Sixers: What didn’t translate for Sergio Rodriguez in NBA return
Sixers guard Sergio Rodriguez didn’t have the NBA revival many hoped for. What failed to translate from Spain to the world’s most competitive league?
Sergio Rodriguez was a low-risk signing for the Sixers. The 30-year old point guard was brought to Philadelphia on a one-year deal, with high hopes from both sides. The team was hoping to strike gold in a veteran guard who excelled in the world’s second best league, for one of the fastest offenses in the world.
The signing seemed like a good match. As an able shooter and a decent passer, Rodriguez was set to run the floor as the team’s second or third guard. One of the first actions to hinder these plans were injuries to Ben Simmons and Jerryd Bayless. Suddenly, Rodriguez went from the second or third guard, to the team’s primary ball-handler at times.
In the beginning of the season, Rodriguez seemed to set the flow of the Sixers offense better than any other guard on the roster. Flashy passes and decent outside shooting made many feel comfortable with him at the helm, as T.J. McConnell began to fall out of favor. As the season progressed, however, Rodriguez’s shot selection failed him, and his turnover rate soared with each passing week.
More from Philadelphia 76ers
- 3 Reasons the 76ers Should Poach Blake Griffin From the Celtics
- 3 Most Overpaid 76ers Heading Into the 2023 Season
- Ranking Daryl Morey’s 3 Biggest Mistakes with 76ers
- 3 Teams Crazy Enough to Trade for James Harden
- James Harden Putting Career in Jeopardy With Holdout Threat
Offense
Let’s start with the offense. Rodriguez was never a natural passer. He developed it late in his career, finding open lanes for Real Madrid easily in a pacey offense. With the Sixers, Rodriguez failed to lead the break in an effective manner. Often having tunnel vision when it came to passing lanes, Rodriguez would eye down one passing option and easily telegraph his thoughts.
There was also a lack of chemistry throughout the entire season. Rodriguez would through towards cutting lanes that were never taken advantage of. He would catch his teammates off guard with bullets along the baseline. There never seemed to be a solid chemistry built with the veteran Spaniard and his youthful teammates.
Rodriguez shot a decent 36.5% from the outside on 3.7 attempts per game. Seems decent on paper, but he often cut important offensive possessions short with deep contested threes early in the shot clock.
A mix of over-confidence and lack of off-ball movement restricted Rodriguez from becoming an efficient scorer for the Sixers. All his strengths in Spain turned to weaknesses for the Sixers. It could be the jump in talent-level from league to league. It could also be the lack of chemistry that halted his success in the offense. Either way, Rodriguez’s offensive performance was a complete 180 from his success in Spain .
Defense
His defense actually translated about as well as expected. He struggled to stay in front most point guards, and didn’t do particularly well in fighting through screens. His energy made up for it somewhat, as he cut off passing lanes often, leading to transition breaks.
Rodriguez was never expected to be a defensive anchor for the Sixers, and propelling him to the top of the rotation against some elite guards was bound to spell trouble.
What’s Next?
After losing his starting role to a scorching hot McConnell and a bout with gastroenteritis, Rodriguez’s Philadelphia future looks bleak. The Sixers have limited roster space with younger and more talented players on the horizon.
He could try to scour the free agent market, but it’s rare for bench guards to find a home in the NBA unless the can prove to be efficient floor generals. It was a good experiment for both the Sixers and Rodriguez, but ultimately one that didn’t bring success to either side.
Next: Noel max offers is clarification of trade
Rodriguez’s best option may be to return to glory in his native country of Spain. At over 30-years old, he could spend the last part of his career making major European money, instead of once again becoming an NBA journeyman.