When drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the 2014 NBA Draft with the eighth pick, Nik Stauskas was supposed to come into the league and be a sharpshooter who could also be a threat off of the dribble. Almost three years and a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers later, he is only just turning the corner from being an end-of-the-bench guard to a serviceable role player.
This season, Stauskas has split time between coming off the bench and starting, and he has shown flashes of brilliance while doing so.
Given the fact that the other alternatives at the 2-spot are Gerald Henderson and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Stauskas has quickly become a fan-favorite while they wait for Luwawu-Cabarrot to blossom, and for Henderson’s contract to expire.