Can The Sixers Rely on Nik Stauskas as a Starter?

With the Philadelphia 76ers coming close to finishing The Process, where does Nik Stauskas fit in once all the assets have turned into players?

When drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the 2014 NBA Draft with the eighth pick, Nik Stauskas was supposed to come into the league and be a sharpshooter who could also be a threat off of the dribble. Almost three years and a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers later, he is only just turning the corner from being an end-of-the-bench guard to a serviceable role player.

This season, Stauskas has split time between coming off the bench and starting, and he has shown flashes of brilliance while doing so.

Given the fact that the other alternatives at the 2-spot are Gerald Henderson and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Stauskas has quickly become a fan-favorite while they wait for Luwawu-Cabarrot to blossom, and for Henderson’s contract to expire. There are a lot of questions about Stauskas’ game. Can he be an asset defensively? Can he increase his offensive output consistently?

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This season, Sauce has averaged just 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game while playing 27 minutes each night. Sure, he’s not going to put up Joel Embiid-level numbers in 27 minutes, but for a starter who is one of the top scoring options on his team, improvement is necessary.

So the question remains, is Stauskas a keeper for the team once the assets of The Process turn into players? Well, Stauskas has improved dramatically over the course of the last two years, shooting a career-high field goal percentage of 41 percent and 38 percent from 3-point range, another career high. His coachability is a crucial part of his game. Spectators have seen aesthetic and statistical improvements in his game, as he looks more natural than ever in the league.

Additionally, the Sixers, who love to shoot threes and attack the basket, have severely lacked consistent 3-point shooters for most of the last five years. Although the possible draft acquisition of Malik Monk from Kentucky would add another threat from range, teams in today’s NBA can never have too much shooting ability.

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The best scenario for Sauce once the Philadelphia 76ers are ready to contend would be in an offensively minded second unit, letting him be the shooter on the outside while Jahlil Okafor goes to work inside. T.J. McConnell and Robert Covington will probably drop down to the second unit once the team is at full strength in a few years, so Stauskas’s defensive deficiencies will be slightly masked by Covington on the other wing.

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So, to answer the question, Nik Stauskas cannot be relied on at the moment. If he improves at the rate he has so far through his young career, he could end up as the fifth starter on a playoff-caliber Sixers team. If he becomes more efficient and consistent, he will be a valuable bit of instant offense off the bench that will make Philly even more dangerous in the East.