Which Non-Okafor Move Will Benefit 2016 Sixers?

Josh Wilson

Sep 29, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie talks with reporters during media day at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

This offseason has been a busy one for the Philadelphia 76ers. Could you really expect anything different from the team’s general manager, Sam Hinkie? Hinkie is well known for wheelin’ and dealin’, and even just recently said the Sixers are still on the market, looking to make moves to better themselves.

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When people ask me what the biggest move this offseason was is, the answer is pretty obvious, and the answer is same for quite a few other Sixers fans. Jahlil Okafor was brought in as the third overall pick of the NBA draft this year, and is expected to do a lot for the Sixers this season.

To me, it seems like we have overlooked some of the other big moves the Sixers made this offseason. In effort to appreciate them a bit more, and determine which move will benefit this year’s Sixers the most, let’s take that huge six foot seven inch player out of the equation.

Before I begin to dive into just a few of the offseason moves the Sixers carried out this year, let’s realize something. There are a lot of moves. Getting to all of the minuscule moves would be excessive, and having a lot of offseason moves additionally means that not everyone is going to agree.

When I talk with other Sixers fans, rarely do we agree on everything. I think most can agree that Okafor was the best offseason move this year, but choosing a runner up? Forget it. We all have certain players we like more, certain players that brig different skill sets that we all value in different ways.

That being said, I’m sure some of you will disagree with what I am bound to label as the, “second best Sixers move,” from this offseason.

Next: Gerald Wallace

Sep 29, 2014; Waltham, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward

Gerald Wallace

(45) during media day at the Celtics practice facility. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Gerald Wallace

Gerald Wallace is coming off of a championship win with the Golden State Warriors (that he didn’t contribute mucht to), so the Sixers have that going for them right off of the bat. Trading for him could be a huge benefit for the team. Last year , he played less than 10 minutes per game.

Under the NBA’s standards, the Sixers definitely don’t have a fantastic roster, so we should expect Wallace to get some more minutes, despite the fact that he strays from the Sixers’ typical youthful qualities. I still don’t expect him to get 20+ minutes per game, but he could give a helpful bench boost.

Even more than his statistical contributions that will come as a Sixer next year, his veteran experience will do wonders for the Sixers. The Sixers have one of the youngest, most underdeveloped rosters in the NBA and need some guidance.

Wallace’s 14 years in the NBA certainly has some experience that comes along with it, and he can mentor the extremely young roster in conjunction with his experience. While he’s no NBA legend, he still has veteran value.

Next: Pappy Jack And Scottie Wilbekin

Jul 11, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard

Pierre Jackson

(55) congratulates teammates after a time out is called during an NBA Summer League game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Scottie Wilbekin & Pierre Jackson

This duo features just two of the faces competing for the title of starting point guard this season. The competition is heavy, but either of them do have some sort of shot at the open position, despite the likes of Tony Wroten who could be pursuing the spot as well.

Wroten — coming off of an injury — may get the start later in the year, but at the moment it looks like his recovery will inhibit him from being a starter. Wroten was one of my favorites, but I see the good in this. His injury opens the door for some younger guys like this to get a shot at showing what they’ve got in the NBA.

Each of these guys also have their ‘road to redemption’ story that they bring with them this year.

Scottie Wilbekin went undrafted in 2014, something that was unexpected to him. Even more disappointing, his Summer League opportunities didn’t land him a spot on an NBA squad.

Wilbekin still embraced his opportunities given to him, however, and landed a spot with a team overseas, playing for Australia’s Cairns Taipans. He averaged over 15 points per game and over 4 assists with the Cairns Taipans, proving his worth to NBA teams who had an eye on him.

He came back to the NBA, trying his luck in Summer League once again, playing for both the Orlando Magic and the Sixers. Initially, it looked like Wilbekin was on his way back to Australia after signing with the Taipans, but he then opted out after Philadelphia offered him a contract. This deal was for four years.

I have high hopes for Wilbekin, but I’m still skeptical. I don’t see him winning the starting spot this year, but by the looks of it, it’s anyone’s spot. If he impresses at training camp, it could be his.

On the other hand, we have Pierre Jackson, who has his own story to share. His is arguably much more of a “sob story” than Wilbekin’s.

Setback after setback pushed Pappy Jack’s debut as a Sixer after he was initially chosen 42nd overall in 2013. Talking about an underdog, Jackson faces setbacks starting at his physical measurements. Standing at just 5’10, he’s just about average human height, which of course means that he is below average in the NBA.

But don’t let his height fool you.

And just one more to prove to you that he’s got hops.

After being selected 42nd overall, his draft rights were traded to the New Orleans Pelicans. After many tries at overseas basketball, and some Summer League and D-League appearances, he found his way back to the Sixers in June last year.

Finally looking to get his shot, he joined the team in Summer League to prove his worth. Unfortunately, at a Summer League game, he ruptured his achilles tendon, putting him out for a while. He was signed by the Sixers despite the injury, but then later waived.

This July, he had yet another Summer League shot with the Sixers, and now has a contract. For the first time in his career, it looks like he’s got a real shot at being a legitimate role player on an NBA team. I believe he is one of the front runners to win the starting point guard spot.

His 12 points per game during Summer League this season proved to us he has worth. I believe there’s reason to be skeptical of him, since he’s yet to play in an NBA game, but he’s obviously got a skill set.

In this game, Jackson scored 15 points, and proved he had some range. He did this while playing D’Angelo Russell, a player who was supposed to be a Sixer this year. That plan was foiled by the Los Angeles Lakers, who picked him up before the Sixers had a chance.

Possibly, Jackson used this as fuel in this game to show he was worth just as much as Russell. He outdid Russell as far as point production, who scored just 14 points in this game.

Jackson is one of the most underrated guards in this point guard competition that will come into full swing during training camp. Still, he’s arguably one of the fan’s favorites, and I expect him to be a leading name in the discussion as they look to name a starter.

These pick ups were good, but I don’t believe they were the best non-Okafor pickups, largely due to the fact that we haven’t seen them in real NBA games yet.

Next: Nik Stauskas

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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Josh Wilson

Josh is currently the Managing Editor of FanSided.com. He has worked with FanSided in some capacity for a total of eight years, starting as a contributor for Swarm and Sting, Toro Times, and HoopsHabit in 2015. He served as a site expert for The Sixer Sense during 'The Process' years while starting his educational track at Temple University as a journalism student. He later transferred to the State University of New York at Cortland where he completed his B.A. in Mass Communication with a concentration in journalism. For FanSided, Josh worked as Operations Assistant before taking on a role as Editorial Director of the NBA Division, a role he held for three years. Along the way he also helped start and lead the FanSided fellowship program which created a path for several young journalists to start their careers in sports media. Nothing is more important to Josh than Yankee wins and his family.