NBA Sixers discuss helping to bring Nic Batum, other additions up to speed
CAMDEN, N.J.–The Philadelphia 76ers are continuing to work on helping Nic Batum and the other additions get up to speed on what they want to do. The Sixers acquired four players and draft picks from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for James Harden.
Batum had a more than solid debut on Monday against the Washington Wizards when he scored 11 points and shot 3-for-4 from deep off the bench in the win. The performance is impressive when considering that he had been away from the team and he didn’t have much time to get caught up on things.
Patrick Beverley, who has understood how coach Nick Nurse wants the team to play on the floor, is working on helping Batum and the others get on the same page.
“Voice, position stuff,” said Beverley. “Obviously, we don’t expect them to know all the plays, but we do have a DNA here with Nick Nurse. It’s physicality, playing hard. So I’m definitely coaching those things, but everything else will come.”
The Sixers have received some solid play out of Batum and Robert Covington thus far in actual minutes. Marcus Morris Sr. and KJ Martin have yet to see any real minutes just yet, but Philadelphia will eventually give them their shot and when it does happen, they will need to be ready. That’s where their teammates have to come in.
“They’re professionals,” added Tobias Harris. “They’ve been in the league for some time now. For us, it’s just honestly to embrace them and help them on this way and figuring out their strides out here because we’re gonna need them.”
Another big help for these new additions is the fact that they all understand how to play the game of basketball. The high basketball IQ helps make the transition to the Sixers much easier. Especially, for a guy like Batum who was able to have success right away.
“High IQ basketball player,” Beverley said of Batum. “Plays the game the right way. When you have a player like that who plays the game the right way, is very unselfish, it makes it easier for everybody else around him. Me, him, and (Furkan) Korkmaz are out there together — very high IQ basketball players who know how to play the game the right way. It’s been fun and you can see it throughout the box score with our plus-minus.”
With the additions the Sixers made, the depth improved in a big way and they will be looking to help move the team in the right direction.
“We’ve been saying it since the day we made the trade, but we got 15 guys who can be in the rotation, and with that being said, for us as a team, it’s understanding that your number may be called some nights, it may not,” Harris added. “You gotta stay ready and we need those extra efforts from every single guy on the team.”
