The Sixers’ shift to ‘more athleticism and energy and youth’ in the backcourt has been deliberate

T.J. Dileo rolled a chair closer to Quentin Grimes’ locker, his laptop resting on his thighs. The 76ers’ player development coach wanted to parse through some additional film less than an hour before Grimes made a second consecutive start with his new team, this time as part of a full-strength first five.

The Sixers got drubbed, 124-104, by the Boston Celtics in their return from the All-Star break, further illustrating the vast gap between the team trying to repeat as NBA champion and the other still slogging through a massively disappointing 20-35 season.

Yet the Sixers’ broader picture involves quickly integrating Grimes — along with Jared Butler and, perhaps beginning Saturday, Lonnie Walker IV — and evaluating them as short-term and, potentially, long-term guard fits with this core.

“It’s more of the situation of we’ve got to look at them,” coach Nick Nurse said postgame. “When the score’s out of hand, that’s a chance to at least get them on the floor to see what they look like. They’re awfully new, so we’re just trying to see what they have.”

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The shift to a backcourt with “a little bit more athleticism and energy and youth,” as Nurse recently described, has been deliberate, yet organic. Reggie Jackson was traded to the Washington Wizards in the deal that brought back Butler. Fellow 30-somethings Kyle Lowry (hip) and Eric Gordon (wrist) remain sidelined with injuries. Before Thursday’s game, Nurse acknowledged particular concern about Gordon, whom the coach said has seen two specialists, and “they still don’t know what to do. There’s a problem with it.”

Grimes, who was acquired in a deadline deal that sent Caleb Martin and draft capital to the Dallas Mavericks, finished Thursday’s game with 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting, seven rebounds, and three assists in 33 minutes, 6 seconds. The 24-year-old was the first to take the defensive assignment on All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum, who had a triple-double with 15 points, 10 assists, and 11 rebounds as the Celtics shot 24-for-54 from beyond the arc. Grimes also logged the initial backup point guard minutes, dishing to Paul George for a corner three-pointer and hitting a jumper during his second-quarter stint.

And even when the Sixers’ deficit was insurmountable during the fourth quarter, Grimes attempted to find value in the on-court experience. He finally hit a three-pointer with 9:23 to go, then converted an old-fashioned three-point play by finishing a layup through contact 37 seconds later. But he later fumbled a pass from Kelly Oubre Jr. on a fastbreak and got denied by Boston big man Luke Kornet on a layup attempt.

“It’s really taking advantage of making sure I’m learning on the fly,” said Grimes, who will be a restricted free agent this summer. “Even though the game’s a little bit out of reach, but still making sure that I’m picking up what they do, habit-wise, defensively and offensively.

“So later on, in three or four games, I’ll kind of have it down pat, for sure.”

That performance followed Grimes’ 30-point outburst at the Brooklyn Nets, as perhaps the Sixers’ only bright spot in a shorthanded final loss before the All-Star break. Before that, he scored in double figures in each of his first three games as a Sixer. He also averaged 6.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists in those four games.

Starting Grimes is a roster move that, earlier this week, Nurse suggested would occur, especially with rookie Justin Edwards sidelined for at least two games with a sprained ankle. The coach said he has always envisioned a “dynamic shooting guard with some pop” in that two-guard spot. It initially belonged to career sharpshooter Gordon, then instant-impact rookie Jared McCain before knee surgery prematurely ended his season in mid-December.

While starting alongside proven scorers Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and George for the first time on Thursday, Grimes paid attention to where double-teams on Embiid came from, and, as a result, where he should expect to get the ball off the catch. And when Grimes became the primary offense-initiator during Maxey’s customary second-quarter rest, he tried to control the pace — and ensure teammates were in the right spot — while playing more in the pick-and-roll and attacking downhill to create shots for himself and others.

“If Coach Nurse is going to put me in situations like that,” Grimes said, “I’m going to have to be ready for it.”

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Maxey also appreciates the 6-foot-4 Grimes’ “willingness” to take on defensive challenges, an area of growth since the two guards were high school opponents in Texas and teammates on USA Basketball’s gold-medal U18 team at the 2018 FIBA Americas Championship. Nurse hopes Grimes can be a tone-setter on that end, as “more of a nuisance up the floor” while pressuring opposing ball handlers.

“He knows how to take away guys’ tendencies,” Maxey said of Grimes’ defense. “He’s athletic, and he competes.”

Butler is being trusted with a “simpler” offensive package, Nurse said, highlighting the 24-year-old’s ability to make reads and deliver lob passes out of the pick-and-roll. The coach added earlier this week that Butler’s ideal role is playing the six-minute stretches when Maxey is off the floor in the second and fourth quarters.

Yet the coach was not comfortable putting Butler in the rotation against the Celtics. He got 3:27 in earlier-than-usual garbage time, missed all four shot attempts, and recorded one steal.

“I expect his minutes to be pretty short stints,” Nurse said of Butler following Wednesday’s practice. “I’d like him to just spell Tyrese, and that’s it. … But make those minutes impactful. Pick up up the floor. Get into the paint. Make sure we’re getting those paint touches.”

After spending part of the All-Star break taking a train back to Washington to pack up his essentials and then drive them back to Philly, Butler said he is feeling more comfortable with his new surroundings by the day. He added he best learns by observing teammates before running through plays himself, crediting his past as a high school quarterback with helping him read and react.

Butler’s best outing came in a home loss to the Toronto Raptors on Feb. 11, when he finished with 15 points on 6-for-10 shooting, four rebounds, and four assists.

Butler was among those drilling extra offensive sets with his fellow newcomers, plus assistant and player-development coaches, following Thursday’s shootaround. Walker, who already had a locker nameplate Thursday, even though his signing is not yet official, could be part of that mix by this weekend, Nurse acknowledged.

They might continue to need those additional pregame film sessions for the time being. Yet getting a look at the fit of these younger guards is a worthwhile subplot of the stretch run of the Sixers’ slog of a season.

“I just try to hoop,” Butler said. “I take every day and get better. I think the familiarity, the checkpoints you’re talking about, they’re just going to come.”