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Sixers waive Trey Burke; Jonah Bolden, Kyle O’Quinn’s futures uncertain

The team needs to clear roster spots to make room for Alec Burks, Glenn Robinson III and Norvel Pelle.

Sixers center Kyle O'Quinn (left) and teammate guard Trey Burke are not with the team.
Sixers center Kyle O'Quinn (left) and teammate guard Trey Burke are not with the team.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
    by Keith Pompey
    Updated 
    Published 

MILWAUKEE – The 76ers are parting ways with reserve point guard Trey Burke Thursday to create a roster.

The fate of reserve post players Johan Bolden and Kyle O’Quinn has officially been determined. Although, one gets the sense that Bolden will be the one waived based on Tobias Harris’ post-game comments.

But earlier in the day, all signs pointed to all three players possibly being moved if the team wasn’t able to open up roster spot via a trade. However, the Sixers traded James Ennis III to the Orlando Magic for a second-round pick.

“I wish nothing but the best to James, Jonah and Trae,” Harris said after the Sixers’ 112-101 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. “Whatever is next for them, they are great for our team. Great for our locker room. Great for our culture.”

If a move wasn’t made, one can only assume at least two of those players would have been waived before the deadline.

The team needs to clear roster spots to make room for Alec Burks, Glenn Robinson III and Norvel Pelle.

The Sixers agreed early Thursday morning to acquire Burks and Robinson from the Golden State Warriors for three second-round picks. The team looks to convert Pelle’s two-way contract to a full-time one.

Coming into the day, the Sixers needed three roster spots from their 15-man roster to accommodate all the players.

Burke and Bolden were left off the road trip, while O’Quinn remained home for personal reasons.

The Sixers acquired Burke and O’Quinn this summer in free agency. Meanwhile, the Sixers selected Bolden with 36th overall pick of the 2017 NBA draft.

Lacking a roster spot, Bolden, a 6-foot-10 forward, spent the 2017-18 season playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Premier League and the EuroLeague. He joined the Sixers last season.

But the Australian made only four NBA appearances this season, spending a lot of time with the Sixers NBA G-League team, the Delaware Blue Coats.

Burke made 25 appearances as the reserve point guard. He ultimately lost the backup point guard position to Raul Neto. O’Quinn played in just 22 games and fell behind Pelle on the center depth chart.

As it stands now, the Sixers have to waive two players before the 3 p.m. trade deadline. They can wait until after the deadline to make room for Pelle.