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Philadelphia 76ers: It’s time to call up the ‘Prophet of Swag’ Nick Young

By Matty Breisch

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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With a roster in desperate need of auxiliary shooting, is it finally time for the Philadelphia 76ers to call up everyone’s favorite shooter Nick Young?

Over the summer, we floated the idea of the Philadelphia 76ers bringing back pre-Process shooting guard/small forward Nick Young, and needless to say, it did not go over particularly well.

With scores of fans angrily tearing down the Prophet of Swag for his… shall we say cluelessness on the court, or his inability to stay out of the headlines for wild reasons, it was understandably not a very appealing idea to many.

However, a little over a month into the 2018-2019 NBA season, it’s almost unimaginable that the Sixers wouldn’t be looking for an auxiliary shooter to add some firepower to their fledgling offense.

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Why can’t Nick Young be that player?

Now don’t get me wrong, I know Young is far from an elite player, and may not even be a good player at this stage in his career, but one thing Swaggy P can do is shoot the ball, and that’s a skill that holds immense value in the modern NBA.

Want proof? Look no further than the 76ers’ recent bout against the Los Angeles Clippers.

While the Clippers were unable to overcome a monster performance by Joel Embiid on his home court (more on that here), the team’s starting forwards shot the ball immensely well from downtown, knocking down six of their 11 3-pointers for a 54 percent clip.

To be fair, no one is going to mistake either Danilo Gallinari or Tobias Harris for Kawhi Leonard anytime soon, but their size, flexibility, and shooting prowess is a big reason why these players recorded over 33 minutes of action in the Clippers’ loss to Philly, even if neither player can reliably play defense.

If you are long, can play multiple positions, and can knock down a 3, you (Nick Young) can play in the NBA.

So, why not call up Bean Burrito and bring him in for a tryout?

It’s not like he’s lost his shot, as over the last two seasons, Young averaged over 10 points a game in roughly 20 minutes of action a night while knocking down 3s at just shy of 40 percent efficiency. For a team like the Golden State Warriors, that kind of production is a luxury, especially when you can lock up Demarcus Cousins on the same mid-level exception, but for a team like the Sixers, that kind of production would rank fourth on the team in scoring and third on the team in outside shooting percentage.

And the team wouldn’t have to give up a single asset to bring him aboard the ship, just waive/buyout Jerryd Bayless, who’s yet to play a single minute this year, and offer Young a contract.

It really is that simple.

Next. Embiid caps off historic October by dropping 41 on LA. dark

Could he say no, or opt against moving his entire life from California back to the East Coast, with winter inching closer and closer? That’s possible, but if Swaggy P is serious about continuing his NBA career now that he’s a champion, the Philadelphia 76ers should be among the teams at the top of his list. Hopefully, the feeling is mutual.