Philadelphia 76ers: Five Players to Watch in Training Camp

With NBA training camp quickly approaching, all eyes will be fixed on some key players on the Philadelphia 76ers’ roster who are expected to have an important role this upcoming season.

The NBA Summer League is now over and rookies and veterans alike will enjoy a little time off before gearing up for training camp in late September.

With that cessation of NBA activity, it gives us a chance to pause and reflect on the moves of the team so far, and of the players now on the roster.  We’ve covered the full roster with some analysis to each player, past, present, and likely future in a recent roster analysis, but there is more to be said than what we could cover in that summary.

For the Philadelphia 76ers, some players will have a few extra eyes on them while others like Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid will have the world watching and waiting anxiously for their NBA debut.
Let’s take a look at some of the key players to watch in Sixers training camp this fall.

Next: Simmons

Ben Simmons

Is there any other rookie that has as much pressure on them as Ben Simmons heading into this NBA season?

Simmons has been heralded as the savior of the Philadelphia 76ers franchise. He has also been a superstar figure in the public eye, drawing comparisons to LeBron James and even Magic Johnson all before being drafted first overall back in June. While these comparisons are a bit extreme, it is no doubt that you will be keeping a close eye on him this fall whether you are a fan or a naysayer of his extraordinary talent.

Simmons displays exceptional ball handling skills and court vision for a man of his size. It is clear that Sixers head coach, Brett Brown is planning on running the offense through him and letting him make plays. This was very evident at times during the Sixers summer league games like the times below.

Simmons went on to average 12.3 PPG, 7.8 Rebounds and 5.5 assists through the four games he played in Las Vegas. He was named to the All-NBA Summer League First Team.

It is no doubt that all eyes will be on Simmons every move through training camp and leading up to the NBA season. He needs to be a leader even as a rookie and the team will follow wherever he leads them.

While it is nearly impossible for Simmons to live up to the monumental hype that he has already received, he has shown that he is willing and able to step up to the plate. Sixers fans and NBA analysts are asking a lot from a kid who is fresh off his 20th birthday. But if there is anyone who is up for that challenge, it’s him.

Next: Embiid

Joel Embiid

Some people are more excited to see the long-awaited debut of Joel Embiid more than anyone else this season and for good reason.

Drafted third overall in the 2014 NBA draft, the former Jayhawk nearly averaged a double double in points and rebounds to go along with over 2.5 blocks per game in his lone season at Kansas.

Embiid sat out his rookie season due to a broken bone in his right foot and was expected to make his debut last season before breaking the same bone again, sidelining him for the duration of the 2015-16 NBA season.

Although he is not expected to play the second legs of back to back sets to start this season, he is expected to be fully healthy. The latest buzz around Philadelphia is that Embiid could be better than advertised and that he looks very ready for the season to begin.

Regardless of what happens to Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel, having Embiid’s 7-foot-5.75  wingspan protecting the rim bodes well for the Sixers defense. The biggest thing to keep an eye on with Embiid aside from his health, is whether or not his conditioning is ready for the minutes that he is going to receive this season.

Next: Saric

Dario Saric

Another rookie from the 2014 NBA draft is finally ready to make his NBA debut after spending the past two seasons playing professionally in Turkey.

Saric has finally signed and agreed to play for the Philadelphia 76ers this season which is very exciting news. Now the questions start to flood in…Will he be an effective NBA player? Will he start for the Sixers? What position will he play?

While we cannot answer any of those questions just yet, what we do know about Dario is that he is a versatile forward that displays athleticism and the ability to knock it down from deep. He averaged 11.7 PPG and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 40% from deep. 

Once training camp begins, we will start to get a better picture of how coach Brown plans to utilize Dario in the Sixers rotation this season. We will also catch a glimpse of how NBA-ready he is and what type of chemistry he can build with Ben Simmons and the rest of the Sixers.

Next: Grant

Jerami Grant

The Sixers have plenty of young talent now and in order to keep progressing, it would be great to see Jerami Grant take a big step forward this season.

Grant showed a vast improvement from his rookie season where he displayed shooting struggles resulting in a 35% field goal percentage. His sophomore season his numbers jumped across the board resulting in 9.7 PPG and 4.7 rebounds to go along with 1.6 blocks per game.

Since entering the league in 2014, Grant has shown his athleticism and uncanny ability to block shots. He once had eight recorded blocks against the New York Knicks during his rookie season and had multiple five block games last season. He also improved his shooting last season, increasing his field goal percentage to just under 42%.

So what more can the Sixers ask of Grant? Simply put – consistency. Grant showed flashes of greatness last season but disappeared at times and showed erratic decision making throughout last season. With the many forwards and centers now at the Sixers disposal, Grant is going to have to once again make a big leap forward entering his third NBA season.

On the bright side, it looks as if he is up for the challenge as he flashed some of that athleticism on Lakers prospect, Ivica Zubak during the NBA Summer League as seen below.

While he doesn’t have to worry about his roster spot, he does need a strong training camp to hash out his role in the upcoming season. If the Sixers decide to deal Nerlens Noel, they will look to Jerami Grant to provide the tenacity on defense that Jahlil Okafor lacks. Grant was named to the USA Men’s Select Team which bodes well for his development before entering training camp in September.

Next: McConnell

T.J. McConnell

So now that the Sixers have loads of talent at the forward and center positions, the starting point guard role still looks questionable.

While the Sixers did ink former Milwaukee Bucks point guard Jerryd Bayless, the question remains if he is going to be their starting point guard for the season. He is the favorite to open the season as the starter but I would not consider that concrete.

Fan favorite, T.J. McConnell and newly acquired Sergio Rodriguez are going to compete with Bayless for the starting position. Both Rodriguez and Bayless are more of a score-first guard as opposed to McConnell who thrives setting up good shots for others much like Ben Simmons.

Bayless has been nothing more than a career backup for much of his career but does provide the veteran leadership to the Sixers young squad. T.J. McConnell on the other hand, averaged 6.1 PPG, 4.5 APG to go along with 3.1 rebounds per game in under 20 minutes last season.

Related Story: The Sixers Future at the Point Guard Position

McConnell has proved that he is going to battle regardless of what everyone else says his role is going to be. He continues to improve and is really starting to look like a legitimate starting point guard in the NBA. He acted as a floor general while continuing to display his ability to set his teammates up for high percentage looks.

TJ !!! #Sixers pic.twitter.com/j0hR5AlGhf

— Jonathan Kelly (@Jon_Kelly_) July 4, 2016

T.J. McConnell led all players in assists during the Las Vegas Summer league which really should not surprise anyone. If he continues to make good decisions on the floor and consistently prove that he is ready and able to serve as a starting point guard for the Sixers, Bayless is going to have a battle on his hands.

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The point guard situation is going to be something to monitor through training camp and the NBA season. If McConnell has a strong camp, do not count him out for the starting gig.