Philadelphia 76ers point guard T.J. McConnell became a fan favorite with his tenacity and leadership. The undrafted Arizona guard’s strong play may make it difficult for the team to retain him for the future.
Ever since Jrue Holiday was traded away, a quality starting point guard has been a necessity for the Philadelphia 76ers. From MCW to Isaiah Canaan and Ish Smith, no lead guard stuck with the team and garnered love from the city. Coming off a strong season at Arizona, McConnell was given the opportunity to be another lead handler in the Sixers carousel of point guards over the past few years.
Philadelphia 76ers
McConnell was not blessed with natural talent or physical tools, but the mindset in which few others have. The intensity he has is contagious, and the league has taken notice. As DeMarcus Cousins pointed out, the team never gives up and fights for the full 48 minutes.
T.J. McConnell has never averaged more than 7 points per game, and never shot over 30 percent from three. Still, the defensive pressure he applies night in and night out, along with being able to run and facilitate an NBA offense efficiently, is exactly what the Philadelphia 76ers needed while searching for their long term point guard. McConnell is under contract next season, with a team option for the 2018 season according to ESPN, and by then it’s likely he may be looking for a more prominent role on a team.
While he had a strong impact on the team’s play and culture over the last two years, the Sixers had no other option at point. Now, come opening night, the team will be equipped with Fultz and Simmons, two number one overall picks who thrive as a play maker. Brett Brown could have either one of them on the court, running the offense, for every second of the game.
This diminishes McConnell’s role as a facilitator and pushes him off the ball to the two spot. As shown by their signing of Redick, the team values shooting and wants players who can put the ball in the net on the wing. McConnell is not a shooter, and without the ball in his hands he would be limited to being used primarily for his defense. McConnell is a bit undersized as is, and will be exploited if forced to guard the wing.
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As his reputation begins to grow around the league, so does the size of his next contract. He was recently recognized as the most underrated player in the league, and league sources reported the Cavs were interested in a trade for the Arizona guard earlier in the season. Even though McConnell will never start on a quality team, every franchise wants a backup of his caliber. The Philadelphia 76ers would be foolish to overpay for a backup point guard who would be used primarily for defense, and may find themselves fielding trade offers as more teams pick up interest.
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TJ McConnell is a solid player who works his tail off and brings intensity to a team. He helped bring respect and hustle on the court for a young Sixers team in need of a lead guard. Now, with Fultz and Simmons, the Philadelphia 76ers may find it hard to retain such a quality role player as other teams will look to offer him a larger role on their team.