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Tyrese Maxey Reacts to Sixers Free Agency Addition

It's safe to say Tyrese Maxey is a fan of the Trendon Watford signing.
Justin Grasso|
Apr 14, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) dribbles the ball against Brooklyn Nets forward Trendon Watford (9) during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Apr 14, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) dribbles the ball against Brooklyn Nets forward Trendon Watford (9) during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

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Philadelphia 76ers

A few hours into the opening of NBA free agency, Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey was happy to find out that Trendon Watford was joining his team.

Maxey and Watford go back to their pre-NBA days as teammates. Now, they’ll join forces in Philadelphia, playing for the Sixers in 2025-2026.

When Maxey found out that Watford was signing with the Sixers, he took to social media to celebrate with a reaction.

“It’s litttttttttt!” the one-time All-Star wrote on X.

The 24-year-old Watford is a former member of the Brooklyn Nets.

When he entered the NBA, he had wrapped up a two-year run at LSU. In 59 NCAA games, Watford averaged 15 points, seven rebounds, and two assists.

He declared for the 2021 NBA Draft, and evended up going undrafted. Watford signed with the Portland Trail Blazers on a two-way contact later that summer. Eventually, he was converted to a standard deal. After two years with the Blazers, Watford was waived, which led him to Brooklyn.

During his second season with the Nets last year, Watford appeared in 44 games. He averaged 10 points on 47 percent shooting from the field. He knocked down 33 percent of his threes on two attempts per game.

Along with his scoring, Watford averaged four rebounds and three assists. With his one-year deal in Brooklyn wrapped up, Watford reaches a new destination in Philadelphia. He could end up becoming a key reserve in the rotation if all goes well throughout the preseason.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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