The Philadelphia 76ers re-sign Furkan Korkmaz because why not?

After striking out on Kyle Korver, the Philadelphia 76ers made the interesting decision to retain Furkan Korkmaz on a partially guaranteed two-year deal.

So, in a move that nary moves the needle either way, Furkan Korkmaz is once again a member of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Ok, sure.

While it seemed like a change of scenery could be beneficial for both parties, as Korkmaz only appeared in 48 games for the Sixers in 2018-19 (averaging 5.8 points in 14.1 minutes of action a night), apparently the market did not bare out advantageously for the 22-year-old Turkish scoring guard and thus he returns to the City of Brotherly Love 10 months after the team declined his third-year option.

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But after lamenting that the Sixers needed every possible dollar to the build the team in free agency after a disappointing haul in the 2019 NBA Draft, it’s hard not to feel a little disappointed at the prospects of another season of Korkmaz coming off the bench as opposed to a player like Eric Paschall, Talen Horton-Tucker, or even Bol Bol.

Now sure, technically Korkmaz’s new contract is only guaranteed in its first season, and does not affect the team’s cap situation much at all, as the team holds his bird rights, but even so, is there a world where Furkie can beat out Matisse Thybulle, Zhaire Smith, or even James Ennis for a spot in Brett Brown’s regular-season rotation?

Unlikely.

Sure, Korkmaz does have upside as an athletic, plus-sized two guard, as highlighted by his 40 point performance in the 2018 Summer League, but in two years with the organization, he’s yet to knock down 3-pointers at even an average NBA clip, and has looked largely uninterested on the defensive side of the ball.

Sure, he can get you a few steals, something the team will need to replace now that Jimmy Butler and T.J. McConnell have left for the greener pastures of Miami and, um, Indiana, but Brand already address that need by trading up to draft Thybulle, one of the most prolific pickpockets in NCAA history, 20th overall in the draft.

While Thybulle may already be older than Korkmaz despite having two fewer years of NBA experience under his belt, he is without a doubt a high-upside prospect and seems all but destined to eventually earn a starting role in Brett Brown‘s scheme.

And as for Korkmaz, well, he’ll earn the veteran minimum over the forthcoming season and have another chance to showcase his skills and get better as a player before potentially hitting the market again in 2020.

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Will this be the season he puts it all together for the Philadelphia 76ers and becomes a legitimate piece moving forward? I guess anything is possible, but now, in the late sports-less doldrums of late July, the team’s decision to re-up Furkan Korkmaz just feels meh in the worst way possible.