The Philadelphia 76ers have finished mini-summer camp and are on their way to Utah for a three game NBA Summer League series. Here are seven observations for fans.
The Philadelphia 76ers have concluded the 2017 summer league mini camp. Now the team is on their way to Utah to compete against the San Antonio Spurs, the Utah Jazz, and the Boston Celtics.
The 2017 NBA Summer League gets underway for the Sixers in their first game against the Boston Celtics at 7:00 pm ET. And the pure thrill of seeing top pick Markelle Fultz playing in a Philadelphia 76ers jersey is definitely worth the price of admission.
Ignore W’s and L’s
But much like the NFL or NBA preseason, summer league games are less about the wins and losses and more about what the players can and cannot do. Which combination have electrifying chemistry, which combinations don’t work due to too similar skillsets? On one hand, coaches focus upon the skillsets of players to better enable the team to work to optimize their production. On the other hand, coaches must also determine who would be best suited to land as a development project going forward.
In summary, each NBA team has 20 roster spots to fill for training camp and preseason games. And the summer league competition reveals who gets a shot to compete for the team or G-League affiliate, the Delaware 87ers, roster.
So what should fans look for? Well, we’ve already thought it through and here are seven elements to look for in the summer league competition this year:
Seven observations
There are quite a few narratives occurring in each NBA Summer league game. Each contest will have their own set of unique elements to keep an eye one. In the 2016 season, one key was observing how well Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot defended Los Angeles Lakers wing, Brandon Ingram. Luwawu-Cabarrot performed better than expected in that summer league game. That truly was a harbinger of things to come.
This year, there are plenty of Sixers fans observations. So enough of the lead-in, what are they?
Try to answer these questions during / after each summer league game
I: How comfortable is Markelle Fultz at PG? At SG?
II: Does Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot have confidence in his three-point shot?
III: Can Alex Poythress impress enough to stick on roster this year?
IV: Which front court player excels into consideration for two-way contract?
V: Which back court player excels into consideration for two-way contract?
VI: Does Larry Drew get Lion’s share of PG minutes?
VII: Which player attracts NBA contract offers from other NBA teams?
Now let’s elaborate on each point.
I: How comfortable is Markelle Fultz at PG? At SG?
As much as the 2016 NBA Draft was all about Ben Simmons, the 2017 NBA Draft is all about Markelle Fultz. And even moreso, will Markelle Fultz deliver on the versatility which made him the ideal selection for the Philadelphia 76ers?
More from The Sixer Sense
- 3 Sixers players who could help Team USA Basketball
- 76ers 2k24 ratings: 3 most underrated players on Philadelphia roster
- 76ers head coach Nick Nurse bares lofty plans for Paul Reed this season
- Grade the Trade: 76ers swap Tobias Harris for superstar PG in mock deal
- Sixers Podcast: Danny Green returns + James Harden bombshell
The Philadelphia 76ers will be the tale of two teams this year. With Ben Simmons, and without Ben Simmons.
The reason is clear. The presence of Simmons on the basketball court will drive the Philadelphia 76ers to line up a certain way. When Simmons comes off the court, players will line up a different way. That will place a great deal of pressure on the defenders.
Don’t kid yourself…
But let’s not be naive. That will also place some level of pressure upon the Philadelphia 76ers players. None moreso than Markelle Fultz.
He’s a 19 year-old rookie, who is now preparing to play two distinct and differing roles at the NBA level. He is an incredibly gifted young man. But it will take some time to become adept at two complex roles. So the key in summer league will be first and foremost to gauge his comfort level at either position. If he is comfortable, the coaches have prepared him. That is the most crucial element this early in his career.
II: Does Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot have confidence in his three-point shot?
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot made tremendous strides for the Philadelphia 76ers last year. Now, he must master one remaining quality: the three-point shot. Luwawu-Cabarrot was drafted for his tremendous “Three-and-D” potential.
He mastered the D, as in defense. But that three-point shot is definitely a work-in-process. Despite ending the season on a high note, everything seemed to fall into place with the exception of the trey. But he was ready to play on beyond the regular season last year.
Tim Luwawu-Cabarrot said he was ready to keep playing day after regular season ended. Wanted to play this summer. Talked about leadership.
— brianseltzer (@brianseltzer) June 29, 2017
2017-2018 Bar Raised
The team is serious now. The signing of both J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson were not about sitting young players as much as setting an example of how good a player needs to be to start. So to land as a starting shooting guard on the Philadelphia 76ers, the team has set the standard.
A player must outplay J.J. Redick. Good luck.
In the meantime, the team is working on rotating TLC out to the small forward position. Much like Robert Covington, he will find his defense impacting the team more favorably as he will face the opponents’ best shooters.
III: Can Alex Poythress impress enough to stick on roster this year?
Alex Poythress is in a curious situation. He was an emergency 16th man on the Philadelphia 76ers roster to close out the last six games of the season. He had limited time to get the attention of the front office.
South Bound & Down
And he did.
With only six games to showcase his stuff, he averaged 26.2 minutes , 10.7 points, and 4.8 rebounds per game. Still he did not land the coveted NBA contract. Now, he must take a more scenic route.
