The Philadelphia 76ers have one of the most talented crop of guards in the league. Between All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, two promising young backcourt weapons in rookie VJ Edgecombe and sophomore Jared McCain, and 25-year-old Quentin Grimes who remained with the team for this season, there is no doubt that production in the backcourt should be the least of their problems.
That daunting backcourt rotation will not be at full strength to begin the season, though. McCain will still be out for a month or so due to a thumb injury, but when he returns, the 76ers will have an advantage when it comes to guard play on a near-nightly basis. All of those players present varying skill sets, giving the coaching staff ample leg room to make the scoring attack more dynamic and less predictable.
Having said that, what they have beyond those four players is plain nauseating. Their third stringers in the backcourt are Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry, who are 37 and 39 years old, respectively. The front office committed to bringing those veterans back for another go-round this season, but with each passing day, their addition just becomes all the more puzzling.
That is more so the case given that the player they let go to reinforce their spots, Jared Butler, has been shooting the lights out for his new ball club this preseason.
The 76ers blew their chances with Jared Butler
Butler is currently on a non-guaranteed deal with Phoenix, but with the Suns still have a couple of open roster spots on their regular roster, he might just be able to sneak into their opening night lineup, especially in view of his most recent performance.
During the Suns’ preseason finale, Butler shone in the absence of Devin Booker, the former 76ers guard finishing the night with 35 big points, seven rebounds, and nine assists while draining five of his nine three-point attempts. It was a perfect way for him to finish his audition piece in Phoenix.
But for 76ers fans, it is hard to look at this and not feel even more disappointed about the front office’s decision to simply let him go despite a solid mini-stint with the team last season. Butler has always been a good, under-the-radar playmaker who can finish around the basket, and with the team needing a player of that ilk, he could have made an impact here.
Oh well, the damage has been done. And for now, we cannot do anything but to watch if their decision pans out. But at this moment, suffice to say that the 76ers most certainly made the incorrect choice.