The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Philadelphia 76ers Bench Needs Healthy Players Back

By Bret Stuter

Oct 26, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown talks with center Joel Embiid (21) during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Wells Fargo Center. The Oklahoma City Thunder won 103-97. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 26, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown talks with center Joel Embiid (21) during the second half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Wells Fargo Center. The Oklahoma City Thunder won 103-97. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 2016-2017 season has been difficult for the Philadelphia 76ers so far, particularly when rotations begin to rest starters. Still, three starting caliber players have yet to see action for the team

Jerryd Bayless has a sore wrist. Nerlens Noel has an injured knee. Ben Simmons has fractured foot. The Philadelphia 76ers bench has problems.

While everyone seems to be turning on head coach Brett Brown, there is little he can do to fix the team right now. Other teams enter the contest with 15 healthy players and sit two who are dinged or performing poorly. Brett Brown enters a contest with 12 players, two of whom on minutes restrictions, and must mete out playing minutes to everyone who can suit up out of necessity.
So far this season, the team has 10 players at or over 20 minutes per game. Only Richaun Holmes (14 MPG), T.J. McConnell (18.2 MPG) and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (4.0 MPG) have seen less playing time.

Brown can only coach the roster assembled by the front office folks. When he was forced to “make do” last year without a proven starting point guard, and a roster plagued with early injuries, the fault was directed towards president Sam Hinkie.