T.J. McConnell Contract Option to Be Exercised by 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers general manager Bryan Colangelo confirmed Friday that the team will exercise T.J. McConnell's $1.6 million option for the 2018-19 season, according to The Athletic's Derek Bodner. 

The move puts McConnell on course to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019. 

McConnell, 26, joined the Sixers in 2015 as an undrafted free agent out of Arizona. Since then, he's steadily worked his way into a reserve role in head coach Brett Brown's backcourt rotation. 

This past season, McConnell averaged 6.3 points, 4.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 22.4 minutes per game. He also knocked down a career-high 49.9 percent of his total field-goal attempts, including 43.5 percent from three. 

T.J. McConnell Game Highlights

The 6'2" floor general also played a key part in helping the Sixers avoid a second-round sweep at the hands of the Boston Celtics. 

Thrust into the starting lineup for Game 4, McConnell scored a career-high 19 points to go with eight rebounds and five assists in 39 minutes. 

McConnell may find playing time harder to come by next season if 2017 No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz is able to round back into form, but keeping him in the fold for at least one more season will give the Sixers quality insurance at an affordable rate in the event the Washington product fails to make a leap in year two.