The Philadelphia 76ers front office has to decide what type of role they want their G-League affiliate to have for the franchise this upcoming season.
The front office of the Philadelphia 76ers has done great job in filling out the roster. Now that it appears that the regular season roster is set, there’s not too much that general manager Elton Brand and the rest of the front office has to do this offseason. Besides filling out the training camp roster with Exhibit 10 contracts, I recently wrote about a few options for that type of deal, the club’s management has to figure out the role of their G-League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.
Last season, the Blue Coats was used as a place for their young players to rehab, Zhaire Smith being the primary example. Veteran Amir Johnson played in two Blue Coats games this season to keep his legs fresh. Jonah Bolden developed in Delaware to begin the season before the Sixers needed him in their bench rotation. Philly also did sign a young prospect in Haywood Highsmith, who is no longer with the club.
As of now, Philly has healthy rookies and hopefully it will remain that way for this upcoming season. Young players Smith and rookie Matisse Thybulle are more than likely to have roles with the club very early on in the season, so it’s unlikely that they will suit up for any G-League games.
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The 76ers other two rookies in Marial Shayok and Norvel Pelle are on two-way contracts, so they’re guaranteed to see the majority of their playing time with the Blue Coats next season anyway. Using Delaware to rehab injured young players doesn’t seem likely as of now.
It’s also unlikely that any of the any of the Sixers current veterans will take the same avenue that Johnson did last season in using the G-League to stay fresh. If any veterans would take that avenue, then the only two could do it would be Kyle O’Quinn and Trey Burke. However, like previously written, this is highly doubtful that any of the veterans this season will mirror Johnson’s approach.
I recently wrote about both Bolden and Shake Milton using the Blue Coats as an avenue to get playing time and develop this upcoming season. The Sixers are a deep team this year and using Delaware to develop second year players like Milton and Bolden should be at least considered.
With Christ Koumadje signing an Exhibit 10 contract, he will in all likelihood be playing with the Blue Coats this season. Now more than ever, do the Sixers need to use the Blue Coats to find and develop young talents like Koumadje. Like former general manager Sam Hinkie before him, Brand needs to utilize the G-League to find young talent now that the 76ers probably won’t have any high picks coming their way in the near future.
Developing the Sixers young players that won’t see playing time and looking for potential prospects should be the job that the Blue Coats do for the Philadelphia 76ers this upcoming season.