CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers acquired Jalen McDaniels from the Charlotte Hornets in what turned out to be a four-team deal on deadline day. Matisse Thybulle headed to the Portland Trail Blazers in the trade.
The Sixers like the fact McDaniels can handle the ball as well as be a 3-and-D player off the bench.
In five games with Philadelphia, he’s averaging 4.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and an assist while shooting 50% from the floor. He isn’t getting the same number of shots or opportunities to score as when he was with the Hornets, but that’s fine with him.
“I would say when I was in Charlotte, just having more opportunities with the ball in my hand more stuff like that,” McDaniels stated. “Just here, you got three guys that’s gonna take most of the shots and stuff like that. So just me playing off them is something I can do. That’s part of my game as well. So I feel like it’s a plus, even though I’m not touching it as much as I was in Charlotte. It’s still cool with me. I know how to play off guys and stuff like that.”
McDaniels has to be comfortable with the team in what they are calling and make sure that he is on the same page with the likes of James Harden, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris.
“I’m feeling like just getting adjusted and just getting comfortable,” he added. “I’ve been feeling good, honestly playing in the five games that I’ve played just getting adjusted to the players and how we play so I think I’m coming along fine. It hasn’t been too bad honestly, the adjustments, stuff like that. Everything’s really the same. It’s just like terminology and stuff like that. So I feel like I’ve been doing good the last five games.”
In terms of understanding the terminology and understanding where he needs to be out on the floor, McDaniels has been able to pick up that stuff rather easily on the defensive end. It’s on offense where he still has work to do.
“Defensively, especially I feel like I got that down,” he finished. “Offensively, there’s still some calls, just fresh in my head. So I gotta get those down as well, but I feel like I’m coming along well.”
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