Philadelphia 76ers rookie Labaron Philon Jr. is shining in NBA Summer League so far.
Just two games into NBA Summer League, Philadelphia 76ers rookie Labaron Philon Jr. is already proving he's deserving of an immediate role.
In his debut against the Detroit Pistons, it appeared as if Philon had the ball on the string, as he was effortlessly getting past defenders. He finished his first game with 18 points, seven assists, three rebounds, and a steal on 31.6% shooting and 4 of 10 shooting from three-point range in 29 minutes of action.
The former Alabama Crimson Tide guard followed that up with an even stronger performance in a win over the Indiana Pacers. Philon recorded 24 points, six assists, three rebounds, and a steal on 40.9% shooting and 2 of 5 shooting from the arc in 34 minutes played.
Philon will continue to grow in terms of efficiency, so there shouldn't be major concerns about that. The fact he's willing to be so aggressive on the offensive end so early in his career is a great sign of his belief in himself.
It's not just the statistics that are proving he deserves a spot in the rotation; it's also his confidence. At halftime versus the Pacers, Philon was asked what can be expected of him in the second half. To which he responded, "A lot of cooking."
The fans and analysts aren't the only ones convinced Philon is a rotational piece right out of the gates. Per The Athletic's Tony Jones, 76ers coach Nick Nurse sees him as a rotation player.
Philadelphia absolutely needs Philon to contribute to the second unit after losing guard Quentin Grimes to the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency. His mixture of ball-handling, scoring, and playmaking will be well utilized off the bench alongside free agency signing Anfernee Simons.
There should be a level of defensive concern with a secondary backcourt of Philon and Simons, but it's the front office and Nurse's responsibility to ensure the proper defensive-minded players are surrounding them, like Dean Wade.
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