Sixers waive Dalen Terry in cost-cutting move to sign LeBron James and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - Inquirer.com

What the report says

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the 76ers waived guard Dalen Terry on Sunday, July 26, 2026, as part of a roster and payroll move tied to the team’s planned signings of LeBron James and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. According to the Inquirer, Philadelphia needed to remove two players from its books, either through waivers or trades, to complete those additions while remaining below the NBA’s first-apron hard cap.

Terry’s release was framed by the Inquirer as an expected cut because his $2.6 million salary for the 2026-27 season was not guaranteed until Jan. 10. The Sixers had picked up a team option on his contract in late June, but waiving him gives the club more flexibility as it works to finalize its reshaped roster. The report said Philadelphia still needed to waive or trade one additional player to fit under the financial ceiling.

Terry, 24, joined the Sixers on a two-way deal in February and later had that converted into a standard contract in April after veteran guard Cameron Payne suffered a hamstring injury. In 14 games with Philadelphia, Terry averaged 4.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 12.4 minutes per game.

The move matters because it reflects the practical cost of adding high-profile veterans under the NBA’s apron system, which limits spending flexibility for teams that trigger certain hard-cap rules. The Inquirer also noted Terry had recently been around teammates and staff at Las Vegas Summer League and had spoken about working on his shooting during the offseason.