Daryl Morey Sees Three-And-D Potential in Sixers' Pick Jaden Springer

The NBA draft has come and gone, and the Sixers have a new batch of young prospects. After multiple reports and speculation that these picks might get traded, Daryl Morey used all three of his selections on Thursday night. 

With the 28th overall pick, the Sixers selected Jaden Springer out of Tennessee. One of the youngest prospects in the draft at just 18 years old, Springer is going to be a long-term investment. While it may take some time to round out his game, Morey is excited about the potential he shows. 

Following the conclusion of Thursday's draft, Morey held a short media availability. In that time, he gave a quick insight into what he sees for Springer down the road as he develops.  

"I know GM's get killed for talking about upside, but he's not 19 yet, already a productive player at Tennessee. We feel good about his ability to be a three-and-D player in this league. We all know valuable they are," said Morey. 

Defense is one the main areas that stood out for Springer in his lone college season. He was a tenacious defender in college while also averaging over a steal per game. Springer's NBA-ready frame, along with a six-foot-six wingspan, should allow him to hold his own defensively at the next level. 

Three-point shooting is a part of his game that will need fine-tuning moving forward. Springer shot 43.5% from deep in college, but only on 1.8 attempts per game. With such little volume, the percentage can be misleading. 

Springer has good shooting mechanics but could benefit from some minor tweaks and adjustments. We saw how well Tyrese Maxey improved his shooting stroke in just one season, so there should be optimism for the latest first-round pick. 

Morey is correct about the value of good three-and-D players in the league right now. Players that can defend multiple positions on the perimeter and be effective three-point shooters are worth their weight in gold in today's NBA. It will take some time to get there, but Springer has all the tools to fit into that player mold. 

Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers for South Jersey's 97.3 ESPN and Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @KevinMcCNBA.