Sixers summer league guide: Nick Nurse’s cameo, Jaden Springer’s return and more

The 76ers are set to play in NBA summer league, which begins tonight in Salt Lake City and will continue in Las Vegas through mid-July. Here are a few details on the summer ahead for the Sixers along with the plans for head coach Nick Nurse and rotation hopeful Jaden Springer.

For the second straight year, the Sixers will play this summer in Salt Lake City, joining the Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Utah Jazz. From there, they’ll travel to Las Vegas, where all 30 teams will participate.

Not very many players you would know. With the Sixers devoid of a draft pick this year, they decided to completely sit the night out. Once the draft ended, they signed undrafted free agents Ricky Council, Terquavion Smith, and Azuolas Tubelis, who will all take the court in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. Jaden Springer, who was the Sixers’ first-round pick out of Tennessee in 2021, will participate in the summer event for a third straight time. Filip Petrušev of Serbia, a draft-and-stash player from the 2021 draft, will also play and is eager to prove himself.

There’s one big surprise here: Nick Nurse will take to the sideline tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies in Salt Lake City. As The Inquirer’s Gina Mizell noted, summer league players will get the first look at Nurse’s approach as a coach. So far, they’ve lauded his hands-on style and observed his serious demeanor. They’ll get a longer look at the creativity and outside-the-box thinking Nurse is known for. As for Las Vegas? That has not yet been determined, but the coaching staff so far includes Bobby Jackson, Rico Hines, and Doug West as assistants.

» READ MORE: ‘He came on strong’: Sixers’ Summer League players provide glimpse into Nick Nurse’s coaching style

Although he is approaching his third season with the Sixers, Springer hasn’t actually spent much time in the NBA. He has played most of the last two seasons with the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats, flashing athletic ability and defensive prowess.

But Springer was drafted at 18 years old, leaving much to be desired in the basketball knowledge and awareness department. And at only 6-foot-4, he also needs to become a stronger shooter and better ball handler. Despite playing in summer league, he has a chance to actually be a contributor this year. With a new coach in Nurse, a G League alum himself, Springer is likely to receive a chance to show what he’s capable of bringing to the table. The Sixers’ backcourt is also in flux after James Harden demanded a trade and Shake Milton joined the Minnesota Timberwolves.