Tag: norvel pelle

Sixers to sign Dakota Mathias to two-way contract, waive Norvel Pelle

The Philadelphia 76ers will sign shooter Dakota Mathias and will waive Norvel Pelle.

The Philadelphia 76ers had a busy draft night on Wednesday when they moved Al Horford for Danny Green and then moved Josh Richardson for Seth Curry. The moves are designed to bring in more shooting to properly space the floor on offense.

The team then selected Arkansas’ Isaiah Joe with the 49th pick in the draft who is known as an elite shooter. Their first-round pick of Tyrese Maxey also has the ability to shoot the ball as well and he is putting in the work to get there.

However, the team is not done bringing in shooters just yet.

According to Derek Bodner of The Athletic, the Sixers are bringing in Dakota Mathias on a two-way contract. Mathias spent the 2019-20 season playing for the Dallas Mavericks’ G League affiliate, the Texas Legends. He shot 39.5% from deep on 8.9 attempts per night.

In another move, the Sixers are also waiving big man Norvel Pelle. He played in 24 games and he averaged 2.4 points and 3.0 rebounds with 1.3 blocks per night. His $1.5 million contract would have been guaranteed on Friday so it seems that is why Philadelphia will waive him.

The Sixers need all of the flexibility they can get so that is what president Daryl Morey is trying to do as the team looks to move forward. [lawrence-related id=39314,39307,39304]

Philadelphia 76ers 2019-20 season in review: Norvel Pelle

We now look back at the 2019-20 season that Philadelphia 76ers rookie big man Norvel Pelle had.

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Some players have an unconventional journey to the NBA. It’s not always about having a great college season, grab the attention of every scout, and then be a high pick in the draft. For some, it’s all about continuing to grind until there is an opportunity.

That is what happened to Philadelphia 76ers big man Norvel Pelle who had that unconventional trip to the league toiling in the G League as well as overseas as he kept the dream alive. He made it as a 26-year old rookie in 2019-20 as he worked hard to have a two-way contract converted into a fully guaranteed deal.

2019-20 season averages

2.4 points

3.0 rebounds

0.3 assists

1.3 blocks

52.1% overall percentage

Pelle made his NBA debut on November 29 with the Sixers needing some depth at the big man spot with Al Horford out. He played 12:33 and he made an impact scoring three points and coming up with four blocks in a win over the New York Knicks. He quickly made his presence felt on the defensive end of the floor.

On the offensive end, Pelle is nothing more than a lob guy. A guy who can get his points mostly off the lob of a guard or he hustles his way to a bucket off the offensive glass or finding his way off the drop-off pass. His offensive game will have to develop more to earn consistent minutes.

Pelle only played one game in the playoffs at the end of the Sixers being on the wrong end of a blowout in Game 2. He played 6:31 and he came up with a block and a steal which is true to his form as a defensive player.

For next season, whether it’s with the Sixers or elsewhere, his focus should be on improving at the offensive end. He already has a ton of potential as a shot-blocker, but if he can add an offensive game, that would make him a possible rotation player. [lawrence-related id=37554,37550,37547]

Joel Embiid will not return vs. Trail Blazers due to left ankle injury

Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid will not return in their matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Life can’t get worse for the Philadelphia 76ers. After already losing Ben Simmons due to a knee injury recently, they have now lost their star big man to an ankle injury.

Joel Embiid suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter of Sunday’s game with the Portland Trail Blazers and after initially receiving treatment on the bench, he got up and left for the locker room. It was then announced that the big fella would not return to this one with the injury and that leaves the Sixers undermanned even more and it puts more pressure on Al Horford and Tobias Harris offensively.

It also does not help that Horford is in foul trouble so that puts more pressure on guys like Norvel Pelle and Kyle O’Quinn who had not yet played inside the bubble. The Blazers were already a tough opponent with the elite scoring of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum as well as Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins down low. Without Simmons and Embiid, this will be an uphill battle for the Sixers. [lawrence-related id=36576,36570,36558]

Orlando restart giving valuable time to rookies Norvel Pelle, Marial Shayok

Philadelphia 76ers rookies Norvel Pelle and Marial Shayok are gaining valuable experience in Orlando.

