June 29, 2026
The Sixers will decline Trendon Watford's team option worth $2,801,346, according to a report from Tony Jones of The Athletic. A source told PhillyVoice that it is unlikely Watford will return to the Sixers as he gets set to be an unrestricted free agent.
Watford, 25, signed a two-year contract with the Sixers last summer which included this team option for next year. It was a veteran's minimum deal for Watford, whose unorthodox style as a 6-foot-8 point forward was helpful at times during his first campaign in Philadelphia. Watford averaged 16.3 minutes, 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists across 53 games.
The door is not totally closed on Watford returning to Philadelphia; even if the team desired to bring him back it would have made sense for the Sixers to decline this option and re-sign him on a new one-year minimum pact. The decline-and-re-sign maneuver would save the Sixers about $350 thousand against the salary cap, aprons and luxury tax while also securing Watford a slight amount of extra money and a roster spot for the 2026-27 season. But it sounds as if that is not the current expectation.
While Watford had a few strong stretches of production throughout the season and clearly intrigued head coach Nick Nurse, his lack of shooting ability and a few poorly-timed injuries derailed his chances of sticking as a full-blown rotation player. Watford missed all of training camp and preseason, a particularly difficult blow for a player with an unusual role. He gained early-season momentum, then suffered a painful adductor injury and never again found the form which briefly earned him a starting job. He could never secure a full-blown rotation spot for a prolonged period, and now his stint in Philadelphia may be coming to an end.
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