The Philadelphia 76ers have started 0-2 this season, but one of their positive players has been Sergio Rodriguez, who is running the offense as best he can.
When the Philadelphia 76ers signed Sergio Rodriguez this summer for a small, $8 million contract for one season (less than 10 percent of the team’s salary cap for the season), it was looked at as an overall positive signing. With the Sixers not having many options at the point guard position, it made sense to sign him as long as he was going to come over.
Although his signing was good, it looked as if Jerryd Bayless was the smart player to run as the starting point guard. He had more recent experience in the NBA, and had an overall more positive experience in the NBA as well.
With Sergio taking six years off from the NBA to play in Real Madrid in his home country of Spain, it was a bit of a mystery as far as what to expect from Rodriguez this season.
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Yes, Sergio was keeping up with his pro basketball experience, but there’s no level of basketball that can compete overseas like the NBA can. Simply put, the NBA has the best players in the world.
Sergio’s first run in the NBA was also overall not a positive one. He didn’t put up numbers that really impressed, and given that he couldn’t do well in his first run, and also wasn’t priming his competition against the best of the best.
Expectations weren’t necessarily negative regarding Sergio coming in. Skeptical is probably the better word for it, and perhaps for good reason. Fans just didn’t know what to expect.
Turns out, Sergio’s time in Spain did him well. In his first two games, Sergio is already showing the team that it was the right decision to make him the starter.
Through the first two games of the season, Sergio is averaging 13.0 points, 7.0 assists, and 2.0 turnovers per game. He’s shooting 45 percent from the field. Those are decent numbers from a typical starting point guard in the NBA.
One of the main complaints regarding Sergio is his defense, but that’s really an all-around team problem. It doesn’t seem like anyone except for Joel Embiid is really playing defense worth talking about, and Sergio’s issues are greatly outweighed by the leadership he’s shown on the court.
There was a play in the second game against the Atlanta Hawks where the Sixers had just come off of a scoring drought. Nothing seemed to be falling for the Sixers, despite Sergio putting the ball in all the right places. The Hawks defense looked to be locking down all of Sergio’s offense, so in a blink of an eye, he flipped a switch and went in a sprint towards the rim.
Rodriguez brushed by his defenders easily, laying the ball in for an easy two. His instinctual skills are better than anyone else’s on the floor.
Offensively, Rodriguez is great for this team.
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Sergio is no long-term option for the Sixers at the point. But as far as making a good find, Sergio definitely is filing out to be that for the Sixers. He’s got leadership qualities that will make it easy for young guys like Joel Embiid and Dario Saric to get the ball in their hands and have it feel natural.
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As far having a stopgap point guard in the years that the Sixers are waiting to build their truly competitive roster, there was perhaps no better option out there for the price range Rodriguez was in. Although I predicted Sergio would falter this season compared to the regular season, I hope he keeps his level of play up high.