Jul 14, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) holds the ball away from New York Knicks forward Alex Kirk (53) during an NBA Summer League game at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Are you jealous of the diehard NFL fans yet? Football is right around the corner. No, seriously, the regular season kicks off in less than a week. NBA fans aren’t so lucky, and have to wait weeks still before training camp even begins.
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For the Philadelphia 76ers, this season is pivotal. It could be the middle of a see-saw, in a metaphorical way. It’s been years of an uphill climb with lots of rebuilding and moving players around, but finally, things appear to be looking up, and getting easier as that see-saw starts to go down.
Sure, losing Joel Embiid to yet another setback with his navicular bone in his foot isn’t something to be happy about. Luckily, things are working out, though, and missing out on D’Angelo Russell in the draft oddly played out to be a good thing for the Sixers.
Russell going a pick before the Sixers could take him allowed them to ‘settle’ for Jahlil Okafor, an offensively dominant big man. The addition of him will make up for the missing Embiid, for now, and they will hopefully have one of the best front courts in the league as he is likely to start alongside Nerlens Noel.
Sure, there may be issues with figuring out how to balance three big men once Embiid, Noel, and Okafor are all healthy, but that’s a problem for the future Sixers, and a decent problem to have, at that.
These two can’t take up all of the playing time, however, and the big men on the bench will need to contribute as well.
All things considered, there is a lot to preview regarding the Sixers front court for the 2015-16 season.
Next: The Starters