A lot has been said about the Philadelphia 76ers managing to reel in two All-NBA players and a slew of high-end role players this offseason, but little attention has been given to the front office bringing in a high-ceiling guard like Caleb Love via a two-way contract. Well, that is a clear and unerring bargain, and soon enough, he could force the team to face a problem they would have loved to have anyway.
To cut to the chase, Love is way too good to be a two-way player. While he went undrafted last year, he had a notable rookie campaign for the Trail Blazers, with whom he also signed a two-way contract. He appeared in 49 games for Portland, averaging 10.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists a night in 20.7 minutes per outing. Those are rock-solid numbers for a rookie –– and an undrafted one at that.
Caleb Love is already too good to just be a two-way player for the 76ers
The 76ers recently got a first-hand glimpse at how good Love can be as a scorer. During their first preseason game against the Knicks, the Arizona alum poured in 15 points, three rebounds, six assists, and two blocks while draining three of his six three-pointers in just 24 minutes of gameplay. He managed to showcase his three-level scoring, but he was also able to display his skills in the other departments.
There is still a lot of room for him to show out in the preseason, and if he can sustain this level of play, the coaching staff might even reward him with a rotation spot, even if that is a tad unlikely at this juncture. Be that as it may, Nick Nurse does not shy away from deploying anyone, even two-way players, on the court. After all, he did that regularly last season with Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker.
Now, Philly obviously does not have a dearth of scoring, but more three-point shooting would be welcome. If the team ends up having a major lack on that end, Love could be a tenable option for the coaches. And if he has a lot of success as a complementary piece, that could force the front office into converting his deal into a standard NBA contract.
Well, there is admittedly a lot of optimism in those instances, but with how capable Caleb Love is, him emerging as a key player for the 76ers this season is not far-fetched from reality. There will be some challenges that could arise if he outplays his two-way contract, but given the direction of the franchise, the team will gladly accept them.
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