The Philadelphia 76ers have stolen Charles Bassey from right under the Golden State Warriors nose, signing the fifth-year center to a 10-day contract after impressive form in the G League.
Bassey was acquired by Santa Cruz late last month, playing in 10 games for the Warriors and posting some huge numbers which has led to this latest NBA opportunity.
76ers steal Charles Bassey from Santa Cruz
Bassey has averaged 18.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks with Santa Cruz, shooting an efficient 59.3% from the floor and 40% from 3-point range. That came after the 25-year-old appeared in two games for the Memphis Grizzlies at the start of the season, averaging 15.5 minutes as he briefly addressed an injury-ravaged big man rotation.
The move to the 76ers will undoubtedly hamper Santa Cruz, while it also might complicate things for the main squad if Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office end up making a consolidation trade prior to next month's February 5 deadline.
The Philadelphia 76ers are signing big man Charles Bassey to a 10-day contract, sources tell ESPN. Bassey is in his fifth NBA season and has averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds for the NBA G League's Santa Cruz team this year.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 25, 2026
Any roster spot the Warriors create in the wake of a trade will almost assuredly head to two-way contracted guard Pat Spencer, but Bassey was also presenting as a potential addition to the roster given his impressive G League form.
That could still take place depending on this stint with the 76ers and whether Bassey can extend his stay beyond this initial 10-day contract. With Joel Embiid, Andre Drummond and Adem Bona all on the roster, opportunity could be limited for Bassey to make an on-court impact.
However, Embiid's health is always a question mark as Philadelphia continue to manage the former MVP who has appeared in 24 games this season. Embiid is returning to somewhere near his best form after so much injury uncertainty, having scored at least 30 points in each of his last four games, including going for 38 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in Saturday's 112-109 loss to the New York Knicks.
Bassey's path to the Warriors and now back to the 76ers included the last three years with the San Anotonio Spurs, having averaged 4.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in a career-high 36 games with the franchise last season.
This is a homecoming of sorts for Bassey who was originally drafted 53rd overall by Philadelphia in the 2021 Draft, appearing in 23 games with the team in his rookie year before being waived and picked up by the Spurs on a two-way contract.