Ricky Council IV was great for the Sixers until asked to do more. Now he’s been let go.

There were warnings. There were rumors. There were roster moves that telegraphed what was happening when the 76ers issued a press release at 5:01 p.m. Friday.

The subject line read, “PHILADELPHIA 76ERS WAIVE RICKY COUNCIL IV.”

The two-sentence press release read: “Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey announced today that the team has waived Ricky Council IV. Council IV appeared in 105 games (12 starts) over two seasons with the 76ers, averaging 6.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 14.6 minutes per game."

Just like that, in a move as expected as sweltering heat in August, Council’s two-year whirlwind with the Sixers is over.

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The 6-foot-6 swingman agreed to a two-way contract with the Sixers shortly after going undrafted out of Arkansas on June 20, 2023. After signing that contract 12 days later, Council was waived by the Sixers on Oct. 20, 2023, though they re-signed him five days later. Then they converted his contract into a four-year, $7.38 million standard deal on April 13, 2024. That contract had a team option for the 2026-27 season.

Tyrese Maxey quote-tweeted “E A R N E D!” on a breaking news report of the deal on X. And coach Nick Nurse was full of praise for Council following that day’s practice.

Without being prompted, Nurse raised the possibility of Council receiving meaningful playoff minutes.

“His shooting has improved,” Nurse said as Council averaged 5.5 points and 9.0 minutes while shooting 35.5% on three-pointers through his first 31 games as a Sixer. “He’s got a unique kind of athleticism that lets him drive and draw fouls. He’s a little bit versatile on defense. He can guard on the perimeter. He can guard up again because of his athleticism.

“I would say there were at least three times [vs. the Orlando Magic on April 12, 2024] I just about pulled the trigger to put him in the rotation. So he’s right on the edge of that, depending on what we’re seeing, who’s out there, what the foul trouble is, and all that kind of stuff. We feel like, just like in the San Antonio game, he’s a little bit of an X-factor guy. He can go in there and sometimes just change energy and change rhythm or make a few plays. So I’m really happy for him.”

Council scored 11 points on 4-for-5 shooting to go with season highs of four steals in the 133-126 double-overtime victory over the Spurs on April 7, 2024. His most memorable play from that game was a drive to the basket and a wraparound pass to Nico Batum in the corner. Batum drained the wide-open three to give the Sixers a 131-126 advantage with 1 minute, 25 seconds remaining.

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Council continued to show signs that he could be a valued role player at the start of this past season.

The Durham, N.C., native, who turns 24 on Aug. 3, had 17 points while shooting 5-for-7 from the field — including making 2 of 3 three-pointers — in an 111-96 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 30. That came one game after he had 12 points and 10 rebounds in a 122-115 overtime loss at home to the Houston Rockets.

Council’s success was the result of playing freely and having a better understanding of his role.

“You saw Ricky Council for the second night in a row now, when he got in the game … he knew, ‘I’m supposed to play hard,’” Maxey said following the Pistons game. “‘I’m supposed to crash. I’m supposed to guard and defend the best offensive player out there. And I do what I do in transition, score the ball.’ Now you’ve got an open spot.”

It’s also worth noting that Council is highly athletic and capable of keeping up with the swift Maxey in transition. One of the All-Star point guard’s assists against the Pistons came on an alley-oop to Council.

But the Sixers needed more out of the high-flying energy guy once Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Maxey were sidelined. They needed him to take players off the dribble, make heady plays, become a consistent three-point shooter, and cut down his miscues.

No longer playing freely, Council struggled in his new role. There were times when he zipped an ill-advised pass out of bounds when settling for his shot was a better option.

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His overthinking led to playing out of control and failing to do the things that secured the standard contract. It led to an inability to remain on the floor.

“We just want Ricky to play a little better,” Nurse said in March about what he wanted to see during the final 20 games. “He’s just got to play a little bit more physical — defense, rebounding. He’s a great athlete. I know he’s only [6-6], but we need help on the glass. He’s got to provide some of that. He’s got to provide some help at the defensive end as well. Again, he’s a good athlete with quickness.”

Unable to elevate his play, Council averaged 6.9 points on 35.6% shooting — including making just 20 of 92 three-pointers (21.7%) — along with 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.4 turnovers in 25.5 minutes over the final 20 games.

“Well, I didn’t really play well,” Council said of his new role after April 13’s season-ending loss to the Chicago Bulls. “Hopefully [the coaches] can forget about that and focus more on what I did earlier in the year to help the team. I know I didn’t play well. I’m not a big excuse guy. But I pretty much know why I didn’t play well.

“I just have to move on from it.”

Council revealed that day that he’d been playing with various ailments late in the season.

But those ailments and his early-season success didn’t save him. Not on a team without much roster flexibility because it has $144.7 million tied into Embiid ($55.2 million), George ($51.6 million), and Maxey ($37.9 million) next season. And there’s uncertainty about when Embiid and George will be available to return after left knee surgeries.

In addition, the Sixers are using two roster spots on guards Kyle Lowry, 39, and Eric Gordon, 36, to serve as mentors.

So the team must find ways to add inexpensive, yet valuable, depth. That’s why they had to sign small forward Jabari Walker and power forward Dom Barlow, both of whom have three years of NBA experience, to two-way contracts. The forwards, who stand at 6-9, are expected to add much-needed height and depth.

Undrafted rookie guard Hunter Sallis received the Sixers’ other available two-way deal. The 6-5 former Wake Forest standout possesses similar elite athleticism to Council but is a better perimeter shooter.

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NBA teams can carry up to 15 players with standard contracts during the season. After waiving Council, the Sixers have 13. They intend to re-sign restricted free agent Quentin Grimes.

Before being waived, Council joined Adem Bona as the only Sixers with nonguaranteed standard deals for the upcoming season. And the team has no intention of waiving Bona, whose $1.95 million becomes guaranteed on Oct. 19.

So it was only a matter of time before the Sixers would part ways with Council and his $2.2 million deal for the upcoming season after they acquired Walker, Barlow, and Sallis.

The only surprising thing was that the move came Friday. Since his deal was nonguaranteed until Jan. 10, the Sixers could have held onto him until then as a trade asset.

However, the timing suggests that they would rather use the roster spot elsewhere — perhaps for Walker, Barlow, or Sallis — or leave it open.