Not a lot of people even expected former 76ers forward Georges Niang to find a new home during the offseason, yet the Warriors decided to take a flier on the veteran. Now, Golden State is getting some surprisingly positive contributions from him, the likes of which Philadelphia is in dire need of, given the pressing issues that hound them in the early going.
Sure, the 76ers have an impressive 8-2 win-loss record after their first 10 games of the season, which has them seated atop the East, but their weaknesses are becoming more pronounced with each passing game. Their superior finishing ability and defensive cohesion have won them a lot of games, but their three-point shooting and spacing have been flat-out concerning. Well, those are traits that Niang himself could have brought to the table had they tried to snag him.
The 76ers should have taken a flier on Georges Niang in the offseason
After sitting out the entire year last season due to a foot injury, Niang found himself in San Francisco, where he has helped the Warriors mount a surprising 7-3 start to their campaign. And with Jimmy Butler still sidelined as he recovers from his torn ACL, the former 76ers forward has been a steady hand for Steve Kerr and his staff with his solid three-point shooting and court awareness.
Niang went ice cold to start the season, but once he found his groove, he hasn't looked back. After missing his first 12 threes to start the campaign, he has hit nearly 52 percent of his triples over the next seven games, draining two three-pointers a night in just a hair over 20 minutes per contest during that span.
The 76ers should have definitely considered bringing Niang in, even if only as a training camp invitee. While keeping him would have required them to make an attendant move to open up a spot, given that they were already in need of more spacing even before training camp began, it would have been a heady choice to bring him into the fold for chump change.
Well, there is no use crying over spilled milk. The 76ers have no other choice but to deal with the cards they were dealt. But for Georges Niang, it is definitely a pleasant surprise to see him emerge as a consistent producer for the Warriors after a year-long sabbatical that once appeared to be poised for an inevitable early retirement.
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