Sixers Rebuild Year Two: A Smashing Success

Mar 13, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington (33) shoots past Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay (8) during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The 76ers won 114-107. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Turning Garbage Into Gold

One of biggest positives in rebuilding is being able to take a flier on a wide range of players. Players that don’t have consistent minutes and bounce around the NBA can come to a rebuilding team and showcase themselves. The Sixers took advantage of their ability to do that with 25 different players suiting up for them in the 2014-15 campaign. Not all of them ended up working out, but a few players opened eyes and were able to finish the season with the team.

If you were going to give out award’s to this Sixers team, Robert Covington would most likely win team MVP. In Covington’s rookie season he spent some time with the Houston Rockets and saw little game action. After not landing on an opening night roster, Covington was selected as the first pick in the 2014 D-League Draft. Before he was able play for the team that picked him, the Sixers called him up. It took Covington some time to get consistent minutes, but after breaking out for 17 points in the Sixers first victory of the season, RoCo would begin to show that he belonged in the NBA.

Robert Covington gave the Sixers something that they did not have: a lethal three-point threat who could help space the floor. His long-range shooting ability was valuable to the Sixers offense, which was evident in the team’s offensive rating of 96.1 with him on the court and 90.0 with him off of the court, per NBA.com. Covington would go on to end the season as the team leading scorer averaging 13.4 ppg on 37.8 shooting beyond-the-arc. Bobby Cov also finished 10th in the league in both three-pointers attempted and made. While Covington made most of his presence felt on the offensive end, the Sixers defensive rating was 2.8 points better with him on the court.

With Joel Embiid coming into the fold, the Sixers are going to need to surround him with shooters to space the floor. RoCo is under a bargain contract for the next four seasons, and his shooting ability makes him a key player for the Sixers moving forward.

Next: Thomas Robinson and Ish Smith