The Philadelphia 76ers are in the midst of resuming the 2019-20 season inside the bubble at Disney World in Orlando. The new opportunity gives the Sixers a chance to chase the championship that they believe they’re built for.

On the flip side, the Sixers have two young players with them in Orlando, rookies Norvel Pelle and Marial Shyok, who are getting some valuable time inside the bubble and seeing what it takes to succeed in this league and the amount of work it takes to get to get it done in this environment.

Take Pelle for example. His journey to this spot has been nothing short of extraordinary as he has gone all over the world and played in plenty of different leagues just to make it on the Sixers. Now, coach Brett Brown has him in Orlando and he could earn himself some minutes in the restart. He had six points, six rebounds, and four blocks in Sunday’s scrimmage game.

“I thought he was excellent,” said Brown. “Like, you go into these preseason-type games and you make a decision on how you’re going to give people minutes. It was my decision today, without Joel, to give Kyle O’Quinn, who’s been just an exceptional teammate, really just a vocal, good man to have in a locker room – give him an opportunity and because of that, I thought that Norvel, when he was in the game, played really well.”

Then one can look at Shayok’s situation. He was having a terrific season in the G League averaging 23 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 35.8% from deep for the Delaware Blue Coats.

“It’s so much deeper than that,” Brown said of Shayok. “It’s great. Any time you can get on an NBA court with NBA All-Stars and come from the G League and actually get on the court and get some minutes. That is a wonderful experience.”

This is an experience for both Pelle and Shayok to take from and lead it into the future for them. Philadelphia has a lot of hope for these two young players as they have shown that they can have their moments at the NBA level.

“To be in this historic moment and be a part of this life experience in general being in an NBA bubble, from that perspective, it trumps everything,” Brown finished with. “For Mar to be in this with his teammates and experiencing all of this, what an amazing life experience.”

The Sixers face at the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday for their final scrimmage game at 8:30 p.m. EST. [lawrence-related id=35625,35617,35604]

Norvel Pelle comparing Orlando bubble situation to time in Taiwan

Philadelphia 76ers rookie Norvel Pelle compares this upcoming Orlando situation to his time in Taiwan.

The Philadelphia 76ers are about to enter a bubble situation in Orlando on Thursday to resume the 2019-20 season and it is going to be something that nobody has ever seen or can predict how this is all going to go. All of this is really just a new situation and something that the league is doing on the fly and doing their best to keep everybody safe.

Rookie big mn Norvel Pelle has been through plenty of different situations throughout his career. He has played overseas, he has played in the G League, and he has not yet had a full season of NBA basketball under his belt so this situation does not phase him. In fact, it almost feels familiar to him.

“I look at it as just me playing overseas. I actually compare it to Taiwan,” Pelle said on Wednesday morning. “Because when I played in Taiwan, I really just went to the gym and then went back to my room. Nobody over there really spoke English so thinking about the situation is kind of like that. I’ll be able to adjust real easy.”

The rules and the restrictions put in place to keep everybody safe can be a bit much and play a role in mental health at the moment. However, Pelle is confident that he will be able to make that adjustment.

“It’s just the restrictions of not being able to do what you want to do is what’s like a big concern,” he added. “Other than that, for me personally, I’ll be fine.”

The Sixers will get back to work on August 1 against the Indiana Pacers. [lawrence-related id=34303,34291,34283]

Despite rocky season, Norvel Pelle still on emotional high with Sixers

Philadelphia 76ers big man Norvel Pelle is still riding an emotional high despite a rocky season.

The 2019-20 season has been anything but smooth sailing for the league. This has been a rocky season just from everything that has gone on off the floor and now the league is trying to resume the season amid a global pandemic inside a bubble in Orlando.

For Philadelphia 76ers big man Norvel Pelle, this has not been an easy season for him. He started the season off as a two-way player, then earned himself a legitimate contract with the team, and then the league went into hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Still, considering everything Pelle has gone through, this is still a great time for him.

“It’s still at a high, regardless of everything that’s going on,” Pelle said on Wednesday morning. “I was able to fulfill a dream by signing a contract with an NBA team and playing for the Sixers is a blessing. My whole career has been a roller coaster, up and down and whatnot, so being able to be in an organization in the NBA and playing for the Philadelphia 76ers, it’s no more than I ask for. Regardless of what’s going on with COVID and the injustice, but everything right now is still a high. I’m so excited.”

