Waiters to Sixers looking more and more unlikely

LAS VEGAS – It appears the free agency talks between Dion Waiters and the 76ers have hit a couple of snags.

The Sixers want the South Philly native to take a two-year deal, which could include a team option in case he's not a good fit. Meanwhile, Waiter's representation wants to a regular deal with more years. The Oklahoma City Thunder restricted free agent could receive up to a four-year deal from an opposing team.

Another factor holding things up is that OKC is prepared to match any deal he receives.

A team would have to give the shooting guard a four-year max deal that the Thunder would think twice about matching in order him to go elsewhere. But they would certainty match a two-year deal that includes a team option.

Concern over Waiters being a good fit and returning home to play are the holdups for the Sixers.

Waiters' 21-year-old brother, Demetrius Pinckney, was murdered in March in the Grays Ferry section of Philadelphia. At the time, Police Commissioner Richard Ross said the incident might have resulted from a years-old feud.

This was just the latest in a series of tragedies that Waiters, 24, has endured. When he was growing up, three of cousins and a close friend were killed in his old neighborhood.

The Sixers are concerned there will be a negative environment in which trouble will follow him, a source said. There's also concern that the sometimes-blunt Waiters wouldn't mesh well with the Sixers' young players.

New Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo wants to clean up the team's both on and off the court. The Sixers want to instill a family atmosphere free of outside distractions.

However, sources keep reiterating that the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder has a strong desire to play for the Sixers.

Follow and contact 76ers beat writer Keith Pompey on Twitter @PompeyOnSixers and on Instagram at PompeyOnSixers