Utah Jazz Make Critical Decision on Former 76ers Big Man

The Utah Jazz are already parting ways with former 76ers center Mo Bamba.

Mar 27, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Mo Bamba (5) dunks the ball against the LA Clippers during the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Recently, two former Philadelphia 76ers players were included in a trade between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Utah Jazz.

PJ Tucker and Mo Bamba, formely of the Clippers, were moved to the Jazz over the weekend. In exchange, the Clippers added Drew Eubanks and Patty Mills.

From the jump, it was unclear what was next for the two former 76ers. The Jazz moved quickly on making their critical decision regarding Bamba.

We have waived center Mo Bamba.

📓 https://t.co/AwtE4kdppg#TakeNote

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 2, 2025

via @utahjazz: We have waived center Mo Bamba.

It turns out Bamba won’t continue his career in Utah after all. The 26-year-old center will have to continue searching for another opportunity to get back on track.

Back in 2018, Bamba was the sixth overall pick by the Orlando Magic. He started his career off as a reserve, drawing just six starts in his first three seasons. By year four, Bamba became a full-time starter in Orlando and had a career year, averaging 11 points and eight rebounds.

Jan 23, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers center Mo Bamba (4) dunks the ball against Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George (18) during the third quarter at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

In his fifth season with the Magic, Bamba was traded after appearing in 40 games. He landed on the Los Angeles Lakers, playing out the rest of the 2022-2023 season in the Western Conference.

Last season, Bamba joined the 76ers on a one-year deal. He was expected to get an opportunity to win a role as Joel Embiid’s primary backup. He appeared in 57 games, even picking up 17 starts. In Philly, Bamba averaged four points and four rebounds.

Over the offseason, Bamba signed a one-year deal with the Clippers. He finishes his Clippers tenure with 28 games played. His production off the bench in LA mirrored his stats with Philadelphia. For any interested teams, Bamba brings 360 games of experience to the table.

With the Jazz deciding on Bamba’s future with the organization, all attention moves over to Tucker now. Considering the Jazz are in the midst of a rebuild, Tucker doesn’t necessarily match their timeline. Soon, the league will see if there could be a follow-up move in play.

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