CAMDEN, N.J. — As they looked to find a trade to send James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers, the Philadelphia 76ers prioritized flexibility and draft picks. But they also received four players that can help them this season and come off the books this summer. How do Marcus Morris Sr., Robert Covington, Nicolas Batum and K.J. Martin fit with their new team?
Although Martin and Covington did see the floor in their first game with the Sixers following the trade, it came at the very end of a game that was already decided. Nurse said that he doesn’t mind the Sixers' rotation as it stands right now and that he wants to get the new guys ready to play without any complications.
Batum has been away from the team due to personal reasons but the Sixers' other new guys practiced on Friday ahead of a Saturday afternoon game vs. the Phoenix Suns. Nurse didn’t commit either way any of them getting real playing time.
Some Sixers players and player-development coaches scrimmaging, featuring a blocked jumper from Jaden Springer and a strong finish from Robert Covington pic.twitter.com/4cXNSI7qen
— Sam DiGiovanni (@BySamDiGiovanni) November 3, 2023
“We'll see,” Nurse said. “I think I still gotta think about that, discuss it with the staff a little bit. We gotta work 'em in. It isn't like the schedule's going ease like there's a big break coming or something, so we gotta get 'em in there sometime.”
Batum was at the Sixers' first post-trade practice, observing his new team and speaking with the media, before stepping away due to a personal matter ahead of what would have been his first game with Philly. There has been speculation that he doesn’t intend to join the team after being traded from the team that he previously said he wanted to end his career with. For what it’s worth, he did mention the “next chapter” of his career with the Sixers in his goodbye post to the Clippers and spoke highly of his new squad in his introductory media availability.
To the Clippers family, pic.twitter.com/MQspWdzZxp
— Nicolas Batum (@nicolas88batum) November 2, 2023
Nurse confirmed that Batum is still away from the team and didn’t offer a timeline for when he will be returning. As a multi-positional forward who can pass and shoot, he fits the bill of a guy who should be able to earn himself quality minutes under Nurse.
Nurse also said that Morris is still ramping up after not playing in the preseason or regular season. His chance to get real playing time should come later than Covington, who started three games for the Clippers before being traded, and Martin, who wasn’t in Los Angeles' rotation but is in playing shape. But for the time being, the Sixers rotation will likely consist of the guys who started the season with the team.
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