The Final Cuts Loom For Philadelphia 76ers
By Bret Stuter
Shooting Guard
Nik Stauskas
Nik Stauskas came to the Philadelphia 76ers as part of the Carl Landry salary dump in the 2015 off-season which netted the 76ers a significant improvement in their draft position in future NBA drafts.
Strengths
Stauskas was a hot perimeter shooter in college and has been working hard to restore his reputation. Working hard is an understatement, as he has the reputation of being the first person in the gym and the last person out of the gym.
Weaknesses
Stauskas is a shooter whose accuracy is less than ideal. Despite entering just his third year in the NBA, he has struggled to find his “niche”. In one hand he is a jack of all trades but masters of none. He was paired up with Robert Covington by head coach Brett Brown to develop as a two-way player. The biggest shortcoming of his game has simply been his confidence. Until that resolves, his game will never fully develop
Probability Of Making Team
Head coach has a soft spot for hard workers, and Stauskas fits the bill. But it’s year three and the Philadelphia 76ers look to make significant strides this year. Stauskas may not fit the 76ers timeline. I expect his chances of staying with the team no better than 50 percent. However, if T.J. McConnell does not make the roster, Stauskas will likely be cut as well.
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Hollis Thompson
Hollis Thompson is Brett Browns veteran player. He has been on the court for the 76ers head coach during Brown’s entire tenure. While this is his fourth year, Thompson has been reliable enough to come off the bench to score.
Strengths
Thompson is a better than average perimeter shooter on a team in need of perimeter shooting. While the arrival of Dario Saric and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot have taken some of the pressure off Thompson’s shooting. But that also increases the risk of Thompson not making the final roster.
Weaknesses
Thompson has a good perimeter shot, but needs improvement on the defensive side of the ball. He is also not consistent enough of a scorer to develop into the “sixth man” to ignite the team’s offense.
Probability Of Making Team
Thompson’s perimeter shooting is not easily discarded from the team. That, and his familiarity of Brown’s system, should keep Thompson around. I gauge his chances of making the final roster at 80 percent.
Brandon Paul
Brandon Paul is a young man with a dream of playing in the NBA, and whose summer league performance warranted a look. Whether his preseason showed enough for a roster spot is the question
Strengths
Paul can take over a game when he gets hot. In the the preseason opener, Paul unloaded 15 points against the Boston Celtics in the second half in just 13 minutes of play. He is not just a good offensive threat, as his defense is surprisingly well timed. He is a mature player with the eager energy of a rookie trying to make the team
Weaknesses
Paul is a 24 year old trying to carve out a nice, much like patches of cloth are sewn together into a quilt. Do the 76ers have patience enough to stitch him together?
Probability Of Making Team
I am going to go against conventional wisdom and declare Paul to be 70 percent of making this team. He hustles, plays bigger than his minutes, and is a good compliment to the team in the back court.
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot was an unexpected boon from the 2016 NBA Draft. Rated as the top “3 and D” prospect, he was expected to fall in the lottery picks. When he was available at 24, he was quickly scooped up.
Strengths
TLC is a young shooter who is fearless and aggressive. He manufactures his own shots and is adept at spacing and floor movement even without the ball. He is a staunch defender as well.
Weaknesses
TLC’s aggression comes back to bite the young man in fouls. He led the team in fouls in preseason with 23. He needs to improve shooting accuracy, particularly from the perimeter. Without a stronger threat of scoring outside, defenders will continue to cheat by baiting him to drive to the lane.
Probability Of Making Team
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarot has good potential, but he needs time to demonstrate it in the NBA. The most likely scenario for his future is playing for the Delaware 87ers to improve his shooting accuracy, and then returning to the 76ers in the second half of the season. He could remain on the roster, however, and I project his likelihood at 40% of doing so.