The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Philadelphia 76ers Set Up to Emphasize Either Offense Or Defense

By Bret Stuter

Nov 9, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; The Philadelphia 76ers logo on the warm up shirt of center Jahlil Okafor (not pictured) prior to action against the Chicago Bulls at Wells Fargo Center. The Bulls won 111-88. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 9, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; The Philadelphia 76ers logo on the warm up shirt of center Jahlil Okafor (not pictured) prior to action against the Chicago Bulls at Wells Fargo Center. The Bulls won 111-88. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Philadelphia 76ers are set up perfectly for a new General Manager. With young talent, plenty of options in the NBA draft and free agency, the team can emphasize either offense or defense

The Philadelphia 76ers are virtually a blank slate right now. With a team roster so very young, and with so many options going forward, the team is at a true crossroads. In the next months, that will no longer be the case. Like the first steps into the freshly fallen snow, whichever path we take will limit our options. For now, we can go either to the offensive side, or to the defensive side.

I. Offense – The Philadelphia 76ers are a rapidly improving offense in the NBA. Yes, the team finished 29th in the league, with just 97.4 points per game, but they checked in at mid season at just 91.1 points per game, far distant last to the entire league. And, they lost their top offensive player with more than a month of basketball left when center Jahlil Okafor tore his meniscus and needed season ending surgery.

Who stepped up?   The team began to rely heavily on wing Robert Covington, who began to find the basket after a mid season slump.  As the season rolled along, he grew ever more proficient at scoring:  after averaging 13.1 points per game in November, he slumped in December – scoring just 10.6 points per game, and again in January as he cleared just 11.2 PPG.  But he kept fighting through it, and by February had reached 11.6 PPG, March at an impressive 16.3 PPG, and by April he jumped up to 18.1 PPG.

Another player, perhaps surprisingly contributing on the offensive side, was dependable veteran Carl Landry.  Landry, like Covington, seemed to get his range as the season progressed, ending up in April 2016 with an average of 19 points per game.  With two hot handed players on the roster, and with the anticipated offensive output of arriving Joel Embiid and Dario Saric joining offensive leader Jahlil Okafor, the team has the potential to generate a ton of points out of the front court.

The team has some offensive fire-power in development as well, as shooting guard Isaiah Canaan seems to produce off the bench, and Hollis Thompson is beginning to find his range from the perimeter.   If the team elects the offensive path, there are any number of draft prospects who could contribute:  Brandon Ingram could come in at small forward, Buddy Hield could amp up the shooting guard spot, or any number of productive prospects in the 2016 NBA Draft.

II. Defense – While the Philadelphia 76ers have struggled to excel at defense so far, they have succeeded at the rigors in the past.  In 2012-13, the team tied at ninth in the league with just 96.5 points per game.  That swelled to 109.9 points per game in Brett Brown’s first year, a league last.  But the team improved to 101.0 points per game, good for 20th in the NBA.  Finally, the 2015-16 season found the team at 29th, with a defense surrendering 107.6 points per game.  So what can the team build on if they elect the defensive side of the court?

Well, the team has some staunch defensive players: Nerlens Noel at center has been phenomenal in his defense, earning the nickname of the “Nerlens Wall” due to his presence as a rim protector.  A second player who has great defensive skills is Jerami Grant, who despite playing small forward led the team with blocks with 1.6 blocks per game.   Add the versatility of Robert Covington, who was second on the team with 1.57 steals per game, and the relentless pursuit of undrafted rookie T.J. McConnell, and you’ve got the makings of a foundation for a solid defensive team.    Now add the team’s new newcomers in Dario Saric and Joel Embiid, and you’ve got a solid wall of defense. With Embiid towering at 7’2″, but moving like a small power forward, the team can generate the same dominance as Ralph Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon did when paired at the Houston Rockets.

But to truly break the top ten, the team will need to find an elite perimeter defender.  Perhaps the team can add a veteran presence, as we had discussed in reviewing either Harrison Barnes or Nicolas Batum.  When the team finds their veteran help, the pieces fall into place. The San Antonio Spurs, boasting one of the most stalwart defenses in NBA history, have an incredible front court trio.    The NBA best in 2015-2016 is just 92.9 points per game.

III. Crossroads– Which direction will this team choose to pursue?  You have the head coach with a defensive minded scheme, and a passion for two-way players.   If the 76ers move in that direction- Nerlens Noel, Jerami Grant, T.J. McConnell, and even Robert Covington and Nik Stauskas will likely be on the 2016-2017 roster and welcoming newcomers Joel Embiid and Dario Saric.  But the team has an offensive minded assistant head coach in Mike D’Antoni, an area which improved rapidly in the 2015-2016 season.   If  the team selects that direction, the team will likely build around Jahlil Okafor, Robert Covington, Carl Landry, Hollis Thompson and Isaiah Canaan as they welcome Joel Embiid and Dario Saric.

The key is the conversations happening now between President Bryan Colangelo and head coach Brett Brown. Colangelo alluded to that in a recent interview by Derek Bodner of www.Phillymag.com in a recent broadcast of “Breakfast on Broad”.

"“I think Brett Brown is going to be a big driver in what we do. He coached these guys to be competitive each night. They may not be competitive for 48 minutes, but they were playing their hearts out. That’s a skill in and of itself. He has great basketball expertise, having been in the San Antonio Spurs organization he sees the vision for the way basketball needs to be played. With successful basketball, in terms of the platform, you have to put talent out there to be able to carry it out. We’re going to give Brett the talent, we’re going to try to put him in a better situation in terms of winning.”"

If the team will deliver the goods to Brett Brown, that will certainly lean towards a defensive side of the court. That in itself will be new territory for the son of Jerry Colangelo, who focused on offense in his past.  Perhaps the playoffs will help the team decide.   If Golden State dominates, the Sixers will be wise to embed some small ball features into the team’s makeup.  But if the traditional lineup of the San Antonio Spurs proves to be the key to an NBA championship, then you can bet the team will  emulate their success.

Next: TJ McConnell Is Worth Developing

Which way do you think the team will lean?  Do you see the playoffs impacting the team’s direction?