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Philadelphia 76ers Need to Let Sergio Rodriguez Walk in Free Agency

By Pete Sawan

Feb 9, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA;Philadelphia 76ers guard Sergio Rodriguez (14) shoots a three pointer against the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 9, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA;Philadelphia 76ers guard Sergio Rodriguez (14) shoots a three pointer against the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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With the Philadelphia 76ers likely to find their future point guard this offseason, Sergio Rodriguez does not serve a purpose anymore and needs to go.

At the end of last season, the Philadelphia 76ers had a major need — veterans. In particular, the Sixers needed veterans who could help get the most out of their young core. Ideally, these veterans would compliment the game of guys like Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Dario Saric.

Now, the Philadelphia 76ers desperately needed to address the point guard position. At that time, the only point guard on the roster was T.J. McConnell. While McConnell showed signs of competence, the prospect of him starting seemed absurd. Thus, the Sixers looked to free agency to address this. Particularly, the team went after Sergio Rodriguez of Real Madrid.

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The team successfully locked Rodriguez up for a one-year, $8 million contract. At the time, the move received praise from fans. Many considered this move an under-the-radar, savvy move by president and general manager Bryan Colangelo. The move itself immediately improved the Philadelphia 76ers at the point guard position.

With that said, I think that Sergio needs to go at the end of the season. He served his purpose as a veteran presence. The Philadelphia 76ers need to think about the future at that position. Sergio Rodriguez’s style of play, coupled with the emergence of talent at the position, makes him expendable, to say the least.

The Emergence of T.J. McConnell

At the start of the season, many felt that Sergio Rodriguez was a lock for the starting role. With his veteran experience both domestic and abroad, no one seemed able to surpass the Spaniard. But then came T.J. McConnell.

If you could place a bet as to who would be the starting point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers, many would have taken either Sergio Rodriguez or Jerryd Bayless. T.J. McConnell seemed like an afterthought to most. Many assumed that McConnell would have a minimal role on the team going forward. Obviously, the opposite reigned true.

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One the one hand, you have a relatively unproven commodity in McConnell. While he started the majority of last season, most felt as though he didn’t do enough to secure the role. Because of this, the Philadelphia 76ers brought in Sergio Rodriguez.

Now, it makes sense why Sergio was brought, but now that McConnell has emerged as a quality backup, Rodriguez does not serve a purpose anymore. T.J. McConnell sits in the top 10 this season in both assist percentage (10th) and steal percentage (6th). With these accolades, T.J. has the tools to become a mainstay for the Sixers at the point guard position.

To me, Sergio does not fit in the team’s long-term plans. Simply put, at 30 years old, it makes no sense to bring him back. The team already has a quality rotation guy in T.J. McConnell. The idea of extending Sergio would only create an unnecessary logjam. Sixers fans know all about unnecessary logjams.

Guard-Heavy Draft/ Free Agency

Now, it goes without saying that this year’s draft class has the potential to be the deepest draft in recent memory. With such a deep guard class, the need for a guy like Sergio Rodriguez dissipates. Thus, it makes total sense why the Sixers could look elsewhere to solve their guard needs.

As mentioned numerous times on this site, the Sixers have the potential to have 2 top 10 picks this year. As long as they have at least 1 pick in the top 8, the Philadelphia 76ers will most likely look to draft a guard. Whether it’s a guy like Dennis Smith Jr., Lonzo Ball, or (hopefully) Markelle Fultz, the Sixers can’t go wrong.

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For argument’s sake, let’s say that the Sixers end up drafting a wing. This year’s free agent class has plenty of serviceable point guards. Guys like Darren Collison, George Hill, and (formerly our own) Jrue Holiday are all set to hit the free agent market this summer. If the Sixers want to build the team in a less conventional fashion, plenty of options remain at the guard position.

What Does Chacho Actually Give You?

Also, if you want to think about this from a managerial perspective, what has Rodriguez done to warrant an extension? I mean, he’s been decent, but what makes him truly worth the money? He gives you absolutely nothing on defense, he posts a defensive box plus/minus of -2.1. For comparison’s sake, Jahlil Okafor posts a -0.1 defensive box plus/minus. That boggles my mind.

When the Sixers brought him in, many pitched him as this sharpshooter from beyond the arc. In actuality, he posts an average 36.1 shooting percentage from the 3-point line and beyond. He’s not terrible, but he definitely has been a letdown in that area. In all honesty, I’m tired of watching him chuck the ball and having it clank of the front of the rim.

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Now, I do like Sergio Rodriguez. I believe that he played a vital role as a stopgap for this team. However, given the fact that the Philadelphia 76ers will potentially look elsewhere for point guard help, it makes no sense to bring him back. This situation mirrors that of Ersan Ilyasova. The Sixers should look to bring in quality talent that the team can build up for the future. Bringing back Sergio Rodriguez could hinder that ability. Hopefully, Chacho can find a spot on another NBA roster, just not in Philadelphia.