Hope remains
The Philadelphia 76ers saw plenty of Poythress at season’s end. But the team did not see much from the coveted three-point shooting. He flashed brilliance on a five-of-seven effort at three-point range against the Indiana Pacers. Other than that? Not so much.
You can bet the team is hoping to see a three-point barrage from Poythress in the summer. Should he shoot better than 35 percent from that range, he will likely be offered a deal to play for the Delaware 87ers.
IV: Which front court player excels into consideration for two-way contract?
The Philadelphia 76ers traded power forward Shawn Long to the Houston Rockets. While that will not hurt the team’s production much, it does eliminate any potential Long had for the future. And he showed promise of significant potential.
Sir Charles In Charge
Now the team must tap the potential of some new prospect. And for now, the opportunity is anyone’s to win.
While the Philadelphia 76ers have filled a 15-player roster for now, the team is setting up a 20 player roster for training camp and preseason. While that is the immediate pursuit, players are ultimately playing for a two-way contract.
Two-Way Contract players
This is a new category for the NBA as a result of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. In short, NBA teams now have two additional roster spots, to a maximum of 17. The two additional spots are Two-Way Contract positions. In short, a player is compensated for G-league at their wage rates, and at NBA at NBA rates. Teams must still manage the 13 player limit for players at each game. But if the team has (as did the 76ers the past two years) more than two player injured, a Two-Way Contract player can participate in NBA games for much greater pay.
These contract players are exclusively 76ers players and cannot be poached or signed away without trading the right to do so. Right now, that role is up for grabs.
V: Which back court player excels into consideration for two-way contract?
While so much continues to be made about the team’s front court logjam, the team has driven more talent to the back court for the second year in a row. And there is some good reason for it, and some mystery to it.
Busting Brackets
With a team at a front court logjam just one year ago, the team has now whittled the front court depth away. Regardless of the Ben Simmons role, the team is loaded now with veterans and youth in the back court. And so, the immediate need for the team is to develop what the team has on the roster today.
Change happens fast
But just as the trade of Ersan Ilyasova and Nerlens Noel changed the team landscape in the front court last season, the team back court landscape can change rapidly this year. What roles remain for last year’s iron men T.J. McConnell and Nik Stauskas? Do they simply sit on the bench, or do they have a role on the currently constructed roster?
2018 is a significant year for the Philadelphia 76ers expiring contracts. The team will need to retain Robert Covington, Joel Embiid, and decide whether the team can afford Nik Stauskas. It’s likely the team brought Furkan Korkmaz aboard this year with the interest of seeing how quickly he develops at the two-role. Now the team must prepare for the next season. Players this summer will earn consideration to the future roster if they perform well enough.
VI: Does Larry Drew get Lion’s share of PG minutes?
The Philadelphia 76ers signed point guard Larry Drew II early in the summer league recruiting season to allow for the team to examine the play of shooting guard compatibility. When the team traded up for Markelle Fultz, the role of Drew became even more vital.
Now the burden is upon Larry Drew to facilitate the development of Markelle Fultz. In fact, he will most likely land the lion’s share at PG in summer league for that very reason. Similarly, you can look for a lineup of Drew Fultz TLC to start summer league games. The team is most interested in surrounding Fultz with a consistent group to speed along his growth.
Off bench will reveal much
Who the team sends in after Drew will be the true indicator. Whoever comes in off the bench has an inside track on getting signed on for training camp and then onto a G-League deal. The team will run the summer league to grow Fultz.
But the second objective is to find players with potential for future roles with the team. While the coaches notes and most practices will not get much coverage, the order of player appearances in games and the amount of minutes will be telling.
Ultimately, the 76ers run the summer league to find the best talent for the Philadelphia 76ers. But the team also showcases talent for other NBA teams as well.
VII: Which player attracts NBA contract offers from other NBA teams?
Invariably, the Philadelphia 76ers fill the team roster before the summer league kicks in. All that remains for the team are G-league contracts. Some teams fill their final spots from the summer league.
Wiz of Awes
Last season, the summer league competition between Richaun Holmes and Christian Woods was very entertaining. In the end, the Philadelphia 76ers were unable to offer roles for both players. While Woods was the odd man out, he did not suffer. The Charlotte Hornets signed him to a two-year deal as a result of his phenomenal summer league performance.
It can happen again.
Now, a new summer league offers a similar reward to Sixers players. For any player who impresses the NBA executives in the stands, a potential contract offer could be forthcoming. Of the 14 players on the summer league roster, several could land NBA contracts when the smoke clears.
The NBA Summer League is as much about the fans as it is for the good of the NBA. It provides the perfect setting for NBA “scrimmages” where coaches can begin the process of developing players, and auditioning them for NBA roles elsewhere.
Next: Why the Philadelphia 76ers should keep Jahlil Okafor
In a league with only two rounds in the draft, it’s an important element to ensure teams get quality looks at the best each player has to offer. While it’s no guarantee to any one player, it gives them all something to play hard to attain.