76ers' T.J. McConnell: Battling Rodriguez for top backup gig

Sixers coach Brett Brown said Tuesday that McConnell and Sergio Rodriguez are in a "fist fight" for the top backup role at point guard, Brian Seltzer of Sixers.com reports.

Jerryd Bayless is in line to start at point guard for the Sixers after inking a three-year, $27 million deal in the offseason, but Rodriguez, a more under-the-radar free-agent pickup who has played well in camp thus far, could end push McConnell out of the club's backcourt rotation. As an undrafted rookie last season, McConnell was a bright spot on an awful Sixers squad, averaging 6.1 points, 4.5 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 19.8 minutes per game while playing in all but one of the team's 82 contests. That quality showing should give McConnell a slight edge over Rodriguez in the competition for now, but who ultimately claims the No. 2 point guard gig will likely be determined by how the two perform during preseason play. With Bayless sitting out Tuesday's exhibition opener against the Celtics due to a wrist injury, McConnell and Rodriguez are both set to receive plenty of playing time throughout the contest.