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McDaniels missing as Sixers open training camp

Sixers' second-rounder K.J. McDaniels has not reached a deal yet. Meanwhile, the Nerlens Noel era gets underway.

76ers point guard Michael Carter-Williams. (Michael Bryant/Staff Photographer)
76ers point guard Michael Carter-Williams. (Michael Bryant/Staff Photographer)Read more

GALLOWAY, N.J. - You look at the 76ers' training camp roster before their initial workout yesterday and it seems certain that Michael Carter-Williams will start at point guard, once he's fully cleared from offseason shoulder surgery, Nerlens Noel will play power forward, and Henry Sims will start at center. Perhaps Hollis Thompson grabs the starting small forward position, but it's anybody's guess who might be the shooting guard come Opening Night on Oct. 29 in Indiana.

One guess, and it might be a pretty good one, could be that it is rookie K.J. McDaniels, whom the team selected with the 32nd pick in June's draft. In the summer leagues, McDaniels showed great athleticism, a good ability to get to the rim and to hit open jump shots, and an above-average presence as a defender.

Yesterday, on the opening day of training camp at Richard Stockton College, the Clemson product showed absolutely nothing. Didn't make a stop on defense, didn't hit an open shot. That's because McDaniels wasn't on the floor, as the team said afterward he had not agreed to a contract. A call to his agent was not returned.

Seems odd that a second-round pick and the team couldn't reach some agreement before yesterday, but that's what it is.

"It's always disappointing," coach Brett Brown said of not having McDaniels. "You put your coaching hat on and you want to coach your team, the people that you drafted. It's just a situation that comes up, and [general manager] Sam [Hinkie] is handling it. I trust Sam will handle it the way we need to. As a club, we do miss K.J. I look forward to getting him with us and with me."

Brown had to concentrate on whom he did have, and that included the first official practice of the Noel era. The 6-11 Noel, sidelined all last season after knee surgery, has said nerves have been jumping throughout him as he gets ready for his first pro season on the floor. The change in this team from a year ago will fall heavily on Noel, as Brown reiterated yesterday that the most important improvement he wants to see needs to come at the defensive end.

"Vanilla is still the flavor," Brown said of his offensive approach. "What would it be really smart for us to get good at? It would be really good for us to develop as many shooters as we can, because Joel Embiid is going to be in the mix in the not-too-distant future. Spacing, how do you space around him? How do we grow the program where we identify other shooters? . . .

"It's going to be a little bit of a more glamorous flavor as far as defense. That is our purpose. That is my purpose this year. Training camp isn't ending in 5 days, it's really ending in a year. We're talking lots about the fundamentals of defense."

Noel should be a big help there, with his tremendous ability to block shots and a quickness with his feet and hands rarely seen in a man his size. Having been out of action for so long, he might find that defense is the part of his game that comes back most quickly.

"My natural ability [will come back quickly] and, as I play more and as we start to play more games, I'll start to feel more fluid with the game of basketball again," Noel said.

When he does find that, he'll find himself on the floor more. Literally. He is making his coach a little nervous right now with constant jumping to try to block shots. It is part of the abundance of energy the Kentucky product possesses and what makes Brown so excited to coach him.

"I think we're all going to have to hold our breath a little bit, as he puts on weight and starts to physically handle that side of the NBA," Brown said. "It's always a worry for me, because he's always so active and he's always in the air. But you turn him loose and you wind him up. He's easy to motivate to play defense.''

Six shots

Joel Embiid was in a chair, his right foot still in a boot, and taking shots from about 5 feet from the basket toward the end of the workout . . . The team got to the gym around 11 a.m. and didn't get out until close to 4. Brett Brown said he'd rather go long and hard at practice than have a morning and night session . . . Brown said he'll play Alexey Schved some at point guard while Michael Carter-Williams continues his recovery from shoulder surgery. Tony Wroten will see most of the action there while MCW recovers . . . The Sixers waived guard Pierre Jackson, who tore his Achilles' tendon while playing in the Orlando Summer League.