What to watch for in Sixers’ Summer League: Jaden Springer’s readiness
Unlike Maxey and Reed, there’s still a lot of uncertainty around Jaden Springer’s readiness in the NBA. His first test will come in Vegas, where he will have no shortage of opportunities to make things happen. Springer’s calling card is defense, and if he is going to earn minutes as a rookie, it will happen on that side of the ball.
At 6-foot-4, Springer said he watches a lot of Jrue Holiday tape. It’s not hard to see the parallels. Springer is not an explosive athlete, but he’s a strong-bodied guard with advanced instincts and a dogged intensity. He will smother ball-handlers at the point of attack and use his 6-foot-8 wingspan to be disruptive.
On offense is where a lot of the question marks arise for Springer, but is almost exclusively a two-footed jumper and a firmly below-the-rim finisher. He doesn’t get a ton of lift at the rim, which has led some to suggest he will struggle with NBA rim protection. Also, while he shot 44.4 percent from 3 at Tennessee, it came on exceedingly low volume. Springer has unconventional mechanics and will need to prove he can knock them down at a high clip.
As someone who was high on Springer pre-draft (he’s my No. 15 prospect), there are high expectations entering Summer League. He’s probably not a rotation piece next season due to Philadelphia’s backcourt depth and competitive aspirations, but even so, this is his first chance to get on Doc Rivers’ radar.