Potential Realized With Philadelphia 76ers 2016 Lineup

Bret Stuter

Dec 22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (L) and forward Nerlens Noel (R) work out prior to a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Potential Realized With Philadelphia 76ers 2016 Lineup

The Philadelphia 76ers are not playing well, and are not improving as quickly as virtually 75% of the Sixers fans and 100% of NBA fans of other teams feel we should. The team is working to learn the game of professional NBA basketball, learning who and what works in combination, and who survives this season with their competitive spirit intact. Much of the challenge is their efforts to groom undrafted players, and stockpile that talent for when they become “good enough to compete”.

With another losing streak well underway, and this one entrenched in a series of games where the Sixers never truly appear to be in the game, it’s easy to analyze what the team is doing wrong. Point to a statistic and you can find fault, room for improvement, and justify what should be done in a myriad of ways. It’s that bad right now. So many stand up to point at and decry the Sixers, and have reason to do so based upon what the team shows on the court. But reasons for this situation are not solely based on “they want to tank” as much as “they want to suffer now quickly to set themselves up for a better tomorrow. The team is reacting, rather than being proactive. After careful consideration that no free agent was worth resigning, the team must have read one of my recent artcles about whether it was wise to do so. Whatever the cause, the team made two surprising announcements on Christmas Eve:

In a related move, the Sixers have waived Tony Wroten.

📰: https://t.co/RYdnLioD0Y
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 24, 2015

And so, the carnage begins. The promise of tomorrow is gone for some. Tomorrow is too far ahead for others.

2016 Roster

It’s the holidays. What does tomorrow look like? It looks pretty good in my crystal ball. Here – see for yourself:

Starting roster

Point Guard Ben Simmons – LSU (Lady Luck give 76ers first pick of the 2016 NBA draft) Shooting Guard Robert Covington Small Forward Dario Saric Power Forward Joel Embiid Center Jahlil Okafor

Then coming off the Bench:

Point Guard T.J. McConnell Shooting Guard Nik Stauskas Small Forward Jaylen Brown – Cal (Lady Luck strikes again with Lakers 1st round pick) Power Forward Jerami Grant Center Nerlens Noel

Rounding out the roster

Isaiah Canaan Richaun Holmes Kendall Marshall .

2016 Potential

Fans’ hopes of any roster is at is most optimistic before the season begins. Unfortunately, it quickly crashes to it’s most disappointed pessimism after the first bad game. But holstering the highs and lows of expectations for a minute, just what does this roster look like in terms of minutes and production on the floor? Can I be missing some guys? Of course. Hollis Thomas is overlooked and may stick with this roster.

Ish That It?

The recent acquisition of Ish Smith for two second round draft picks in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans has his name as a potential for the 2016 season. But the fiber of next year is in the starting five, and a few names from the bench. Articles are coming out of the woodwork now describing a new dictatorial style Jerry Colangelo arriving, placing Mike D’Antoni into a psuedo – general manager role (before he even sees the team), and relegating Sam Hinkie and Brett Brown to nothing more than powerless figure head roles with strings attached – marionettes to Colangelo’s puppet mastery. That’s not what is going on here. What is happening is a carravan of some of the finest NBA talent ever assembled on one team, simultaneously needing to be coached, trained, and set into a formal NBA scheme that makes nearly instantaneous use of their newly arrived skillsets and potential. To do that requires an assembly of brilliant NBA minds. That is what is happening on the 76ers. The architect (Sam Hinkie) plans need someone to help Brett Brown build the team to specifications.

Next: Skycraping Starters

Dec 11, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (R) and center Jahlil Okafor (M) greet Detroit Pistons forward Stanley Johnson (L) prior to game action at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Skyscraping Starters

The tough thing about projecting a starting lineup is the uncertainty of the future. The forces of actions yet to occur have the ability to carom into events and change everything. When the basis for a future is the 2016 NBA draft, the very randomness of that draft puts everything into speculation. But if the team has everything go its way, the Philadelphia 76ers could be selecting at the first and the fourth picks of this NBA draft. To deal with the random chances involved, lets look at some fun facts.

