Could Baron Davis Fit As A Sixer?
By Josh Wilson
Baron Davis is attempting an NBA comeback, after being out of the game since 2012. This veteran point guard is looking for a team that could value his knowledge of the game, and come off of the bench as a scoring force. The Philadelphia 76ers are a largely youthful team, so could a veteran presence fit?
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As he first announced on Sirius’ station for the NBA, Davis is looking to make a comeback to the NBA, and tryout for a few teams.
"This is the first time I'm going to put myself out there, I'm going to try out for some teams." @Baron_Davis on looking to get back to @NBA
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) July 21, 2015
Maybe the 76ers could be one of these teams? There’s no doubt, in the point guard position, they could use a bit more depth. Ish Smith has yet to re-sign with the team, and that leaves Isaiah Canaan or Tony Wroten to likely get the start throughout the year.
While Canaan is a decent player, he only has two years under his belt and has yet to break 10 points per game in a single season. This could be the year for him to do so, but he still doesn’t have the experience.
Wroten also only has three years of experience, but has averaged over 10 points per game and got 5.2 assists per game last season. Wroten is expected to return when the season begins from a partially torn knee ligament, so he will be rehabbing and working up to his full strength.
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While some are excited by the young players that the 76ers have (including myself), I still believe there could be room for a veteran or two on the team. After all, often, for teams looking to make the playoffs, or really improve in any capacity, a veteran who has knowledge of how to handle losses can make all of the difference.
This year, Paul Pierce really helped the Washington Wizards (a fairly youthful team) and pushed them into the playoffs, and even became the guy taking the shots at the ends of games. I truly felt like his locker room presence as a veteran was an important factor for the team.
Davis could be this person for the 76ers. He has 13 years of experience under his belt, which gives him lots of wisdom to share with the younger guys. He could be brought in to the team as a mentor to the team, and also an expansion onto the bench.
Davis is a great player, too. Throughout his career he has averaged 16 points per game and 7.2 assists. He’s also averaged over 40% shooting from the field throughout his years. In his golden days with the Golden State Warriors, he got up to 21 points scored per game.
Davis has also been to the playoffs seven different times, and led his first team, the Charlotte Hornets, to the playoffs every year he was with the team. After the Hornets traded Davis away, they missed the playoffs for three straight years, proof he has been a driving force that led teams to the postseason.
There is worry, though, that he is slowing down as a producer, and would continue to do so if he came back. In his last season played, he averaged just 6.1 points per game. With two whole seasons off, of course we’re worried about if he’s rusty. This league slows down for no one.
I do still feel like he could be a good pickup, though, as long as he can be signed for a veteran minimum. His veteran presence alone, and experience he can offer, is very important, especially for a young team like the Sixers. The depth he can add on top of that can simply be seen as a bonus. I don’t see why a tryout would hurt.