How Sixers' pick Jaden Springer would benefit from what amounts to a redshirt NBA rookie year

Jaden Springer is an intriguing but relatively raw pro prospect.

Springer hit .435 of his 3-pointers for Tennessee last season, scored a career-high 30 points on 9-for-11 shooting in a victory over Georgia, was a reliable on-the-ball defender and became the Volunteers’ first one-and-done NBA player since Tobias Harris in 2011. He has the makings of a quality 3-and-D guy.

The 76ers thought enough of Springer, a 6-foot-4 guard, to take him with the No. 28 selection in Thursday night’s NBA Draft rather than trade the pick.

But the 18-year-old Springer only attempted 46 3s in 25 games, which is less than two per contest, and averaged just 1.2 assists per turnover. Those numbers indicate Springer wasn’t necessarily a focal part of Tennessee’s offense and needs to work on his decision-making if he’s going to initiate the offense at the next level.

The best thing for the Sixers and Springer would be for him to essentially use the 2021-22 season as something of a redshirt year to get himself acclimated to playing in the NBA.

He should get plenty of minutes with the Delaware Blue Coats of the G League and lots of practice time to work on the consistency of his shooting motion, creating his own scoring opportunities, his explosiveness and ball skills.

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Perhaps his rookie season should follow a path similar to guard Isaiah Joe, who was the No. 49 selection in last year’s draft. After two years at Arkansas, Joe played for the Sixers primarily when they were shorthanded due to injuries or COVID-19 issues. He displayed a willingness to defend and wasn’t shy about launching 3-pointers, while also showing he needs to get stronger and improve in other areas.

Joe attempted an average of 2.6 3-pointers in 41 games as a Sixer despite playing just 9.3 minutes per outing. Springer only took 1.9 per game for Tennessee during an average of 25.9 minutes.

When president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said Friday that the Sixers are “not expecting any of our picks to contribute Year 1,” some fans on Twitter thought that was underselling the group. Morey and the Sixers also chose a pair of centers – Serbian Filip Petrusev from Gonzaga at No. 50 and Western Kentucky’s Charles Bassey at 53 – in the second round.

All three are scheduled to play for the Sixers’ entry in the NBA Summer League, which begins Aug. 9 against the Mavericks (4 p.m.) in Las Vegas. Second-year pros Joe, Tyrese Maxey and Paul Reed are among the others on the roster.

To Morey’s point, it typically takes big men longer to adjust to the NBA. And the Sixers have a glut of returning guards/wings from a team that compiled the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Starter Seth Curry, defensive ace Matisse Thybulle, Maxey, Shake Milton and Joe are under contract for next season and reserve Furkan Korkmaz is agreeing to a three-year, $15 million deal to stay in Philly. The Sixers have to decide if they’re going to pick up veteran George Hill’s $10 million option by Wednesday, plus starter Danny Green is a free agent.

Springer, who will wear No. 11, understands that he’s not going to just glide into a regular role as a rookie.

“Of course, for anybody coming into the league there’s going to be a learning curve,” Springer said during a Saturday Zoom call. “There’s going to be a lot of stuff. You’re just going to try to soak up all the information you can.”

On the other hand, Springer is counting on his toughness, physicality and versatility to impress coach Doc Rivers and staff.

“I feel like I can be a secondary playmaker if they need me and I feel like I can shoot the ball,” he said. “So whatever the team needs me to do, I feel like I can make that step.”

The No. 21 pick in the 2020 draft, Maxey stepped right into semi-regular minutes with the Sixers as a rookie after one year at Kentucky. Maxey really improved his ball-handling skills and defense over the course of the season en route to helping them win Game 6 of the second-round playoff series against the Hawks and provided the Sixers with the ability to create his own shot on a team short on such players.

That’s not Springer’s strength, but he has a chance to eventually get on the floor by virtue of his shooting and defense. For him, 2021-22 should be a developmental year to put him in the conversation for regular minutes by his second NBA season.

Tom Moore: tmoore@couriertimes.com; @TomMoorePhilly