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The seasons of player discontent continue, as yet another former Suns player commented on his exit.
"Phoenix didn't let me get home, back to Scottsdale, before they got rid of me," Sonny Weems said, with a chuckle, to a Philly reporter about his last few days.
Sonny Weems on what he can bring to the #Sixers. pic.twitter.com/30cJnUiYtU
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) March 8, 2016
The Suns were in the middle of a four-game road trip when Weems was released on Saturday. They were in Memphis to play the Grizzlies in the Sunday matinee after having been in three other cities in the past five days.
Once a player is released, he no longer has access to the teams' resources. So while the Suns went along their merry way, which included a return to Phoenix the next night, Weems was left in Memphis to figure out his next move.
Luckily, his next move was already lined up for him as the Sixers claimed Weems off waivers.
. @Liberty_Ballers commenter predicted the Weems claim on Saturday as a side-deal between Sixers and PHX pic.twitter.com/z2alzk35NH
— Sean (@soconnor76) March 7, 2016
It appears that the Suns and Sixers helped each other, and Weems gets to stay in the NBA a while longer. But really, this was a business move between two teams, and nothing else.
Philadelphia will save $2m by claiming Sonny Weems. The 76ers with the claim will hit the $63m cap floor. https://t.co/Ms3i6qfXEk
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) March 7, 2016
Before the claim Philadelphia was $2.6m below the floor. The 76ers will incur the $2.8m Weems cap hit but will only owe $660k in salary.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) March 7, 2016
Could the Suns have waited until Monday to release Weems, after they'd returned from the road trip? Of course. It sure seems that the financial impact of the deal would have been no different on Monday than it was on Saturday.
Was it the Suns responsibility to allow Weems a trip back to Phoenix/Scottsdale to gather his belongings before being shipped to Philly? I think not. Weems has enough money to get his stuff shipped, or to get his own trip back to Scottsdale to pack.
But this is just one more 'did they really have to do him like that?' move by the front office that leaves you wondering.
Weems was signed last summer to a two-year deal worth nearly $6 million, though only one season was guaranteed. The athletic Weems was meant to be the first shooting guard off the bench, behind Brandon Knight. His 6'6" body was meant balance out an otherwise short back court, bringing defense and an all-around game that had developed overseas.
But Weems never really worked out. He was largely a non-factor in his pre-season and early-season minutes, and quickly lost time to Ronnie Price and a bit of P.J. Tucker. Even Archie Goodwin and Devin Booker made a bigger impact when they were on the floor.
Now he gets to make his mark on the Sixers, while the Suns get to see if Chase Budinger is a better option off the bench in Weems' minutes.