Tall Order

Should the Sixers manage to draft Ben Simmons at the first pick of the 2016 NBA draft, the team will boast a 6’10” point guard , a 6’9″ shooting guard, a 6’10” small forward, a 7’0″ power forward, and a 6’11” center. That’s a tall order. So what could a team that tall and that talented do? Just plenty. With the starting roster whose presence is the tallest in the NBA, and with potential to match, it will be a unique position to be in. Lo and behold, the Sixers now have NBA offensive mastermind Mike D’Antoni who revolutionized the offense with the Phoenix Suns. That’s not to say that this team will not experience challenges to overcome. Chemistry is an issue. So is that slope of a learning curve.

Next: Robert Covington

Dec 22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington (33) shoots while being fouled by Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Robert Covington

Shooting Guard Robert Covington – “RoCo” – is earning his start next season, one game at a time. Injured at the start of the 2015-2016 NBA season, his mid November return gave the Sixers a needed boost. Averaging 12.5 points per game so far, RoCo also brings a presence on the defensive side as well. His 2.1 steals per game leads the team, and his 6.0 rebounds per game are third on the team behind Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor. His Achilles heel? 3.0 turnovers per game, coupled with shooting from the floor at 37.7%. For a player who will wind up and take his shots at the basket, a 40% or better average would be ideal. In the 2016 world, Covington will get looks at easier shots, and his resolve at being one of the senior players on the team, 26 years next year, will place him in a role of responsibility with the younger players. Don’t underestimate the power of this man.

Sixers Veteran

He’s the heir apparent to statesman of the Sixers. At the ripe old age of 26 next season, he could very well be the oldest gentleman on the team. His path to the NBA is a testimony to what the Philadelphia 76ers have been doing. His initial NBA experience was with the Houston Rockets as an undrafted but talented player from Tennessee State. He was recalled to the NBA, but played a majority of his time with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. He was signed by the Philadelphia 76ers on November 15, 2014 and debuted for the team on November 17 against the San Antonio Spurs. In 17 minutes he had 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. Days later he popped 25 points in a 108-101 victory over the Detroit Pistons. In the 2016 roster, you can project Covington to see 26 minutes playing time, 41% shooting from the floor, 6 rebounds per game, 2.5 steals per game, 2 assists and 1.7 turnovers per game, 1 block per game and score 15 points per game. His will be a key role as the lynchpin, keeping the team together as they mature and develop.

Next: Jahlil Okafor

Dec 22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) scores past Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Jahlil Okafor

Center Jahlil Okafor -“Jah”- is a young man in an NBA veteran’s body. His style doesn’t fit the team, his position was not a position of need in the draft, and nobody saw his role as making a significant difference with this team. But… Here he is, playing and scoring and proving time and time again that this young man is maturing rapidly. He is scoring 17.6 points per game, 7.9 rebounds per game, 1.28 blocks per game, 1.2 assists per game, and 2.5 turnovers per game in his first NBA season. Actually, his first third of an NBA season.

OJT – On Job Training

On the Philadelphia 76ers, there is no structured disciplined team who will pick up the slack if Jahlil has an off day. There is not a significant wing man presence whose long range accuracy pulls defenders off Okafor in the post. There is not a veteran whose words will pick up the young man if he struggles. And he has struggled. Fame and fortune come at you from a different direction than opponents on a basketball court. They awaken demons inside of a person, demons who create the struggle inside. Pride and aspirations can be powerful motivators, and just as powerful detractors. Jahlil Okafor has had to battle his demons. But in the aftermath, he’s averaging over 19 points a game, 9 rebounds a game, deadly accurate from the free throw line, and cut his turnover down to 1.8 turnovers per game. Just one third of a season, and he’s the third most productive center in the NBA. Next year he could dominate. The NBA has moved away from the post game, but Jahlil Okafor could bring them back to it. The 2016 could find Jah breaking the 20 point mark, the last time that was done by a center was Al Jefferson playing for the Charlotte Hornets in 2013-2014. He’s special enough to do it.

