Emoni Bates was once the subject of remarkable intrigue for the Cleveland Cavaliers and their fans. They gave up on him in the 2025 offseason, but the Philadelphia 76ers were willing to take on the project that Cleveland deemed unworthy of prolonging.
Marc J. Spears and Keith Pompey both reported Bates will be joining the 76ers ahead of the NBA calendar creeping up to media day and training camp for the new 2025-26 season. Pompey offered the extra details about the signing, specifying the former Cavaliers forward will be receiving an Exhibit 10 contract with Philadelphia.
The 76ers are quietly looming as a dark horse threat to reestablish themselves among the contenders in the Eastern Conference. Bates will certainly not help that cause in the short-term window with Joel Embiid.
However, perhaps there is something to be tapped with his game in the long-term that the 76ers believe the Cavaliers overlooked. Cleveland will certainly be hoping that was not the case, and that their judgement call on the situation was not the wrong one.
Bates’ development becomes 76ers' low-risk, high-reward gamble
An Exhibit 10 contract does not guarantee Bates a future with the 76ers. However, it does offer him an opportunity to earn a two-way contract with Philadelphia and continue hanging on to the fringes of the NBA until properly showcasing the substance needed to permanently stick around.
Before Bates became a second round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft for the Cavaliers, there was a lot of hype around the young prospect. The 21-year-old was a highly touted player coming out of high school.
Bates ranked 3rd on ESPN 100 when it came to his 2021 recruiting class. The Michigan native was a five-star recruit, identified as both the best player at his position and in his state. The regional rankings were the only ones in which Bates had a peer above him.
The two years spent in the NCAA did not do Bates a lot of favors in sustaining the excitement around him. Concerns regarding his efficiency quickly hurt his draft stock. The Cavaliers took a shot on him anyways, but those concerns never really went away.
In two season with Cleveland, Bates averaged 3.1 points per game during 8.3 minutes a night in his 25 on-court appearances for the Cavaliers. The shooting numbers looked rough, with 32.2 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.
The Cavaliers were more than justified to wipe their hands clean of the situation after two years. However, it is also just as understandable why the natural talent and gifts would bring intrigue for a team like the 76ers.
Philadelphia does not have much to lose in bringing Bates to training camp. If the young forward displays signs of upside, Bates can be kept around on a team-friendly, low-commitment deal. If not, the 76ers can cut their losses without issue.