Down on the farm: How future Sixers are faring for the Blue Coats

The first week of the Delaware Blue Coats short 50 game season is in the books. After dropping their first game to the Maine Red Claws, the team swept their next two against the Greensboro Swarm and Long Island Nets. Through the first three games, the Blue Coats exhibit a 2-1 record, averaging right under 140 points per game.

The Team:

As mentioned above, the Blue Coats have averaged 139.3 points per game, good for the highest in the league. They also are averaging 22.3 assists per game (13th in the league) and 48.7 rebounds per game (11th in the league). The Blue Coats, led by coach Connor Johnson, has been a well-rounded squad on both ends of the court.

Surprises:

Marial Shayok

Rookie Marial Shayok has been the top player for the Blue Coats. Through three games, the swingman leads the G-league in scoring, averaging 35 points per game. He’s shooting 48.7% from the field, and 33.3% from three. Along with the high scoring, the 54th overall pick in the past NBA draft is tacking on 3.7 assists and 9.3 rebounds per game.

Shayok is currently under a two-way contract. The guard/forward is making his case to bring a shooting spark to the struggling Sixers sooner than later, but this may only hinder his development. Expect Shayok to be brought up at one point or another during the NBA season, but don’t expect it to be anytime soon. His development is most important to the organization, and sitting him on the Sixers’ bench would only hinder that.

Jonah Bolden

After only seeing two total minutes for the Sixers through ten games, Jonah Bolden was sent down to Delaware to join the Blue Coats. He made his first appearance of the season for the team during last night’s win over the Long Island Nets. Here, the forward came out hot, showcasing a 34 point effort.

It isn’t surprising to see Bolden down in Delaware. Like Shayok, the Sixers are focused on the youngster’s development, and hiding him on an NBA bench would be far from helpful. Playing meaningful minutes with the Blue Coats will only continue to improve him as a two-way player. Bolden would be more likely to see the NBA before Shayok, but don’t be surprised if both players join the team when the Spring rolls around.

Zhaire Smith

Zhaire Smith is a surprise for the team, but not in the same light as Shayok and Bolden. Smith has struggled to become a star through three games, despite being advertised as one. Playing in only two of the team’s three games, Smith is averaging a mere 11 points. This is a lackadaisical effort in the high scoring Blue Coats’ offense. Despite the low production, the shooting guard is shooting 45% from the floor, which is promising to see.

Expect Smith to ramp up production. Remember, the former first-round pick missed last season with a plethora of issues. The season, like Smith, is young, and the lottery pick should make an impact on the Sixers’ roster by next season. Just let the young man develop.