Sixers’ Furkan Korkmaz expresses desire to play with deadline approaching
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Furkan Korkmaz has been a member of the Philadelphia 76ers since the 2017-18 season and it has been an up-and-down tenure.
There have been times when Korkmaz has been an essential part of the rotation and there have been times when he hasn’t played and hasn’t been utilized as he should. He is a guy who can shoot the ball as well as run some offense as a ball-handler.
With the Feb. 8 trade deadline approaching, and the fact that Korkmaz is on an expiring deal, one has to wonder about his future in Philadelphia. He has requested trades in the past, but no matter what, the veteran out of Turkey just wants to play.
“I mean, it’s hard,” Korkmaz told Sixers Wire. “Believe me, it’s hard and then as the year goes, even it’s getting more harder, you know? It’s not getting easier.”
Korkmaz is averaging just 6.6 minutes per game in the 2023-24 season which is how lowest since he averaged 5.7 minutes in his rookie season. Coach Nick Nurse can only play so many guys on such a deep team, and with the Sixers winning at a consistent level, one can’t fault Nurse, but one can also understand Korkmaz’s frustrations.
He’s proven that he is a rotational player in this league. He has shown in the past that he can be a helpful player in terms of his shooting and provide some scoring off the bench. As he continues to wait for his next opportunity, Korkmaz is just doing what he’s supposed to.
“You just need to keep staying professional,” he stated. “You know, that’s what we call it and then it doesn’t matter what is the situation. First game or last game of the season, this can happen all the time and you just gotta be professional. That’s the best way to say it probably.”
It will be interesting to see if Korkmaz will remain on the roster past the deadline or if he will get an opportunity elsewhere to get the playing time he’s looking for.
