How Returning Players Can Bolster 76ers

Sep 28, 2015; Galloway, NJ, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Kendall Marshall (5) during media day at Stockton Seaview Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Team Of Us Suddenly Got Bigger And Better

The Sixers team has been assaulted on all fronts. On the court, they face opponents who have likely played together for years, have more experience, and more players suited up who can enter the game. When the game is over, the media is harsh, describing the team as a developmental league candidate pretending to be an NBA team. Ouch!

But the early woes of this injured team are fading now. Familiar faces are rejoining the team. But Kendall Marshall is not a familiar face. Not yet anyways. A 6’4″ 200 point point guard out from the North Carolina Tarheels, Marshall has spent three years in the NBA on three different teams: the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Milwaukee Bucks. Marshall is not the guy who will put up an insane amount of points. But he does manage the game well, averaging 5.4 assists per game despite playing on three different teams.

Marshall was selected 13th in the 2012 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns, and split his time between the Suns and their D-league team the Bakersfield Jam.  At the end of the 2012-13 season, Marshall was packaged with Shannon Brown, Marcin Gortat and Malcolm Lee in a trade to the Washington Wizards for Emeka Okafor (distant cousin to 76er center Jahlil Okafor) and a 2014 first round pick. The Wizards waived Marshall, who was subsequently picked up by the Delaware 87ers. From there, he was signed to the roster of the LA Lakers.

"“Throughout that first year I had been through so much, mentally and with not playing, when I went to the Sevens I just wanted to be on the court. I just knew, I hoped, that everything would fall into place once I got on the court. And, thankfully, it did. This league is all about opportunity. There’s not one guy in this league that can’t play. It’s just a matter of them getting that opportunity to go out there and show it. The opportunity [with the Lakers] was huge for me,” Marshall described. “When you’re on the court and you’re getting to learn from your mistakes, and learn what you can and can’t do, I think that’s huge for any player.”"

Despite some success with the Lakers, Marshall was released. He then caught on with the Milwaukee Bucks and ended up back with the Phoenix Suns in the trade that sent Michael Carter Williams to the Bucks for the Los Angeles Laker first round draft pick. Once more, Phoenix released Marshall. But this time, its the Philadelphia 76ers who signed him. Does that meant that perhaps Philly should have kept Marshall? 76ers head coach Brett Brown admitted that they may have let him go before they should have.

"“Maybe we did let him go too soon,” Brown said. “It’s probably a little bit easier to assess [him] when you actually see him on an NBA court, instead of in a D-League game. I feel like he had some good NBA games that made us pay attention.“Kendall Marshall can pass the hell out of it,” Brown went on to say. “The pass is king. The pass is everything. When you look at the qualities of successful teams, and especially successful offensive teams, the pass is everything.” -Brett Brown discussing resigning Kendall Marshall"

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In the end, the roster is getting healthy at the perfect time. To end the season with positive momentum, the Sixers will need all hands on deck. It’s not easy to turn a losing team into a winner. It takes several years and effort from virtually everyone in the organization. The Sixers are counting on players returning to help them pull this off.

The good news is, they are coming.