Joel Embiid Looks Like the Big Man the Philadelphia 76ers Need

With the Philadelphia 76ers still attempting to solve their frontcourt logjam, Joel Embiid‘s expanded skill set could make him the clear top dog.

Perhaps the most promising part of the Philadelphia 76ers‘ preseason thus far has been the impressive play of Joel Embiid, as the former Kansas standout is showcasing just how high his ceiling remains after two years on the pine to kick off his NBA career.

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With plenty of time for increasing his aptitude around the court while rehabbing his foot injury, there was little doubt as to whether or not Embiid would make some level of improvement in terms of all-around skill level — but the extent to which he has seems to be unexpectedly high at first glance.

With the Sixers still looking to resolve their logjam in the frontcourt, having somebody like Embiid who could, potentially, be versatile enough to cover multiple niches at a high level on both sides of the ball could make that resolution much easier to come by.

Philadelphia is bound to at some point trade either Jahlil Okafor or Nerlens Noel, which will be a decision based not only their appeal on the trade market, but the team’s need for an offensive stud versus a defensive force underneath the rim. Embiid could, however, make that entire situation much more fluid if his play holds up in legitimate competition come regular season time.

While there have been some obvious rough spots as he continues getting used to an entirely new level of competition, Embiid has showcased some very promising attributes over the course of the first handful of games he’s played.

Offensively, Embiid ability to make moves in the post appear to be much more polished than they were during his time at Kansas. He’s making nice spins towards the basket and utilizing his immense size underneath to create space at a much higher level than he was capable of during the earlier stages of his development back in college. He has gained some notable muscle mass as well, which only helps compound his ability to force his way into the paint and make moves against solid NBA defensemen around the rim.

His explosiveness has also been a positive, especially given the mere fact that he has spent two years nursing a foot injury rather than playing competitive basketball. His ability to get off the floor and make quick moves on his feet is something few bigs his size are capable of in general, and doing so in lieu of such a nagging hindrance only makes it more impressive.

He has also shown the ability to step out and shoot jumpers aggressively, albeit with wavering success at the moment. We’ve seen him knock down shots from beyond the arc, and while that isn’t the most polished aspect of his game by any stretch, being able to step outside the paint and keep the defensive honest to some extent with jumpers around the floor is something neither Philly big man can currently offer.

That offensive versatility in combination with the defensive prowess that Embiid has always prided himself on is what makes the evolution of his game so pivotal to the future of this team. He has the shot blocking prowess and pure size underneath the basket necessitated to make an impact on that side of the basketball, which diminishes the need for a Nerlens Noel.

In turn, his offensive prowess could end up providing a more flexible option than Okafor in some aspects, and allow the Sixers to offload the former 3rd overall pick in favor of a more balanced two-way attack.

Embiid still has some hurdles to jump in his return to full-fledged NBA action, but his skill set seems to be nothing short of ideal in regards to his ability to aid in solving the Sixers’ most dyer rotational crisis. He helps create more space underneath the rim than either of their current bigs, something that has clogged the offense tremendously over the course of the past couple of seasons.

There are big men in the league who possess the potential Embiid currently does, and it continues to be prevalent as he works his way back into competitive basketball. His physical tools already far exceed those of any other member of the Sixers’ frontcourt, while his arsenal of talents on both sides of the ball mold much better alongside the type of players that Bryan Colangelo has compiled thus far.

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He has the ceiling of, legitimately, a DeMarcus Cousins-esque player. I’m not saying he’ll reach that level, nor is there an easy path towards doing so given the uniqueness of his situation. But, Embiid has all the signs of somebody who could help end what has seemingly been a never-ending cycle of uncertainty at the center position. If all goes well, he could be the starting center in Philadelphia for the foreseeable future.