Furkan Korkmaz wants to leave the 76ers.
Sources said the Turkish player asked to be traded before Thursday’s trade deadline at 3pm. Asked about this, Korkmaz simply replied that he “would neither confirm nor deny it”.
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey did not immediately respond to a text message asking if Korkmaz had asked to be traded. But sources said Korkmaz had been told the Sixers would try to wrap him in a deal.
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The sixth-year veteran wanting to be moved is no surprise.
The shooter has only appeared in three of the Sixers’ last 12 games, averaging just 2.0 points and 2 minutes in those games. And he spoke to The Inquirer about his plight last month amid reports the Sixers were looking to move him in hopes of losing the luxury tax money.
“For me, the best thing I can say is I want to be happy, you know?” he said last month. “I want to be on the pitch. And whatever they think about working with the team, that’s fine with me.
With Korkmaz out of the rotation, it’s obvious the Sixers (34-18) don’t see him as someone who can help them.
But this is not the first time that Korkmaz has asked to be traded due to lack of playing time. He also asked to be transferred during the 2018-19 season. At that time, the Sixers declined to exercise their $2.03 million third-year option by the October 31, 2018 deadline. But after being given more playing time, he signed a contract for two years with the team on July 26, 2019.
He is now in the second year of the three-year, $15 million contract he signed on August 9, 2021. He is earning $5 million this season and is expected to earn $5.37 million next season.
But Korkmaz has only played 25 games this season and produced the lowest averages in points (3.8) and minutes (10.2) since his rookie season.
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The 25-year-old is behind wingers Tyrese Maxey, De’Anthony Melton, Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle and Danuel House Jr. on the depth chart.
The Sixers drafted Korkmaz with the 26th pick in 2016. He stayed away for one season to play for Anadolu Efes in his native Turkey. He joined the Sixers in the 2017-18 season after the team bought out his Turkish contract.