Pelle has played 20 games in his rookie season averaging 8.9 minutes per game and he has made his biggest impact on the defensive end averaging 1.3 blocks per game. His playing time has been a little sporadic and that can be tough for him to keep his motor and his rhythm going.

“As an athlete to get your motor going and to get your rhythm back, you have to be playing,” he explained. “In the little time I get, I take advantage of, but it’s really more off the court stuff that I’m doing with my coaches to stay ready and stay in rhythm to get the little playing time I’m getting.”

There is one thing that Pelle is definitely good for and can be counted on and that is energy. While on the bench, he is a guy who can give his team a boost when it’s needed. This is going to be an unusual situation for everybody involved as there will be no fans in an effort to be safe and that is where Pelle will have to provide energy off the bench to his team.

“There’s not going to be any fans,” Pelle said with a laugh. “So we are the energy which is the bench so it’s going to have to be at an all-time high and I’m going to do my part for sure.”

Either way, despite a rocky rookie season, Pelle is still fulfilling a dream that is something nobody can take away from him. [lawrence-related id=34275,34254,34246]

Sixers All-Star break rating: Norvel Pelle is another Blue Coats success

It’s now time to evaluate Norvel Pelle’s first season with the Philadelphia 76ers.

This is the beginning of a new series by Sixers Wire to pass the time for everybody before the Philadelphia 76ers return from the All-Star break. We’re going to take a look back at the 3 goals series from the offseason and see how each player has done in achieving those goals as well as give them a rating on how their season has gone. The rating will be based on a scale of 10 with 10 being how their season has gone based on the goals.

After first taking a look at rookie Marial Shayok, we now take a look at Norvel Pelle. Pelle began the season on a two-way deal and has since been converted to a guaranteed contract at the NBA level. He joins Shake Milton from the previous season as one of the Sixers’ two-way guys to have his contract converted.

It’s now time to take a look at Pelle’s season from his 3 offseason goals:

Expanding the offensive game

Pelle has not exactly become some offensive maestro, far from it in fact, but he is active on the offensive glass and as a roller in the pick-and-roll which is big for this specific team. His biggest impact is made on the defensive end where he averages 1.4 blocks in just 10.3 minutes. In Pelle’s case, as long as he remains active on the hustle plays, he will make an impact in Philadelphia.

Becoming more aggressive

Again, the offensive output is not what the Sixers are looking for from Pelle. They are looking for him to protect the rim on defense and just give the team a spark when he is called upon. His offensive game is limited to what was stated above so that is probably where his game will remain. His defense has been impressive as he has a defensive rating of 99 despite not playing so much. He has made a huge impact on that end.

Pushing Jonah Bolden

This was the biggest goal for him. Bolden was the one guy in the preseason who could absolutely lose his spot to Pelle and that turned out to be the case. Pelle continued to work hard down in the G League with the Delaware Blue Coats and Bolden had his struggles both with the Sixers and in Delaware. That gave Pelle his opportunity and he pushed him out as Philadelphia waived him to make room for Pelle.

The challenge for the rookie now is to not relinquish this opportunity. Pelle has worked hard to get to this point, but he can’t stop now. He has to continue to add to his game and continue to grow as a player and then he will be able to eventually become a rotational player. He just needs to continue to smooth out the rough edges of his game.

Rating: 10/10, because he earned a contract. [lawrence-related id=25725,25709,25700]

Norvel Pelle says it’s ‘a dream come true’ to sign with the 76ers

Pelle is ecstatic the 76ers are upgrading his two-way contract to a standard NBA deal.

The Philadelphia 76ers announced on Friday afternoon that they will upgrade the two-way contract of rookie Norvel Pelle to a standard multi-year NBA contract.

The 76ers utilized all 45 days of his service time by Jan. 22 and were forced to make a decision on his future. A report surfaced last month that stated multiple teams would be interested in Pelle if the 76ers released him but the two sides were able to come to an agreement.

Pelle has emerged as a strong shot blocker with the Sixers and has become a fan favorite given his Dikembe Mutombo-like finger-wag after each block. In 15 games this season, he is averaging 2.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.

