The Sixers have announced that they have decided to part ways with Ricky Council IV. His salary for the 2025-26 season was around $2.2 million, but it was not fully guaranteed until January 10th.
The 23-year-old wing initially joined the Sixers in 2023 as an undrafted free agent on a two-way contract and showed some promising performances during his rookie year. Surprisingly, Council led the injury-ridden Sixers last season, appearing in 73 games. However, he averaged just 17.1 minutes per game and also made two appearances in the G-League with the Delaware Blue Coats. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse praised Council’s abilities, especially his athleticism and strength in transition play.
“It’s really his strength and playing in the open floor,” Nurse said on January 9th. “He can jump, he’s fast, athletic, and his potential should help him improve on both ends of the court.”
Despite this, Council struggled with his shot selection and experienced a noticeable decline as a jump shooter, finishing last season with a field goal percentage of 38.2% and just 25.8% from beyond the arc.
Following Council’s release, the Sixers now have 13 standard contracts and up to two more spots available. Daryl Morey, the Sixers’ President of Basketball Operations, mentioned about two weeks ago that the team aims to create space to retain restricted free agent Quentin Grimes. Hunter Sallis, Dominic Barlow, and Jabari Walker currently occupy the three two-way contract slots for the Sixers.
Fan Take: This roster move highlights the Sixers’ ongoing strategy to balance veteran talent with young, promising players like Grimes, signaling a shift towards building a more versatile and dynamic team. For basketball fans, it underlines how crucial smart contract management and player development are in shaping a contender’s future.
