PHILADELPHIA _ The 76ers have agreed to a one-year contract with forward Nemanja Bjelica, according to a league source. The news was first reported by Sports Illustrated.
Bjelica averaged 6.1 points and 3.8 rebounds over three years with the Timberwolves and shot 41.5 percent on 3-pointers last season. The 6-foot-10 stretch four from Serbia is the Sixers' answer to Ersan Ilyasova's signing with Milwaukee.
To sign Anthony Tolliver, the Minnesota Timberwolves rescinded their qualifying offer to Bjelica, making him an unrestricted free agent and paving the way for another team to swoop in. Using the mid-level exception, the Sixers are bringing Bjelica on board.
Bjelica shoots better from distance than Ilyasova and has a quicker step, but he won't be taking as many charges or crashing the offensive boards in the same way.
Bjelica adds a 17th player to the Sixers roster, which needs to be cut to 15 by the start of the season. The team still has not made a move on buying out Jerryd Bayless' contract, and Justin Anderson, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, and Richaun Holmes are all looking expendable when considering the draft picks and other additions to the team.
The one-year Bjelica deal is another indicator that the Sixers are filling out their roster with shooting upgrades that will still leave them able to use max cap space next summer in another swing at big-name free agents.
