MINNEAPOLIS, MINN–The Philadelphia 76ers were in need of a backup big man after sending Andre Drummond to the Brooklyn Nets in the deal to acquire James Harden. While they had some options on their bench, a lot of them are too young to really contribute.
So, the Sixers went out and brought in Willie Cauley-Stein on a 10-day deal on the buyout market. The 6-year big man out of Kentucky played in just 18 games for the Dallas Mavericks before they released him clearing the way for him to sign with the Sixers.
“We needed a backup big,” said coach Doc Rivers. “I know he’s been in the NBA, I know he’s a good roller, and that’s the way we’ll use him.”
Cauley-Stein was working out at home when he got the call and he hopped on the first flight to Minnesota.
“I was still working out at home in Dallas,” Cauley-Stein explained. “Just working out every day and I got a call from my agent like ‘You wanna hear some good news?’ I was like ‘Yeah’. He’s like ‘Philly wants to do a 10-day. Can you come out tomorrow?’ I was like ‘Yeah, (expletive) what time?’ ‘7 in the morning.’ I’m like ‘Woo, yeah’. So I went home, packed, just jumped on the bird. Yeah. Now I’m here.”
As far as his role with the Sixers, Cauley-Stein knows he has to be able to just roll to the basket and be athletic.
“Nah, but it’s the same as any other team,” he added. “Run the floor, protect the paint, play with a lot of energy, and play good defense. That’s about it. It’s pretty simple.”
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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Sixers 3 goals: Willie Cauley-Stein needs to prove himself as a backup
