2. More Jaden Springer? More Jaden Springer.
Heading into Year 3, Jaden Springer seemed poised to snag more court time this season after a solid showing in the preseason. However, the team’s slew of options in the backcourt has precluded him from getting more minutes, having just averaged 8.8 minutes per outing on largely garbage time duty.
Downsizing De’Anthony Melton and Patrick Beverley’s minutes is risky due to the niche those two players fill in as defensive stoppers, but at this rate, it shouldn’t hurt to give Springer a look here and there especially against teams that routinely play small.
Like those veterans, Springer is a skilled defender who can defend multiple positions and hold his own even against stronger opponents. His offense needs a lot more refining and fine-tuning to cast him as a candidate for a robust serving of minutes, but as one of the few young players on the roster who could viably contribute, the coaching staff should make it a point to scour the ledger and see where he can be inserted in the rotation.
If Springer pans out even in limited servings, the front office could even look into liquidating some of the players ahead of him before the trade deadline if the right offer comes up, so as to not solely relegate the 21-year-old as a perpetual auditionee.