After one year in Philadelphia, it looks as if Trendon Watford will be moving on. He will be joining the West in an effort to find playing time.
Former Philadelphia 76ers forward Trendon Watford has found an NBA home, signing with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Watford signed a one-year deal worth 2.9M. The young forward has bounced around the league since 2021. He spent his first two years with the Portland Trailblazers and another two with the Brooklyn Nets. Watford hoped to find a home with the 76ers when he signed a two-year deal that was worth over 5M.
In his lone season with the team he averaged 6.5 points on 51 percent shooting. Now with the Pelicans, Watford is hoping to be a usable piece in the team's rebuild.
For Philadelphia, it was their hope that he could be a versatile forward who could be vital in the rotation. Watford had all the tools to be a prolific scorer. He had the shooting touch in the paint while still getting looks from beyond the arc. While he only played sparingly, he showed he deserved to be in the NBA.
During his college career, Watford played for LSU, where he started 30 of the 31 games. In his freshman year, he earned the honor of being named to the SEC All Freshman Team. He averaged 13.1 points and 7.2 rebounds that season. In his sophomore year, he saw his stats increase, averaging 16.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and nearly three assists per game.
That season saw his growth as a player as he led the Tigers to the SEC Tournament, where they managed to make it to the SEC Championship Game. Watford scored a career-high 30 points in their loss to Alabama. In this season, Watford earned All-SEC Second Team honors and All-SEC Tournament First Team honors. Their performance led them to the NCAA Tournament, where they earned a victory over St. Bonaventure in the first round, before losing to first-seeded Michigan in the second round.
Following the signing of LeBron James and the trade for Jaylen Brown, there seemed to be no need to bring back Watford. While it may have been a possibility for a return, considering the team has two open spots, the team is looking to hold onto those spots in case there has to be an emergency signing.
Watford is a key depth piece that could be helpful if put into the right situation. Now that he resides in New Orleans, there may be a chance for him to get some valuable minutes and showcase his talents.
