Sixers: 3 goals for Jaden Springer in 2021-22 season

3 goals for Sixers guard Jaden Springer: Add more gears

We know what Jaden Springer does well. He’s an excellent defensive prospect, and should be a good defender at the NBA level from day one — even at 18 years old. He’s also a smart player, with the basketball I.Q. to process defenses and make the right pass nine out of 10 times. He does the little things needed to win basketball games.

That said, in order for Springer to deliver on his lottery upside, he will need to add more gears to his game on the offensive end. In his current form, Springer is flat and predictable. Not bad, necessarily, but limited. He can spot-up from 3, bully his way down the lane for a layup, or pass it. Springer is a vanilla athlete and doesn’t have a ton of wiggle to his game, therefore making him extremely limited off the dribble.

Part of that comes back to the jump shot. Springer’s mechanics just don’t work very well off the dribble. If he can’t quicken the release and get more comfortable pulling up, he’s going to get his shot stuffed by NBA defenders. Part of it comes down to natural limitations. Springer is not explosive or twitchy, meaning he will rely more on strength, I.Q., and skill to connect the dots and contribute meaningfully on offense.

That said, what we saw in Summer League was promising. Even if he struggled from the floor, Springer willingly attempted several pull-up, in-between jumpers — a clear attempt to expand his arsenal. He also looked much better finishing inside, even jumping off one foot instead of two, which we rarely saw in college. That will give him a better chance of finishing over and around NBA rim protectors. Springer has never been afraid of taking it to the paint and poking around for buckets.

Defense will earn Springer whatever minutes he receives as a rookie. That said, defense alone does not make him a lottery talent. He’s smart, slippery, and above all, hard-working. If he can become a more dynamic scorer, on top of his glue-guy skills, then Springer will make a lot of teams drafting ahead of Philly look bad.