Remember these names: Tony Wroten, Kendall Marshall, Isaiah Canaan, Pierre Jackson, T.J. McConnell and Scottie Wilbekin. These are the players that have an opportunity to become the starting point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers this upcoming season.
What’s the Point? Sixers Guard Options
Only two of these players have actually started at this position in their NBA careers, Wroten and Marshall, and they are both recovering from season-ending surgeries. Isaiah Canaan had the chance to distinguish himself after Wroten went down last year but he could not outplay the first true point guard that Nerlen Noels has ever played with in Ish Smith. Isiah Canaan is the only remaining player out of the group with actual NBA experience and Pierre Jackson is somewhat of a NBA D-League legend after setting their single game scoring record with 58 points.
Jackson had a chance to make the team last year before he ruptured his right Achilles tendon during last year’s summer league in Orlando. The Sixers liked him enough to offer him an injury settlement which basically paid for his rehab before they released him. Jackson’s size, listed generously at 5’10’’, is his number one detriment, but he has the natural ability to score the ball. Jackson probably does not project to be a long-term starter at the position, but he can definitely fill a role off the bench.
As the incumbent starter, Tony Wroten is not guaranteed the starting spot. His best NBA talent is his ability to handle the ball and drive to the basket. He is not a good shooter, with his highest three point percentage in the NBA a modest 26 percent. This can be a problem when the strength of the team is focused on getting the ball to Jahlil Okafor and potentially Joel Embiid. It has been a long off-season for Wroten and he should be very motivated to improve in a contract year, to show his value to the Sixers and the rest of the NBA.
Kendall Marshall was the 13th pick in the 2012 NBA draft and even though he has played on four different NBA teams and in the D-League for the Delaware 87ers he has shown that he has the ability to pass the ball and help his teammates score. Marshall recorded a career high 17 assists while playing with the Lakers in 2013-14 and played well for the month that he was a member of the Milwaukee Bucks before tearing his ACL. He shoots the three at about 37 percent for his career and that is good enough to provide more space for the Sixer big men.
This whole conversation may be irrelevant because Sam Hinkie is involved. There is almost a 100 percent chance that he will bring in another point guard throughout the season via free agency or trade. The Sixers also will have potentially four first round picks in the upcoming draft and a point guard could be a possibility there. This season will continue to be about developing players and at the moment Marshall appears to be the best option to allow that development. If Tony Wroten does improve he might become too costly for the Sixers to match in free agency. With the new television deal it is not crazy to believe that Wroten might get close to a max deal offer next summer. In comparison, Reggie Jackson got a 5 year, $80 million contract and is three years older than Wroten and averaged two points less per game. The Sixers are probably hoping that one of the young players that are signed to a four year minimum deal will develop into the next Jason Kidd, or at least a serviceable NBA back up so that they can continue to save money and keep their cap flexibility for when an All-Star player becomes available.
By Pkantz (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
