Sixers Notes: What was and what lies ahead as offseason begins

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We've talked about the offseason plans of Ben Simmons, Dario Saric and Jahlil Okafor. Joel Embiid continues his rehab from knee surgery as well. What will the other Sixers be focusing on this summer? They looked back at the 2016-17 season and how they can improve for training camp in the fall. 

Robert Covington
Covington will begin this offseason by undergoing surgery for a slight meniscus tear in his right knee. He already began areas of the rehab and expects to be healthy ahead of the four-to-six week timeline. 

Covington plans to spend time in his native Chicago area, in Tennessee, where he went to school, and back in Philadelphia to rehab and work on his game. The defensively-savvy small forward will hone in on game film. 

"Throughout the summer I'm going to watch film on myself, watch film on other players and what I can add to my game," he said.

Nik Stauskas
Stauskas is stepping back in front of the camera. The Toronto native will be an analyst for TSN for Raptors playoff coverage. He has done on-air work for the network in the past. 

"It's just fun," Stauskas said. "At the end of the day, basketball is something that I really, really love. Whether it's playing or whether it's talking about it, those are things I enjoy doing. It's just cool because I think being an NBA player in the present gives a different perspective … It's not like a chore or a job to me." 

Jerryd Bayless
Bayless will spend this offseason rehabbing from left wrist surgery. He suffered the injury during training camp and played in only three games all season. 

"I can lift now," Bayless said. "I just can't play yet, pretty much. No contact for the next month and then I'll be clear."

When Bayless returns, the Sixers envision pairing him with Ben Simmons.

"I envision it going well," Bayless said. "It's going to take time considering Ben and I both haven't played this year. Once it starts to click, it will be a good thing." 

Richaun Holmes
Holmes had a breakout season. He went from the D-League to the bench to eventually the starting lineup. He has made a strong case to be the backup center behind Embiid next season. 

"I feel like I belonged in the league since I got drafted," Holmes said. "I just feel like it's been a matter of working and proving yourself. You wouldn't get drafted, you wouldn't get put on a team if they didn't believe in your talents. I feel like that's a confidence builder. At the same time, you have to prove yourself, you have to work for everything you've got." 

T.J. McConnell
McConnell made one of the biggest jumps on the depth chart. At the start of training camp, his role was unclear with the additions of Simmons, Bayless and Rodriguez. As injuries hit the team, McConnell stepped into the starting point guard role. McConnell is expected to be moved back to a reserve, however, when Simmons and Bayless return. 

"If we're winning, and that's what my role is, then I'll to do it to the best of my abilities," McConnell said. "I'm never going to be comfortable being the third-string point guard, but that doesn't mean I'm going to cause problems. I'm going to be a great teammate." 

McConnell will carry the same mentality into his third season that he has kept from Day 1.

"No spot is guaranteed," he said. 

Sergio Rodriguez
Rodriguez would like to play in the NBA next season. This was his second stint in the league after a successful pro career in his native Spain. Rodriguez will be an unrestricted free agent. 

"I want to make a good decision, take time to see what I'm going to do, and of course try to stay in the NBA and play a few more years here," Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez felt comfortable settling back into the league after time away.

"As a competitor, I like to play against the best players in the world and the best league," he said. "I'm happy. My family is happy living here. I think it's a good thing for me."

Gerald Henderson
Henderson was pleased with playing through hip soreness for 72 games. The veteran had surgery in the past and managed the discomfort of playing with rest and treatment to get him through the season. 

"I probably could have played 82, probably not at a hundred percent at all," Henderson said. "It's a plus for me to be coming out of this season standing and still optimistic about what's ahead."

Thinking long term, the 29-year-old Henderson said he could require a hip replacement "some point down the road" and noted "there's no real telling." For now, he isn't thinking about being sidelined.

"I just hope it doesn't affect my golf game down the road," Henderson said jokingly.  

Justin Anderson
Anderson has to get settled from being traded to the Sixers in February and living in a hotel since then. After that, it's to prepare for his third NBA season. 

Anderson's three-point shooting in college jumped from 29.4 percent as a sophomore to 45.2 percent as a junior. He hopes to repeat the same pattern in the pros. 

"Year threes are good for me," Anderson said. "It was a good junior year if you will. Hopefully, my junior year in the NBA will be just as great shooting the basketball."

Tiago Splitter
Splitter's eight games with the Sixers were very meaningful to him. They marked the return to basketball after missing over a year following hip surgery. 

"I feel great," Splitter said. "I had a goal to play this season and the Sixers gave me this opportunity. I'm very grateful for everything."

During this brief stint, Splitter made the first three-point shots of his seven-year NBA career. He went 2 for 6 from long range as a Sixer. 

"Well, I think my whole career was a lie because I'm really a three-point shooter," Splitter said with a laugh. "[Brett Brown] always said if you're open, you shoot it. He gave me that liberty that prior I didn't have." 

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot
Luwawu-Cabarrot learned an important value from Embiid this season. Luwawu-Cabarrot bided his time from barely seeing the court to earning a starting role. He took away a positive mindset from Embiid's journey. 

"Patience," Luwawu-Cabarrot said. "He was out for two years, he came back strong, he was working. That's respectable."

Shawn Long
Long plans to play for the Sixers' summer league team in July. He is only going to take a week off before getting back to work. Long, who spent most of the season in the D-League, doesn't want to lose momentum. 

"The time I had with the Sixers was very valuable to me," Long said. "I learned a lot. I think I had the opportunity to prove that I belong here, I'm an NBA player. That was big for me. I gained a lot of confidence, too." 

Alex Poythress
Poythress feels "grateful" for the six games he played for the Sixers. In the season finale, Brett Brown played him at shooting guard. 

"I try to be as versatile as I can, being out there guarding multiple [positions] … trying to be a threat offensively," Poythress said. 

He is uncertain if he will be on the Sixers' summer league roster, but will work out at their training complex after spending time at home in Tennessee. 

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