2016 Delivery

In the 2016 roster, you can project Okafor to see 28 minutes playing time, 50% shooting from the floor, 8.5 rebounds per game, 0.5 steals per game, 6 rebounds per game, 1.5 assists and 2.0 blocks per game and score 21 points per game. His will be a key role as the lynchpin, keeping the team together as they mature and develop.

Next: Joel Embiid

Nov 2, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) before a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Wells Fargo Center. The Cavaliers won 107-100. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Joel Embiid

Power Forward Joel Embiid was the top rated prospect in the 2014 NBA draft. Top-rated until news hit the headlines that he had an injured foot. A foot injury that required surgery and follow up rehabilitation. But his dedication to getting healthy was distracted by youthful enthusiasm, a hefty paycheck, and complete and utter boredom. How much of a role that played in the need for a second surgery is speculation. But the second time around seemed to be much more structured, comprehensive, and successful. Here’s the results:

And now, for your daily glimmer of hope, I give you...Joel Embiid doing stuff on a basketball court. #Sixers pic.twitter.com/Hui9w0vm8A
— Jon Johnson (@jonjohnsonwip) December 22, 2015

Embiid is versatile enough to play multiple BIG positions on this team. He can work mid-range shots and defend from the four position, or play a post game from the five spot. With Okafor showing so much upside at the center spot, Embiid will likely get minutes elsewhere. His game will certainly come with plenty of hype. But this is one player who can deliver – eventually.

Also this afternoon, Brett Brown gave an update on Joel Embiid's rehab. Here's the report.https://t.co/qFquprEf9H
— brianseltzer (@brianseltzer) December 21, 2015

The challenge is NOT what Joel Embiid can do, but how quickly he can deliver. I am NOT going to get swept up in the expectation. He’s been out of the game for two years, but he’s been working with an NBA team that entire time. That will accelerate his learning curve, but will not eliminate it. I’ll project Embiid in the “Kevin Love/Chris Bosh” category for year one, and project his offense to come in at 25 minutes , shooting 47.5 % from the floor, 12 points per game, 9 rebounds per game, 1 assist and 1 block per game, .7 steals and 1.5 turnovers per game.

Next: Dario Saric

Dario Saric

Small Forward Dario Saric

Dario Saric is nearly as anticipated in his NBA arrival as Joel Embiid’s health. Standing 6’10” and weighing about 240 pounds, Saric plays big – using physicality that belies his age. He’s made it his Croatian forward trademark to play out of the post. There, he has the strength, footwork, and touch to back his man down towards the basket and play through contact. When he sets up in the high post, he is a triple threat, possessing the ability to knock down shots from mid-range if his defender backs off, the quickness and handle to blow by them and finish at the rim if they play him too closely, and the vision to find cutting teammates with pinpoint passes.

But as Saric has developed a perimeter shot, and more and more of his production has come from beyond the arc. Over the first 42 games of the season, 81.3% of his offense came inside the arc and at the free-throw line. During that span, he averaged 15.0 points per 36 minutes and posted a respectable 49.4% effective field goal percentage. His true shooting percentage for this period was 54.4%, and he made 29.5% of the 88 three-pointers he attempted. Late in the season, Saric had averaged 17.4 points per 36 minutes and has posted an effective field goal percentage of 53.6% and a true shooting percentage of 56.8%. Those bumps in production have come as a direct result of greater efficiency from long range – 27.6% of his points have come off of three-pointers over his last 15 games versus just 18.7% during his first 42.

The 2016 numbers are difficult to project for Saric. Expecting his minutes to come in at 25 per game, he should be shooting about 50%, score 14 points per game, 7.0 rebounds per game, 3 assists per game, 1 steal and 1.4 turnovers per game.

