Sixers Send Farewell to Furkan Korkmaz on Social Media

Furkan Korkmaz is moving on from the 76ers.
Sixers Send Farewell to Furkan Korkmaz on Social Media
Sixers Send Farewell to Furkan Korkmaz on Social Media /
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Thursday’s deadline day marked the end of Furkan Korkmaz’s time with the Philadelphia 76ers.

While the Turkish veteran hoped to find himself traded on multiple occasions in the past, the Sixers managed to keep the sharpshooter around for quite some time. At last, Korkmaz’s wish is granted, though.

On Thursday, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey officially announced the organization’s three-team deal, which involves the Indiana Pacers and the San Antonio Spurs. By landing Buddy Hield from the former squad, the Sixers sent Korkmaz packing to Indiana.

Hours later, the Sixers’ official X account made a farewell post for the former first-rounder.

Korkmaz joined the 76ers in 2016. After stints with teams outside of the U.S., Korkmaz entered the 2016 NBA Draft. He was selected by Philadelphia with the 26th overall pick. 

During his rookie effort, Korkmaz battled an injury and found himself making G League appearances. By year two, he averaged 14 minutes on the court in 48 games. Year three was by far his breakout season, as he put up a career-high ten points per game off the bench while hitting 40 percent of his threes.

Korkmaz re-signed with the Sixers on multiple occasions. Following the 2020-2021 season, he inked a three-year deal with the 76ers, expecting to play in Philadelphia up to his seventh year in the NBA. Unfortunately, his final season under Doc Rivers and first run under Nick Nurse did not go as he hoped.

While he leaves on a low note after scoring just 88 points in 35 games this year, Korkmaz’s stint with the Sixers ends with over 2,200 points generated. He knocked down 1,138 threes during his time in Philly, allowing him to have a career average of 36 percent from deep.

There may be a fresh start for Korkmaz in the works, but it won’t be with the Pacers in Indiana. After Thursday’s deadline deal, the Pacers were reportedly on track to waive Korkmaz, allowing him to become a free agent. Where the veteran will land next remains a mystery. 


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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA