Philadelphia 76ers First Strategy Clue – Two Way Players

In a vacuum of information, there is the risk of filling the void with meaningless information. But the Philadelphia 76ers decision makers convened to discuss strategy. Their first clue may shock you.

It happened on February 2nd, 2016. Groundhog day. Punxsatawney Phil had already missed his shadow, forecasting an early spring as a result. But another forecast was happening at the same time. Three of the top four decision makers for the Philadelphia 76ers were meeting during practice today to discuss the team’s plans going forward for the next five years. In attendance were Jerry Colangelo, Sam Hinkie, and Brett Brown. It was by no means a formal power meeting, nobody sat at a table, legs were crossed, conversation was light. But the impact of any consensus reached by these three will carry the Philadelphia 76ers in that direction.

And so, a trade deadline approaches, and an NBA lottery follows that. The team is approaching rapids. So now is a good time for a “systems check”, a realignment of priorities. The three had plenty of fertile ground to cover – the progress of the team, the short term goals of this team, and the long term strategy. President and general manager Sam Hinkie best represents the long term, as his mind shrewdly can place an objective assessment on a player, pick, or trade value as easily as Reuben Franks can cite Philadelphia Eagles trivia. It’s second nature to them both.

Chairman of Basketball Operations Jerry Colangelo is more of the short term goal man. His was the voice that returned point guard Ish Smith to the Philadelphia 76ers, and the team has improved dramatically as a result. He sees an NBA trade as one way to get to a goal. But his vision must be 100% clear as to what and where that goal is.

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Head coach Brett Brown is the tactician, the guy who turn the plan into action, prospects into players, and a group of guys into a team. So his comments to the press today may have become just one quote from a head coach, but to a discerning eye and ear, there is gold in the words.

Why is that so important? Look at the current roster and you soon see there are players who are identified as “two way” players. Brown had already identified Robert Covington and Nik Stauskas as two way players.

"“We’ve asked [Covington] to be a two-way player, to take that skill of shooting, and now go guard. And I feel like we all see him play, the more we all realize exactly how much we missed him when we didn’t have him. He’s coming into his own lately, where he’s making his shots, he’s guarding. And we most definitely need him on the floor for a lot of those reasons. I think he (Stauskas)can grow to be a two-way player. He’s young. And his body is young, and I feel like his better days are well and truly ahead of him. I think that when he focuses on defense, the rest of his game is easier. I’ve been pleased with his desire to be coached. He’s a great teammate. I think he’s got a lot of upside to him.” Brown discussing his interest in developing two way players on the team"

Recently, the migration of Isaiah Canaan to shooting guard has placed his name into the mix as a “two way” player.

I believe we can feel comfortable in the belief that Nerlens Noel is considered strong as a two way player. Without NBA basketball court experience to guide us, I assert that both Joel Embiid and Dario Saric are perceived to be strong in both sides of the basketball court.  So of the 15 player roster, we have six players.   Since Ish Smith and T.J.McConnell have all but locked down the point guard position, you would be safe to place both into the safe-harbor of two-way players. But the Sixers own Jerry Colangelo is a problem solver, and he pointed out the problem with the Sixers team right now.

Colangelo had more to say about the optimism of Ish Smith and the impact one player can make. Does this mean the team will consider one more key player? If not, then how can that be interpreted? Does that make Noel a trade chip, or Okafor? Well, we know that Noel can play offense and defense, so that’s eight players.  How many more make this category?  Can Jahlil Okafor develop into the two-way threat?

"“The best thing I have heard in a while is going into the locker room after the game and having him (Okafor)come to me and say, ‘I have to be a better defensive rebounder. I want to get help to be a better defensive rebounder,’ – Brett Brown discusses Jahlil Okafor"

But has that translated yet? There are signs of improvement, but is it happening rapidly enough? That’s the million dollar question. In an article by Jason Pratt of SB Nation, he analyzed it this way:

"Philadelphia is still bad when the two (Okafor and Noel) have been split up, but the results haven’t been nearly as ghastly. The Sixers’ defense has been quite stout with Noel on the floor without Okafor, giving up under 100 points per 100 possessions in those situations. That’s the mark of a top 10 unit and a continuation of the solid defense the team played at the end of last season as Noel improved."

Right now, the perception is that Okafor is one-dimensional. Perceptions can change, but if he fails to deliver on defense, the team may be force to consider alternatives. That’s just one player. What of Richaun Holmes? Jerami Grant? JaKarr Sampson? Kendall Marshall? With the imminent deadlines approaching, we had projected a blockbuster potential deal involving the Indiana Pacers and the Philadelphia 76ers.  While the actual odds of a deal of that magnitude are indeed remote, bread crumbs are beginning to be dropped as to what this team plans to do moving forward.  But the comments of Colangelo and Brown are telling.   A betting man would lean towards the team moving Okafor if they are dedicated to moving one of the three bigs.   And Hinkie has demonstrated no fears with players who are perceived “untouchable”.  But why bring in Elton Brand if that were the case?

The plot thickens.

ALSO ON SIXER SENSE: NBA Tanking teams Will Complicate Philadelphia 76ers 2016 Draft

The deadline is approaching.  There are many variables at work to bring about a major transaction in professional basketball.  But are the planets beginning to align?  With general manager Sam Hinkie, that is always a possibility.