHtx

— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) July 5, 2016

According to SB Nation, Gerald Henderson has a chance to start for the Philadelphia 76ers. The veteran shooting guard has experience as a starter during his years with the Charlotte Hornets. Henderson has also shown a willingness to come off the bench, which gives Sixers head coach Brett Brown some flexibility.

Gerald Henderson will compete for playing time with Robert Covington and Hollis Thompson. The latter two are excellent shooters who can open up the court for Philadelphia 76ers big men like Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor, and Joel Embiid. Henderson, though, is a much better defender, so Brett Brown will have to choose what assets he wants on the floor.

A big reason why Gerald Henderson decided to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers was because he played basketball in the city during high school. Another reason might be the fact that his father also played for the Sixers during his 13-year career in the NBA.

According to ESPN, the Philadelphia 76ers are signing Jerryd Bayless to a three-year contract that is worth approximately $27 million. He’s another player that the Sixers are hoping will add depth to the back court and provide experience to the younger players.

CBS Philly is reporting that the Philadelphia 76ers signed Sergio Rodriguez. The 30-year-old guard is receiving a one-year contract worth approximately $8 million. Management lured him back from the Euroleague for the sole purpose of adding even more veteran leadership.

These veteran additions are not expected to be long-term solutions in the Philadelphia 76ers rotation. Jerryd Bayless, Sergio Rodriguez, and Gerald Henderson are only expected to play for the franchise for a year or two while management seeks out younger players who will become building blocks for the Sixers.

There are rumors floating around that the Philadelphia 76ers were looking to acquire another veteran guard from Europe. However, NBC Sports is reporting that the Sixers are denying rumors that they are signing Rudy Fernandez. He was rumored to have been offered a two-year contract worth approximately $20 million.

With the NBA requiring teams to spend a minimum amount of their salary cap, the Philadelphia 76ers are not done with free agency. They still have millions of dollars that they need to utilize, so their back court could find even more new faces.

Signing Gerald Henderson isn’t going to make a lot of waves in the NBA. However, the Philadelphia 76ers are in need of smaller signings to help them win a lot more games than they have over the past couple of seasons. Henderson is quietly going to help the team.

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