Research cutoff: July 18, 2026. Team: Philadelphia 76ers. Role: reserve 4/5 and possible starting-power-forward alternative.
2026-27 projection
| GP | MPG | FG% (FGM/FGA) | FT% (FTM/FTA) | 3PM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | 20.0 | .540 (2.5/4.6) | .725 (1.0/1.4) | 0.2 | 6.2 | 4.2 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
Barlow's 2025-26 line was 71 games—59 of them starts—and 23.8 minutes with .536/.718 shooting, 0.3 threes, 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.7 blocks, and 0.8 turnovers. He was promoted from a two-way to a standard contract in February 2026. More frontcourt bodies reduce his neutral minutes, but Embiid rest creates recurring spot starts. Hashtag dynasty/stat page, updated July 2, 2026
Role and fantasy outlook
- Barlow is listed as the power-forward starter on RealGM's automated chart, while RotoWire puts Dean Wade first. The projection splits the difference: Wade starts, Barlow plays 20 and can close. Weigh two facts against each other—Barlow's 59 starts are the strongest argument for him, and Wade's four-year, $39M full-MLE contract from a president who championed him in Cleveland is the strongest argument against. Philadelphia paid market price for a starter, but it also just watched Barlow start most of a season. RealGM roster/depth chart, accessed July 18, 2026 · RotoWire depth chart, updated July 12, 2026
- 9-cat: positive FG%, low turnovers, and about 1.3 steals-plus-blocks; useful but low-volume rebounds. FT% and no threes constrain build fit.
- Points: injury streamer rather than a draft target. His defensive stats make him more interesting in systems that award four points for stocks.
- Dynasty: Hashtag listed him 372nd. A 2027 free-agent pathway and age-prime role preserve deep value; he needs 26-plus minutes to matter in shallower leagues. Hashtag dynasty
Floor, base, ceiling
- Floor: 12-16 minutes when Philadelphia prefers Wade/Bona and small-ball Brown.
- Base: 20 minutes; a top-200-ish specialist only in compatible builds.
- Ceiling: 28 minutes and top-100-to-140 stretches during Embiid absences, with 9/7 and 1.8 stocks plausible.
Health and uncertainty
Barlow played 71 games in 2025-26, supporting a relatively strong availability baseline. The major uncertainty is role topology: he can back up two positions, but that versatility also prevents a guaranteed single-position minute block.
Confidence
| Component | Confidence | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Rotation place | High | Productive incumbent and two-position fit |
| Minutes | Medium | Competes with Wade, Bona, and small lineups |
| Percentages/stocks | Medium-high | Stable recent profile |
| Games played | Medium-high | Strong 2025-26 availability |
Career record
Pre-NBA: Skipped college for Overtime Elite's inaugural season (Team Overtime, 2021-22): 14.8 PTS / 5.9 REB per game. New Jersey high school star before that (27.6 / 17.0 as a senior at Dumont). Draft: undrafted (2022); signed a two-way with San Antonio and became the first OTE player on an NBA roster.
| Season | Age | Team | GP | MPG | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PM | FG% | FT% | TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 19 | SAS | 28 | 14.6 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.0 | .535 | .720 | 0.5 |
| 2023-24 | 20 | SAS | 33 | 12.7 | 4.4 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | .496 | .690 | 0.3 |
| 2024-25 | 21 | ATL | 35 | 10.7 | 4.2 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.2 | .531 | .636 | 0.1 |
| 2025-26 | 22 | PHI | 71 | 23.8 | 7.7 | 4.8 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.3 | .539 | .718 | 0.8 |
| Career | — | — | 167 | 17.3 | 5.7 | 3.8 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | .530 | .701 | 0.5 |
Durability: No injury red flags — the 28-35 game seasons were two-way contract limits and G League assignments (Austin, College Park), not health. 71 games in his first full-rotation season.
Trajectory: A three-year two-way grind — converted to standard deals by San Antonio (March 2024), Atlanta (March 2025) and finally Philadelphia (February 5, 2026, two years / $6.8M) — that turned into a real rotation season: 71 games, mostly starting, with efficient finishing and roughly 1.6 combined stocks. Each stop kept re-signing him, and each stop played him more. In 2026-27 he competes with Dean Wade for the nominal power-forward start and backs up both big spots; he is already streamable on rebounds/FG%/stocks, and becomes a standard-league hold if he wins 26-plus minutes — most plausibly during Embiid absences, when the 2025-26 record says 9-and-7 with stocks follows.
Career sources: ESPN career stats · Wikipedia
Open questions
- Does Barlow beat Wade for the nominal starting role?
- Is he the first center when Embiid sits or does Bona start?
- Can he add a credible corner three?
Related: Philadelphia 76ers · Dean Wade · Joel Embiid · Adem Bona