As the Philadelphia 76ers battled many setbacks over the last couple of weeks, they saw one of their matchups get postponed as the NBA feared the Sixers wouldn't have the league-required minimum of eight players available for the matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans two Sundays ago.
The next day it was rumored the Sixers would utilize the hardship exception and bring on a player via ten-day contract. That player happened to be former Miami Heat shooting guard Tyler Johnson.
Although Johnson made a name for himself during his time in Miami, his most recent stints were with the Phoenix Suns and the Brooklyn Nets. Last year, Johnson played on a one-year contract in Brooklyn and was praised for the value he brought to the locker room and off the bench.
However, the Nets went in a different direction this past offseason and wouldn't offer Johnson another deal. Nothing else came across the table for Johnson. Therefore, he remained a free agent until the Sixers came calling last week.
Last Wednesday, the Sixers made it official by signing Johnson to a ten-day deal. The veteran guard made his Sixers debut in the matchup against the Atlanta Hawks the following night. Coming off the bench, Johnson checked in for 11 minutes against the Hawks. During that time, he collected four rebounds and three points.
In the next game, Johnson saw his minutes slightly increase as he garnered a 16-minute shift against the Washington Wizards. In that time, he scored five points, two assists, and came down with two rebounds.
Although Johnson's only been on the court for the Sixers twice this year and has just a few more games before his temporary deal expires, 76ers head coach Doc Rivers likes what he saw out of the veteran so far and even mentioned that he's hopeful that Johnson's stint lasts longer than planned.
An Assessment of Johnson's Stint So Far
"We haven't been around him that much to know him, but he's been in the league for a long time," said coach Doc Rivers, according to Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire. "He's a tough kid, so we like that about him. He's got some grit which is something this team needs. It's good to have that on our team. You can get a ten-day guy; hopefully, it's longer, but you want him to be able to play. It's rare that you get that opportunity. For us to get him was a good pickup."
The Sixers always have a need for shooters, and that's precisely what Johnson brings to the table. Not only has he proven to be a consistent shooter at times, but he's also willing to launch threes at a high volume, which is something the Sixers have struggled with doing over time this year. So, Johnson's fearlessness to shoot no matter what the situation is already stood out to Rivers.
"He's a good guard," Rivers continued. "He goes downhill. I love that he missed the three the other night and then took the next one. It shows a lot of confidence. He has a lot of confidence in his game which I like as well."
It's unclear if Johnson will stick around the Sixers long-term. With only two games under his belt, he's got a few more days to prove his worth. So far, it seems he's on the right path and impressing the right people within Philly's organization.
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