Isaiah Canaan

Plucked from the Rockets at last year's trade deadline for K.J. McDaniels, Canaan was gifted the 76ers' starting point guard role but promptly relinquished duties to waiver-wire addition Ish Smith. In 47 games between both organizations, Canaan averaged 9.2 points, 2.1 assists, 1.9 rebounds, 0.6 steals, and 1.9 three-pointers in 20 minutes per game. As a volume three-point artist his accuracy from the field, 39 percent, was invariably tied to his efficiency from behind the line, 37 percent. However, Canaan made strides in his free-throw percentage, converting 82 percent from the line, a nine-percent increase from his rookie season. In his 22-game stint with the Sixers, Canaan attempted 7.4 three-pointers per game, second only to the Warriors' Stephen Curry after the All-Star break. Canaan tends to struggle due to his lack of size and stocky figure, which makes him an inadequate facilitator and liability on defense. Coach Brett Brown openly questioned Canaan's point guard intellect last season, and that doesn't bode well for the 24-year-old's chances of clinching the starting point guard role when Tony Wroten returns to full health. As a former second-round selection, Canaan is on the final year of his contract, and the Sixers will have the option to offer him a qualifying offer at season's end.

A second-round draft pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Canaan ended up playing in only 22 games for the Rockets in his rookie season. While there wasn't too much playing time available for him, he finished the season averaging 4.6 points, 1.1 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 0.4 steals, and 0.8 three-pointers made in 11 minutes per game. Canaan was able to show a little bit more of what he brings to the table during the 2014 Las Vegas Summer League, where he demonstrated his scoring ability by averaging 19.1 points during the nine games he participated in. It was great timing for Canaan considering he has a huge opportunity this upcoming season, as he'll have a chance to fix himself into a larger role in the Rockets' rotation. Jeremy Linn was dealt to the Lakers this offseason, which gave Patrick Beverley rights to the starter's job, and puts Canaan in a position to prove himself as Beverley's backup. He won't be handed the backup job, with veteran Jason Terry in the fold, and guys like Ish Smith and fellow summer league standout Nick Johnson playing well, but if he establishes himself as that second point guard, he'll have plenty of minutes to put up improved numbers from last season and make a name for himself.