The Delaware Blue Coats will get a notable boost for their Saturday night matchup against the Greensboro Swarm.
According to a team official, the Philadelphia 76ers have assigned Jaden Springer to the G League squad for Saturday’s game. It marks the first time this season the third-year guard will give it a go down in the developmental league.
Over the previous two seasons, Springer was a regular contributor to the Blue Coats. As he frequently found himself out of Doc Rivers’s rotation, the Sixers wanted to ensure Springer was picking up some quality minutes at the developmental level.
Throughout his NBA career, Springer appeared in 44 games with the Blue Coats. Last season, he averaged 30 minutes in 24 starts. During that time, Springer knocked down 49 percent of his shots from the field, hitting on 32 percent of his threes. He averaged 19 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
Springer was critical to Delaware’s playoff run last year. Upping his minutes per game to 40, Springer caught fire from three and knocked down 47 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. He averaged 27 points and ten rebounds as the Blue Coats went on to make a championship run, notching their first-ever G League title, with Springer winning MVP honors.
Many hoped that after spending the last two years at the developmental level, Springer would be ready to take the next step under first-year head coach Nick Nurse. While Springer has averaged more minutes than ever at the NBA level this season, he hasn’t carved out a consistent role in the rotation.
Through Philly’s first 21 games of the season, Springer has made just 11 appearances. Averaging 11 minutes on the court, Springer put up three points per game and came down with two rebounds. There have definitely been two-way flashes out of the young guard, but a deep roster in Philly has prevented Springer from gaining ideal playing time.
Springer’s last on-court appearance for the Sixers came on November 22 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was absent for the next few games, ruled out with an illness. When he was cleared for action last Friday night ahead of the Boston Celtics matchup, Springer didn’t play despite the team being shorthanded. The trend continued against the Washington Wizards and the Atlanta Hawks.
On Saturday, Springer will gain an opportunity to get some extended run in, staying fresh and ready for his next opportunity on the 76ers.
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