Sixers Tinder: Why Wouldn't The Sixers Keep Glenn Robinson?

Fans might not have seen Glenn Robinson much last year - he played just over 150 minutes with the 76ers - so you might not know much about him. How can you make an assessment on someone who played so little? By providing something of a scouting report.

Glenn Robinson is a big wing suited for the modern NBA. Standing at 6'7", he's got enough size to defend most shooting guards and forwards. Typically, that's what scouts look for when assessing defense - size and the ability to defend multiple players. Robinson has that going for him, even if he's not always a willing or talented defender. There must be something in the water in the Big 10.

Robinson can go at it on the boards, with per-36 averages of more than five per game. I expected more, however, given his reputation. There weren't many boards available with Thomas Robinson on the roster as well (ROBINSONS UNITE), often playing alongside Glenn in bench-heavy lineups. Thomas averaged 15 rebounds per 36 minutes played, so everyone else had to fight for his scraps.

Robinson also takes too many midrange jumpers, although that might be a product of a pre-Sixers environment. Too often, you see him dribble once or twice off of the three point line only to pull up from 18 feet instead of driving all the way to the rim - it's nice to see Robinson assert himself, but not when the shots aren't good shots. The modern NBA doesn't have room for that mid-90s dreck. He has the athletic ability and the handles to do more than he showed last year.

Robinson has some range, but he might not be good at three point shooting yet - he's below league-average on threes to begin his career. That could be detrimental as a fit on a team where layups and threes are prioritized. Having that midrange game isn't a bad thing if used in heavy moderation, but being overly reliant on that skill set makes you a neo-Evan Turner. Turner didn't last long here. Playing up north on a team that didn't prioritize solid shot selection doesn't help the careers of a lot of up-and-comers.

But he's too talented not to bring back again, even if he's a major headache to work with. Remember that time he refused to play because of an ankle "injury" when he lost his starting spot in training camp? Usually I'd loathe to bring someone of that character back, because it's not conducive to teamwork and player development. But the guy scored 20 points per game six times in his career. Even 10+ years removed from his last good season, that's a shot worth taking a flier on.