July 12, 2016
There aren’t a ton of established (and yes, that word is debatable in this case) third-year NBA players that lace ‘em up for summer league, but Nik Stauskas and Jerami Grant suited up for the Sixers’ first two Las Vegas games over the weekend.
As was previously planned, their Summer Sixers watch has ended, though:
Lloyd Pierce confirms both Jerami Grant and Nik Stauskas have finished their playing stint with Sixers in Vegas. pic.twitter.com/wLN4R31rUi
— Brian Seltzer (@brianseltzer) July 12, 2016
Here is what Sixers assistant coach Lloyd Pierce said about the team’s strategy regarding Stauskas and Grant (via The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey):
“The plan all along was just to get them a couple games here. Nik played two [games] and now he’s going back home. Then Jerami, because he’s playing with the [United States] Select Team next week, it was an opportunity for him to play with the team here, and also to get him ready.”
It’s probably fair to say Grant and Stauskas didn’t dominate in a way that the Sixers might have hoped in an admittedly small sample. Stauskas averaged 11.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game on 35 percent shooting from the field. Grant averaged 10.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game on 31 percent shooting from the field.
Grant did manage to do this, though. This was pretty good:
As Pierce mentioned, Grant will play with the USA Select Team in Las Vegas next week along with Jahlil Okafor, who has apparently rehabbed his torn meniscus and is already out in Vegas with the Sixers players:
Several of the Sixers went to @TopgolfLasVegas yesterday (off-day), including Okafor, Simmons, Grant, Covington for a team-building outing.
— Jessica Camerato (@JCameratoCSN) July 12, 2016
Okafor is in Las Vegas ahead of Team USA select team. Grant is not playing again summer league games but will stay here for Team USA too.
— Jessica Camerato (@JCameratoCSN) July 12, 2016
Ben Simmons, Richaun Holmes, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, James Webb III, and T.J. McConnell will start the Sixers’ summer league game against the Golden State Warriors at 8:30 p.m. tonight.
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann
