Source: Sixers to Sign Alex Poythress With Injury Hardship Exception

The Sixers took on the defending world champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday and were crushed with only nine available players. They may be getting some help.

The Sixers have been awarded an injury exception hardship and will use it to sign forward Alex Poythress, a source tells CSNPhilly's Jessica Camerato. The news was first reported by the Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Poythress was one of many players the Sixers hosted for a pre-draft workout, but the 6-foot-7 forward went undrafted. He played summer league ball with the Orlando Magic, then signed with the Pacers before being waived by Indiana.

He's spent the season in the D-League, playing for the Pacers' affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. He was a D-League All-Star and has averaged 18.5 points and 7.1 rebounds in 46 games (45 starts).

Poythress was a five-star recruit out of high school and chose Kentucky. After making the SEC All-Freshman team, Poythress struggled in his sophomore season and suffered an ACL injury just eight games into his junior season. He returned for his senior year, averaging 10.2 points and six rebounds a game.

The Sixers were in need of frontcourt help following the season-ending injury of Robert Covington. Covington had been starting at small forward and playing backup power forward behind Dario Saric. Without Covington, Justin Anderson had been moved into the starting lineup and was an undersized backup four man. The Sixers were looking for an additional player to ease the frontcourt minutes, especially of Saric.

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