Philadelphia 76ers: Best candidates for 2018-19 NBA awards
By Derek Hryn
Rookie of the Year: Landry Shamet
With the postponement of guard Zhaire Smith’s 76ers debut, Landry Shamet could be set for an increased role in the backcourt.
The Sixers are going to need plenty of shooting at the guard position when J.J. Redick isn’t on the floor. Shamet could step in and provide that spark — mainly at the point guard spot.
Ben Simmons and T.J. McConnell are generally not considered great 3-point shooters, which is where Shamet stands out in the rotation.
The 26th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft is currently nursing a right ankle sprain, which prevented him from showcasing more of his ability during NBA Summer League back in July.
As a redshirt sophomore at Wichita State, he averaged 18.8 points and 6.5 assists per game while shooting 44.2 percent from deep.
It may be a little farfetched at the moment to predict that Shamet could be the best rookie in the NBA this season, but given the circumstances, he has the best opportunity out of all the Sixers’ first-year players.
Absolutely everything would need to fall into place, but again, it’s a possibility.