Jaden Springer Keeps Positive View on Philly After Trade to Celtics

When the NBA trade deadline kicked in earlier this month, the Philadelphia 76ers made some notable changes by striking four deals on the same day. Some were expected. Some came as a shock.

The trade between the Sixers and the Boston Celtics was filed in the latter category for multiple reasons. One, mid-season trades between division rivals don’t tend to happen too often. Two, the Sixers’ decision to cut ties with the 21-year-old Springer seemed premature.

Fans of Philadelphia were shocked when the deal went down. So was Springer.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” he told reporters on Tuesday, according to Sixers Wire’s Ky Carlin. While the Sixers didn’t leave Springer totally in the dark, giving him a heads up on the discussions before a trade was finalized, he didn’t expect to leave the organization amidst his third year just months after seeing his option for next season get picked.

Despite the early exit from Philadelphia on short notice, Springer doesn’t feel any animosity towards his former team. In fact, he had nothing but positive things to say about his time in Philadelphia.

“I had a great time in Philly,” the guard added. “A lot of hard work. A lot came into play to be where I’m at today. It was great. They took a chance and drafted me so I’m always gonna be grateful for that so I’m happy for the time I had in Philly.”

By selecting Springer in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft, the Sixers understood that patience was required for the development of the 19-year-old freshman out of Tennessee. Throughout Springer’s first two seasons with the Sixers, he spent most of his time in the G League, competing with the Delaware Blue Coats.

This season, Springer appeared in a career-high 32 games for Philadelphia, averaging 12 minutes in the games he played. Springer showed flashes of a guy who could become a premier perimeter defender but struggled on the offensive end of the floor.

As the trade deadline approached, Daryl Morey decided it would be best to part ways with Springer for a second-round pick. After the deal was done, the 76ers’ President of Basketball Operations explained his thought process.

“We had to look at what are the odds for Jaden Springer, who I think has a great future, help our rotation in the one-two-three-year maybe horizon? And what are the odds the second-round pick helps us? We thought the second-round pick helps us more. That’s just the reality. It allows us to go get maybe a veteran at next year’s deadline, things like that,” Morey explained.

Meanwhile, the Celtics placed different values on the second-round pick they parted with compared to the former first-round selection out of Tennessee. As a result, the two Atlantic rivals made a swap, and Springer will continue his career out in Boston for the time being.