Next: Ben Simmons

Dec 22, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) looks to pass over American University Eagles forward Lonnie Rivera (15) in the second half at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. LSU won 79-51. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Ben Simmons

Point Guard Ben Simmons – LSU

Simmons doesn’t shoot three-pointers, and that’s no coincidence. His lack of shooting ability makes him the inverse of what many NBA teams are looking for in of a contemporary power forward. But when he’s surrounded by shooters and allowed to orchestrate everything around him, Simmons’ unique ability to create looks for himself and others can be a powerful offense by itself. Simmons is certainly a star, but he also requires a certain type of roster around him.

It didn’t take long for Ben Simmons to show his potential in the right roster, and why he’s in the mix to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. Through his first five games with LSU, the freshman is averaging 16.2 points (on 53.4 percent from the field), 14.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.4 blocks.

He’s likely the top rated talent in the NBA draft in 2016. If the Sixers end up with that coveted first pick of the NBA draft, the choice is an obvious one. But at 6’10” , many have Simmons projected to go front court – where as the Sixers needs are in the back court and perimeter shooting. Simmons has not yet developed that perimeter shooting game, so why would Philadelphia want him?

What can Simmons bring to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016? Expect 28 minutes per game, 50% shooting and 15 points per game, 7.1 assists per game, 7 rebounds per game, 2 steals and 2.8 turnovers per game. I project him as a point guard, and I am not standing in a crowd on this one.

Next: Point Forward To The Draft

Dec 2, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) reacts after dunking against the North Florida Ospreys during the first half of a game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Point Forward to the draft

Simmons is a point forward, who is listed at 6’10 and 225 pounds. He’s projected to play the three in the NBA, but he looks like a ridiculously tall point guard when he’s delivering beautiful no-look passes to cutting teammates or dribbling the ball coast-to-coast against multiple defenders. He’s a nightly triple-double threat and LSU puts the ball in his hands often since he thrives as a scorer and as a facilitator. Simmons is a very unique player, simply because 6’10 forwards typically don’t have his skill set and can’t move the way he does.

If he’s played as a wing within a two-post offense (say, next to the 76ers’ Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor), his lack of shooting range could be damning. But when used as a power forward alongside perimeter shooters, his singular talent bubbles to the surface. But his talents go beyond the conventional roles and sizes in the NBA. He COULD play in a conventional role, but even more intriguing is to capture his size, unique ball handing, and IQ into the point guard role.

Ben Simmons just makes the right play over & over & over. Unbelievable IQ and passing like a PG #NikeBasketballAcademy
— Aj Diggs (@Jigga2cal) June 30, 2015

The fact is, he does project at the point guard rather nicely. With point guard skills packed in a strong 6’10 frame, Simmons was probably the only player in the recruiting class of 2015 who could have played in the NBA out of high school. He came to the United States from Australia in 2013 and committed to LSU a year later, mainly because his godfather David Patrick is an assistant coach with the Tigers. There will be questions about his outside shooting and defensive ability, but his combination of size and feel for the game is unparalleled for a player his age.

ALSO ON SIXER SENSE: Philadelphia Could Sneak Away With Some Wins

A 6’10” point guard? Perhaps not. But if you are going to go with Simmons, that is the natural position for him to play. Perhaps it’s time for the NBA to be shaken up once more. Oh.. by the way. Los Angeles Laker Magic Johnson played point guard, and he was 6’9″. So yes, it can be done.

What can Simmons bring to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016? Solid point guard play. But before that happens, I will bring you more of the 2016 projected roster. The Philadelphia 76ers 2016 lineup is shaping up nicely. But it’s the bench story up next that will tell the tale.

Bret Stuter

Bret Stuter is the site expert for Ramblin Fan who has covered the Los Angeles Rams for 5 years. Swept up into loving professional sports from a family that listened to games on the radio, he is at home cheering for HC Sean McVay and the Rams. Articles have been featured on B/R, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, Sporting News, and Washington Post. Bret loves to fish, and watch games at sports bars over pizza.