The All-Star break is upon us, so we at The Sixer Sense thought it would be the perfect time to come together for a midseason player grades article. Read on to see how each player on the Philadelphia 76ers’ roster has been graded by our site contributors. First up, Jaden Springer.
Written by: Christopher Kline
Jaden Springer has played 26 total minutes for the Sixers, which is over four times the amount he played last season (six total minutes). So, progress! The former No. 29 pick has been a complete afterthought in Philly, but there’s still reason to believe in the 20-year-old from Tennessee.
The Sixers drafted Springer as the youngest rookie in his class for a reason. It was always going to take time. Now, Doc Rivers’ essential refusal to pay him any mind has been somewhat disappointing, but it’s on par with his general philosophy as coach: vets, vets, and more vets.
To be fair to Doc, Springer probably isn’t ready for real NBA minutes yet. The offense is a considerable work in progress. Springer isn’t nearly consistent enough from 3 and he has yet to establish a consistent role, even in the G-League. Billed pre-draft as a combo guard in the making, Springer’s current skill set is that of a wing – or even forward. He can catch and shoot, even catch and drive, but his handles are severely limited. He’s mostly a straight-line drive-or-pass kind of player right now.
At 6-foot-4, the Sixers would ideally like Springer to get more comfortable handling the ball under pressure. If Springer can regularly knock down 3s and maintain basic ball control on the perimeter, then the defense will start to shine through even more.
The signs from Delaware are positive: Springer’s numbers are up across the board in the G-League, where he’s averaging 19.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists on .517/.326/.717 shooting splits. And the defense is real, folks. Springer can harass ball handlers at the point of attack. He’s built like a linebacker, with impressive lateral mobility and great strength. If he can figure it out enough offensively, he has a future in the NBA.