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Which Non-Okafor Move Will Benefit 2016 Sixers?

By Josh Wilson

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Feb 23, 2014; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines guard

Nik Stauskas

(11) celebrates against the Michigan State Spartans in the second half at Crisler Arena. Michigan 79-70. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Nik Stauskas

Now we get into my personal favorite non-Okafor move of the offseason, the Nik Stauskas trade. This trade did a lot more than the first glance shows us.

I know some people will have major objections to me choosing Stauskas as my second favorite offseason move, especially after the horrific season he had last year. Okay, maybe horrific is a little harsh, but it definitely wasn’t as good as it was expected to be.

He finished the year with just 4.4 points per game and 0.9 assists. As a top ten draft pick, he certainly wasn’t living up to the hype, part of the reason the Kings gave him up.

So, the question must be asked, why choose Stauskas as my favorite non-Okafor move instead of Pierre Jackson or another player? Well, the fact that I have yet to see Pappy Jack play in a single NBA game is a huge factor to me.

To quote one of my favorite shows, Dee from It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia claims that, “three quarters of a major is a lot bigger than a whole minor.” In the show, of course, they were picking at the fact that she hadn’t completed her schooling, but I find some truth in this statement.

While Jackson and Wilbekin found tremendous successes in Summer League, the D-League, and in foreign countries, there’s something to be said about Stauskas, who had a bit more of a challenge in the NBA. Is scoring nearly five points per game in the NBA more impressive than 12 per game in Summer League? I would argue yes, there is more value in a failed NBA attempt than a successful D-League career. Stauskas has real game experience coming into his first year as a Sixer, while the others have no NBA experience besides Summer Leagues.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Pappy Jack will do great, but I just believe Stauskas is coming in at a higher level compared to Jackson and Wilbekin, due to his experience in real NBA games, and not simply experience from a lower level of play. Again, I know people will disagree with me there.

Additionally, Stauskas is playing in the FIBA tournament for Team Canada, and doing decently. He’s a bit low in the rotation with Andrew Wiggins swallowing up a bunch of minutes, but the opportunity to learn is still there, and I can see value in that for him.

This topic is one that’s highly up for debate. But in my opinion, acquiring Stauskas was the best non-Okafor moves made this entire offseason.

This roster is one that is dying to be noticed. It’s a roster that needs someone to pull everything together. Alongside Nerlens Noel, another young player, they will need to set the tone for the year early in order to get the team on the right track.

Without signing Stauskas, we wouldn’t just be debating who would win the starting point guard spot, we would also be heavily discussing who would win the starting shooting guard spot.

Next: Is Joel Embiid Too Much Of A Hassle For The Sixers?

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