Doc Rivers' Thoughts on Isaiah Joe Landing With OKC Thunder

What does Doc Rivers think about Isaiah Joe's new landing spot?

The Philadelphia 76ers’ first two big cuts of the offseason weren’t all that surprising. Two weeks ago, the Sixers waived the former G League MVP Trevelin Queen to knock the main roster down to 15 before the final two preseason games of the year.

Following the Sixers’ preseason finale against the Charlotte Hornets last Wednesday, the 76ers made another expected move by waiving the second-year center Charles Bassey. Considering the roster was down to 15 players, it seemed everybody else was safe for the time being.

That wasn’t the case.

Shortly after moving on from Bassey, the Sixers also cut the cord with Isaiah Joe. Joe, a former Sixers second-round pick, was negatively affected by what Doc Rivers considered to be a “logjam” of players at his position.

“That was a tough one for me because I really liked the kid,” said Rivers discussing the release of Joe. “I really believe he’s an NBA player. He was just caught behind so many guys, so that was very difficult. You know, we had a long talk.”

Rivers was right — Isaiah Joe is and will remain an NBA player as he quickly landed back on his feet in the league. Similar to Queen, who promptly signed with the Indiana Pacers after moving on from Philly, Joe got a deal from the young and rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder.

After hearing the news about Joe’s new destination, Rivers reached out as he was glad to see the former Sixers draft pick receive an opportunity to showcase his talent elsewhere.

“I talked to him yesterday,” said Rivers on Sunday morning. “I’m very happy. He’s got a shot and a shot to play. So I want him to do well. He’s a great kid.”

In two seasons with the Sixers, Joe appeared in 96 games. Considering he had to fight for minutes and never earned a real chance to be a regular in the rotation during the regular season, Joe averaged barely ten minutes on the floor throughout his time with the Sixers.

Cracking a contender’s rotation is tough for a young first-round selection, let alone a second-rounder. Joe found that out firsthand. The good news for the young guard is that he lands in a favorable situation in OKC, as all young players benefit from having an opportunity to gain minutes and showcase their talent on any given night.  

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.