76ers' Sergio Rodriguez wants to return next season
CHICAGO - Sergio Rodriguez wants to remain a 76er. "I would love to be here," said the backup point guard, who signed a one-year deal July 13. "It's a good situation for me being with players that were supposed to play this year but had injuries."
CHICAGO - Sergio Rodriguez wants to remain a 76er.
"I would love to be here," said the backup point guard, who signed a one-year deal July 13. "It's a good situation for me being with players that were supposed to play this year but had injuries."
Rodriguez is referring to point guard Ben Simmons and combination guard Jerryd Bayless. Simmons is sitting out his rookie season with a Jones fracture in his right foot, and Bayless played in just three games because of a torn ligament in his left wrist.
"I think playing with Ben would be great," said Rodriguez, who will become an unrestricted free agent in July. "The good thing is I could choose where to go and where to be. And, of course, I want to stay here and try to be better next year because I'm adjusting to a new situation."
Prior to this season, the 30-year-old's last NBA game was on April 14, 2010, before he played professionally overseas.
A member of Real Madrid of Spain's Liga ACB, Rodriguez was named the 2014 EuroLeague MVP. He also led his team to the 2015 EuroLeague title and the Liga ACB championship in three of the last four seasons. The Spaniard also was an all-ACB selection in each of the last three campaigns.
But after six years in Spain and away from the NBA, he decided last summer it was time to return.
At the time, the Sixers expected Simmons and Bayless to be the primary ball handlers. Rodriguez thought coming to Philadelphia provided the best opportunity to gradually readjust to the NBA's rules and style of play.
So, one summer after turning down the Sixers' initial inquiries, Rodriguez bought out the remaining two seasons of his deal with Real Madrid. The Sixers helped to pay a portion of his buyout.
However, he didn't get the luxury of slowly reintroducing himself to the NBA. Rodriguez was the season-opening starter with Simmons and Bayless both sidelined. T.J. McConnell eventually replaced him as the starter Dec. 30.
"I was the starter when we had so many new guys," Rodriguez said. "We had Joel [Embiid] on minutes restrictions. We didn't have Nerlens Noel for the first 23 games. We didn't have Ersan Ilyasova [until Nov. 1].
"So, it's a mix where I'm proud of what I have done, because it's been not easy," he said. "It's a way of trying to get everything together."
Rodriguez said the Sixers are playing much better because they have become familiar with each other and learned how to play together.
The Sixers take a 26-45 record into Friday against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. They have more than doubled the victories of last season's 10-win campaign.
Rodriguez is averaging 7.6 points, 5.1 assists, and 22.3 minutes played in 66 appearances this season. He has started 30 games.
"Now, I have a feeling of what everybody is doing in the NBA," he said, "how the players are reacting to different circumstances. It was great for me to accomplish this in this stint . . . where we are playing good and winning games."
@PompeyOnSixers