Sixers player profiles: Grant Riller, Aaron Henry

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be profiling every player currently on the Sixers’ roster ahead of training camp, which begins on Sept. 28.

Grant Riller

Age: 24

Contract status: Two-way contract

Riller was a second-round pick (56th overall) of the Charlotte Hornets in 2020. He spent four seasons at the College of Charleston where he was a two-time All-CAA pick. During his senior season, he averaged 21.9 points and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 49.9/36.2/82.7.

The 6-foot-2 guard didn’t see much time with the big club (seven games), but had a successful stint with the G League’s Greensboro Swarm. He averaged 13.1 points and 3.5 assists in 25.7 minutes a game. He shot the ball extremely well, hitting on 46.2 percent of his threes on almost five attempts a contest.

Season outlook: Riller is an intriguing two-way guy. His age and skill set make him a candidate to possibly help the Sixers at some point in 2021-22. What Riller does well is score the basketball at all three levels. He has a strong handle, changes speeds well and is adept in the pick-and-roll. His swing skill will be his shooting, which has been inconsistent despite his torrid G League performance.

So, why did the Hornets let Riller go? The simplest answer is that they have a glut of guard talent and perhaps felt Riller had plateaued at age 24. He’s not an explosive athlete and his size does hinder him defensively.

With all that said, the Sixers need all the ball handling and scoring they can get. Riller is a player to watch.

Aaron Henry

Age: 22

Contract status: Two-way contract

It was a tough year for Tom Izzo and Michigan State, but Aaron Henry still had a nice season for the Spartans. He led the team in scoring (15.4 points), assists (3.6) and was tied for the team lead in rebounding (5.6). He was also disruptive defensively, leading the squad in steals (1.3) and finishing second in blocks (1.3).

Henry was projected as a second-round pick, but ultimately went undrafted. He was signed to a two-way deal by the Sixers almost immediately after the draft ended. He played in five games in the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging 7.8 points per game.

Season outlook: Henry’s path to helping the Sixers this season seems murky. The best version of Henry is a guy that can be a useful NBA player. He offers some creation skills, and at 6-foot-6, he’s a fairly versatile defender. He’s the type of player who just sort of makes good things happen, which you can never have enough of.

Like most players, Henry’s shooting will likely dictate how good he can be. He hit a respectable 35.7 percent during his first two seasons at Michigan State before making below 30 percent of his tries last season. He was slightly below average during the Summer League (33.3 percent). He should have ample opportunity to play big minutes and hoist threes in Delaware this season.