Sixers will not pick up Brackins' contract option

The off-season only began last Sunday and already the Sixers have pared down their roster.

Team president Rod Thorn said Tuesday that the team will not exercise the option of second-year forward Craig Brackins. By not picking up the third-year $1.5 million option, Brackins becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Brackins, the 21st overall pick in the 2010 draft by Oklahoma City, was acquired by the Sixers in a trade with the New Orleans Hornets in September of 2010 that brought Darius Songaila to Philly for Willie Green and Jason Smith. Brackins spent the majority of his rookie season playing in the D-League.

Brackins requested to go back to the D-League midway through the 2012 season when he saw very limited playing time with the Sixers. Though he appeared in 14 games and started in the season finale, Brackins was eventually deactivated from the playoff roster in favor of guard Xavier Silas.

At 6-foot-10, the Sixers had hoped Brackins would develop into a power forward, but the Iowa State product was more comfortable playing on the perimeter. In 17 career games in the NBA, Brackins took 49 shots and nearly 30 percent were three-pointers. He attempted 110 three-pointers in 25 career games in the D-League, averaging 19.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

Brackins was earning $1.4 million in 2012 and his salary will be spent on the No. 15 pick of next month’s draft.