Feb 25, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Lester Quinones (25) celebrates his 3-point basket against the Denver Nuggets during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports D. Ross Cameron
The Sixers are signing guard Lester Quinones to a two-way deal and waiving David Jones, according to Liberty Ballers' Paul Hudrick.
Quinones, 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, averaged 4.2 points, 1.8 rebound, and 0.9 assists in 41 games with the Golden State Warriors last season.
The 24-year-old Memphis product shot 35 percent from three in 2023-24. He ranked on roughly the 80th percentile amongst wings in rebounding rates on missed field goals last season, according to Cleaning The Glass.
It's not difficult to understand what the Sixers see in taking this flyer. Quinones has a little bit of NBA experience and theoretically has years of upside to tap into before he reaches his prime. He has desirable size with positive wingspan and a workable jumper. If you believe strongly in your player development staff, you crave players who fit Quinones' profile. It helps that he's shown an aptitude for the glass, the very trait the Sixers have lacked for years.
Two-way guys are often afterthoughts. It's a chance to spend some time on an NBA bench while you mold in the G-League. If the progress doesn't meet the organization's vision, it's onto the next one.
But, the Boston Celtics landed Lonnie Walker IV on an Exhibit 10 contract in free agency this summer. Walker has athletic pop and legitimate NBA skills. But sometimes, business is business. If your market isn't there, your market isn't there.
That's not to suggest that Quinones and Walker are on level fields as players (and if you want to argue about that, congrats, you're a basketball sicko). But, the point is that a two-way contract may just be representative of what your market is and not necessarily the caliber of player you are.
Perhaps the Sixers found a regular-season rotation player without using an NBA roster spot.
However, it's important to consider that the Sixers have more invested in rookie guard Jared McCain than they do in Quinones. McCain is almost certainly behind the likes of Reggie Jackson and Kyle Lowry on the depth chart. So, there's no clear path for Quinones to get minutes. And if the Sixers grow disinterested, there's no downside in cutting him loose in favor of another flyer.
As for Jones, he had a promising Summer League. But, the Sixers' interest in Quinones dated back to early July.
Whatever happened, the Sixers evidently got their man (again!).
