Report: 76ers acquire F Thomas Robinson to meet salary minimum
The Philadelphia 76ers have claimed forward Thomas Robinson off of waivers, in part so that Robinson's contract helps the team meet the league's salary minimum, according to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Robinson was traded by the Portland Trail Blazers to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, but his agent requested the 24-year-old be waived due to the limited opportunities for playing time in Denver's crowded frontcourt.
According to Wojnarowski, Robinson had came to terms on a deal with the Brooklyn Nets that would have gone into effect if Robinson had cleared the waiver process and become a free agent.
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Robinson's salary of just over $3.6 million pushes Philadelphia's payroll over the league minimum, and his claim off of waivers absolves Denver of the responsibility for paying him. Philadelphia can still waive the forward without incurring a penalty, but NBA sources have told Wojnarowski that the team wants to take a look at him in the short term.
Robinson was drafted fifth overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2012 NBA Draft after three years at Kansas. He split his first season with the Kings and Houston Rockets.
He spent the entire 2013-2014 season with the Trail Blazers, and through 32 games in Portland this season he had averaged 3.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 51.6 percent shooting in 12 minutes per game.
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The 76ers are 12-44 overall and 8-26 in the Eastern Conference so far this season. They play next against the Milwaukee Bucks on the road on Wednesday night.
- Christopher Woody