The 6-foot-10 center was ecstatic to finally see his dream come true, according to Ky Carlin of USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s Sixers Wire.

It was a sigh of relief. Like everything I put in actually worked and it got me here. So it’s a sigh of relief. … Every moment, every second I’ve been appreciating it. Last year, I appreciated it, this year it’s like a dream come true. I’m just taking it all in.

The Sixers signed Pelle after making a few roster moves prior to the NBA trade deadline on Thursday. The organization acquired Glen Robinson III and Alec Burks from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for draft compensation. The team also traded James Ennis to the Orlando Magic for a second-round draft pick.

[lawrence-related id=11490,11466,11455]

Norvel Pelle gives reaction to signing first NBA contract with Sixers

Philadelphia 76ers big man Norvel Pelle reacts to signing his first NBA contract.

The journey for Norvel Pelle was not an easy one. Born out of Antigua and Barbuda, the path to the NBA was arduous and it was not a straight path. It was filled with a lot of twists and turns.

So when he got the news on Friday that the Philadelphia 76ers were converting him from a two-way deal to a guaranteed contract, one can understand the excitement.

“It was a sigh of relief,” said Pelle who’s NBA days on his two-way deal expired on January 22. “Like everything I put in actually worked and it got me here. So it’s a sigh of relief.”

Pelle has been all over the basketball map. He started when the Delaware Blue Coats were still the 87ers and it wasn’t even the G League yet, it was still the D League. He then went overseas for a few years before coming back to the Blue Coats in 2018 and he put in the work to earn himself a two-way deal for the 2019-20 season and now, he’s on a guaranteed deal.

“I started in the D League at the time, the 87ers when they first started, and just traveled across the world,” Pelle explained. “Then came back last year, did what I have to do and now I’m sitting here in the Sixers’ locker room.”

Sixers general manager Elton Brand, who started out as the general manager down in Delaware, has seen Pelle grow up and develop from the very beginning so he had a sense of pride when Pelle signed his first deal at the NBA level.

“It was a proud moment,” said Brand. “You always want to develop and you want to have young players in the pipeline that develop and can succeed in the NBA, especially when it’s on your squad. To see where he’s come from, it was a proud moment. It was good to see his mom and dad and his family with him to sign his first NBA contract.”

Pelle’s story is inspiring when considering what he has been through, but he kept his faith and he continued to push forward and now he has his opportunity with the Sixers.

“It was more of like every opportunity comes,” he explained. “Sometimes you might hit a roadblock, but just keep pushing though. I’ve had a lot of obstacles in my life so it was just another one. I just stayed ready, focused, and just stayed humble.”

He had five points and three rebounds in his first seven minutes on a real NBA contract in Friday’s win over the Memphis Grizzlies and one can assume that it will be just the beginning for the young shot blocker. Even if things are hectic for the young man right now.

“Hectic, just real hectic, but humbling,” he sighed. “Every moment, every second I’ve been appreciating it. Last year, I appreciated it, this year it’s like a dream come true. I’m just taking it all in.” [lawrence-related id=25238,25229,25218]

Sixers to convert Norvel Pelle’s contract, waive Jonah Bolden

The Philadelphia 76ers will convert Norvel Pelle and waive Jonah Bolden in the process.

The Philadelphia 76ers are putting the finishing touches on a roster that they hope will make a serious run at an NBA championship. After acquiring Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III to add to some shooting and scoring from their bench, they will now add another defensive big man to their roster.

The Sixers will convert Norvel Pelle from a two-way contract to an NBA deal and will waive Jonah Bolden to make room for him. Pelle averaged 2.5 points and 3.6 rebounds while blocking 1.5 shots per game in 14 games with Philadelphia. His rim protection is something that interests the Sixers and it will help them defensively.

Bolden, on the other hand, had a tough season for the Sixers. He played in only four games and averaged 1.0 points per game as he has trouble just getting onto the floor for Philadelphia. He was not going to play much on this roster.

As for Pelle, he will now have the opportunity to become a fixture on the Sixers roster and provide rim protection off the bench. His athleticism is going to be a nice welcome off the team’s bench.

Philadelphia returns home to host the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. [lawrence-related id=25136,25147,25125]