Philadelphia 76ers: Trey Burke’s case for backup point guard minutes

Why the Philadelphia 76ers should consider naming Trey Burke the primary backup.

Trey Burke‘s non-guaranteed contract is a bit odd. He’s someone most value as an NBA player and he fills a direct need for the Philadelphia 76ers. Him starting the season in South Philly seems like a foregone conclusion, but it’s not. There’s still wiggle room on Philadelphia’s end.

When push comes to shove, however, there’s no much else on the market. Unless the Sixers swoop in on Jeremy Lin, Burke is someone who should remain on the roster. He’s should also be in line for regular rotation minutes.

The Sixers presently have two backup point guards on the roster — Burke and Raul Neto. While Neto has the more affirmative commitment right now (a guaranteed contract), Burke’s skill set could prove more valuable when put in context.

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At this stage, Brett Brown’s starting five is concrete. Joel Embiid, Al Horford, Tobias Harris, Josh Richardson and Ben Simmons will start games. They’ll also finish games. But in between, the Sixers have several spots to figure out. This is the deepest bench Brown has had during his Philadelphia tenure.

One thing the Sixers lack is shot creation, especially in the halfcourt. When the second unit comes into play, there’s a good chance Tobias Harris and Josh Richardson are staggered for that reason — to keep at least one apt ball-handler and shot-creator on the floor.

But in those instances, neither Harris nor Richardson are tremendously well-suited to being the prime ball-handler. There will be help in the form of Embiid, Horford, Simmons and others, but there’s still a clear lack of dynamic live-dribble talent.

The bench doesn’t have too many players who can provide relief. Zhaire Smith showcased an improved handle in Vegas, but his shot creation is still in its primitive stages. Matisse Thybulle and James Ennis are spot-up and straight-line threats, and not much else.

Burke or Neto will therefore carry an important burden for the Sixers. Both can create off the bounce, run the pick-and-roll and man an offense. Both are on similar planes, neither providing a massive talent upgrade over the other.

In the end, style will factor into Brown’s decision making. That’s where Burke has a slight edge.

Neto is a more reliable defender, but Burke has more shake and twitch to his game. He can generate space on a dime, using step-backs and crossovers to shimmy free and hit shots. The Sixers need someone who can infuse shot-making into the second unit.

Burke can also finish effectively inside despite his small frame. He oozes craft, something the Sixers lacked in previous lead guards (you will be missed, T.J. McConnell). Burke can put pressure on the paint, get buckets late in the clock and offer the Sixers a legitimate source of shot-creation in the halfcourt.

While it’s unfair to discount Neto’s shot-making, it’s simply not on the same level. Burke is a more prolific 3-point shooter and a twitchier athlete, which affords him more freedom. He’s someone the Sixers can rely on for baskets.

There are other attributes Brown will consider. In addition to defense, Neto is probably a more controlled playmaker, something Brown has valued in the past. Both have the skill to contribute to Philadelphia’s regular season rotation.

Burke’s shot creation simply has more value given the limitations elsewhere on Philadelphia’s roster. He’s also well-equipped to spend time next to Simmons, Embiid and other star talents. He was as prolific shooting off-ball as on-ball last season.

According to Cleaning the Glass, Burke hit 47 percent of his corner 3-point attempts last season. As the Sixers look to exploit mismatches inside, having Burke as a bail-out option in the corner could have underrated value. His 36 percent mark overall was 68th percentile in the NBA, compared to Neto’s 32 percent mark, which was 18th percentile.

On the whole, both Burke and Neto have valuable skill sets and are massive upgrades over McConnell, who drew most of the backup point guard minutes last season. Both can spend time next to Simmons and Embiid without constricting airspace, which alone is enough to boost to the second unit’s effectiveness a considerable amount.