On Friday night, the Philadelphia 76ers made a roster change in the wake of their crucial 121-114 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. After barely three and a half months with the organization, the Sixers have opted to dismiss two-way player Kenneth Lofton Jr., according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. This frees up a two-way roster space for someone who might likely be more useful to the team in the last stretch of the season.
After Lofton, a 21-year-old forward out of Louisiana Tech, was unexpectedly waived by the Memphis Grizzlies in December 2023 to make room on the roster for Bismack Biyombo, the 76ers signed him to a two-way deal off of waivers. The G-League Rookie of the Year last season went to the second-year big man, but Lofton swiftly became Memphis’ disposable player.
Kenneth Lofton Jr. encountered the same issue with the 76ers, failing to establish himself as a consistent member of the starting lineup. Final roster selection for former Ja Morant teammate made by the 76ersThe presence of Joel Embiid, Paul Reed, and Mo Bamba in Philadelphia makes it tough for Lofton to earn playing time because they all receive more minutes than him when healthy.
However, Lofton appears to be developing into the NBA equivalent of an MLB Quad-A player—a guy who is too talented for the minor leagues but struggles to establish himself as a major league player. In 29.8 minutes a game with the Delaware Blue Coats, Lofton has put up 27.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game on 58/32/75 splits from the field, tormenting the opposition despite his mediocre NBA stats.
Be the first to comment