Sports: Sixers Trying To Build A Winner

By Pete Henry

The Sixers were a very competitive team at times last season.  The squad is trying to get back to being a playoff contender.  They may not be too far off.

     

The key to this team is clearly Joel Embiid.  When he is on the floor, the Sixers are a completely different team as opposed to when he is not.  Embiid is extremely skilled for 7-1.  From an offensive standpoint, he has excellent touch on his jump shot.  Embiid has the shooting range of a guard.  He shot 36.7 percent from beyond the three-point arc in 2016-17.   

Embiid won’t think twice about pulling up and taking a three-point shot.  Moreover, he shows a variety of moves in the post.  He can score with either hand.  Furthermore, he has a nice turnaround jumper.  Embiid still needs seasoning with regard to his post repertoire but there is a ton of potential there.  He averaged over 20 points a game in his first year as a pro to go along with almost 8 rebounds.  Embiid shows a silky smooth touch on his free throws.  He shot over 78 percent from the line.  He is a skilled passer as he collected over 2 assists per contest. 

The Cameroon native is a real force on the court defensively.  He averaged two and a half blocks a game.  Opposing players have a difficult time scoring over his long reach.  Embiid has excellent timing on his jumps as well. 

The big center is a difference maker when he is on the court.  The problem is that Embiid is prone to injuries.  He played in only 31 games last year.  With Embiid out of the lineup, the club really struggled at times.  If they are going to become a playoff team, it is a must that Embiid stay healthy. 

Ben Simmons was the number one pick overall in the 2016 draft.  Simmons was unable to play in his rookie season due to a broken foot he suffered in the preseason.  Simmons is an awfully skilled point forward.  At 6-10, he can handle the ball like a guard. 

Simmons is a dynamite passer.  He has excellent footwork.  Simmons has all the athletic ability and agility to be an All-Conference defensive player if he sets his mind to it.  Defense is an attitude.  The one thing Simmons must work on is his jump shot.  He is not a good shooter at this point in his career, though, his stroke is good. 

The Sixers traded up to acquire Markelle Fultz in the first-round of this year’s draft.  The organization feels that the University of Washington product has all the skills to be an elite point guard.  The Sixers feel that Fultz can become an outstanding defensive player.  Fultz was a good shooter in college as well. 

Dario Saric has a chance to be a good NBA player.  Saric is still very young at 23.  He played his entire career in Europe before last season.  The Croatian is an excellent passer with terrific court vision and basketball awareness.  Saric is an inconsistent shooter at this stage.  He shot just over 41% from the floor in 2016-17. 

Saric shot fairly well from beyond the arc at 31%.  He is a stretch four in every sense of the term.  Saric showed the ability to take other power forwards off the dribble.  This can be a real asset because he is a good foul shooter.  If slower forwards end up hacking him because they can’t keep up, he could hurt them at the line.  Saric shot over 78% from the line in his rookie year.  He plays extremely hard and the fans appreciated that, often giving him applause for his effort.  Saric is a pretty solid rebounder who holds position in the post well. 

His defense is still a work in progress but the effort is there.  If Saric can become more consistent with his shooting and improves on the defensive end, he could become part of Philadelphia’s foundation. 

J.J. Redick is a perfect fit for this team.  The primary reason Redick was brought here is to stretch the floor.  The Duke product shot nearly 43% from three-point land last season and almost 42% for his career.  Redick plays with a lot of emotion and he will be a good presence in a young locker room.  The grizzled vet has played 12 seasons in the league.  Moreover, he has played on playoff teams.  That factor is huge for a young squad.  Furthermore, Redick is nearly a 90% free throw shooter for his career.  That could be huge at the end of games. 

It was nice to hear that Redick was excited to come here to play. 

Robert Covington became a complete basketball player last season.  Yes, his shooting was inconsistent at times but his head coach Brett Brown challenged him to become a better defender.  Covington took the challenge and ran with it.  He was one of the better perimeter defenders in the league last year. 

Players like Richaun Holmes, Jahlil Okafor, and T.J. McConnell could be valuable off the bench if they embrace their roles.