Jabari Walker has been absolutely killing it off the bench in preseason play, recording a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds against the Knicks, then following it up with eight points and seven boards against Brooklyn. These early performances are already screaming that the Sixers front office made the right call by investing in him this offseason for their bench depth.
The Front Office Played Chess, Not Checkers
Look, everyone was hyped about the big-name starting lineup additions, right? But the real talk needs to be about the depth, because that’s what wins in a deep playoff run. Jabari Walker, who was on a two-way contract last season, got converted to a standard deal back in February. That was a solid start, but the offseason move? That’s where you see the real commitment. The organization had to free up cap space, and instead of waiving Walker, whose contract is only guaranteed for $250k until January, they shipped a second-round pick to Los Angeles to move Johni Broome’s contract. That’s a massive stamp of approval for Jabari. It tells you they believe in this guy.
Delivering When It Counts, Early
And man, has he ever repaid that faith already! Walker has logged excellent minutes in both preseason games. Coach Nick Nurse himself gave major props on Monday, saying Jabari’s “kind of been playing with a little bit more confidence this week.” Nurse also noted he “just feels like he’s ready to pull the trigger” and “snaps down rebounds.” Plus, his perimeter shot “kind of looks like he’s maybe over a hump on when he’s got space, he’s going to take them.” That’s exactly where Nurse wants him, because he’s a “really good shooter.” Nurse flat out said it: if Walker can provide space and rebound, “he’s going to be on the floor.” New teammate Jaylen Brown is all-in too, adding, “I love Jabari. Jabari’s been great. He’s been awesome. He’s been doing his job. He’s been hitting shots. He’s been rebounding defensively and offensively. He’s been doing what the coaches have asked him to do. So he’s been great, and he’s been doing really well since training camp.” Walker himself sounds totally locked in. He said on Media Day he’s comfortable heading into his second season with Nurse and many of the same teammates. “I know what Nick wants now. It’s pretty simple. You just have to do what’s right for the team. When you’re open, shoot the ball, make the right play, and the guys that we have are willing to do that.” He knows there’s “no second guessing when I’m open” because Coach is confident in him. Being “selfish with shooting the ball when I’m open opens the court up,” and that helps the team. This guy gets it.
What’s next for Jabari? He’s proving he can provide exactly what the team needs off the bench. With that kind of confidence and execution this early, his role in the rotation is going to be absolutely vital for the Sixers to achieve their goal of making a deep playoff run. The season is just getting started, but Walker is already showing he’s ready to make a huge impact.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Liberty Ballers.
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