The Sixer Sense
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Philadelphia 76ers Pursue Ben Simmons w Brandon Ingram?

By Bret Stuter

Feb 8, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid practices prior to a game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 8, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid practices prior to a game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Dario Saric (Croatia) gets a hug after being selected as the number twelve overall pick to the Orlando Magic in the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Dario Saric (Croatia) gets a hug after being selected as the number twelve overall pick to the Orlando Magic in the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

Saric Steps Forward

The first roster spot to fill is the other player debuting for the Sixers this season.  Forward Dario Saric is  perfect complement to Joel Embiid.  Debuting in the NBA at a similar age of 22, standing 6’9″ and weighing in at 225 pounds, he is a curious blend of either power forward or small forward, and will give head coach coveted versatility.  He has great basketball IQ, can push the ball down the court to begin a transition game, can work the boards as well as shoot from the perimeter.  Check out this extract from an article I had written earlier in the year:

"When he moves to power forward, he has started in ten games and been averaging 23.4 minutes per game with 15.8 points. His shooting accuracy jumps to 56.82%, and he maintains a fairly impressive 5.9 rebounds per game, 1.7 assists per game, and 1.1 steals . Anadolu Efes record has been 7-3 with him at power forward."

Despite the promise of converting either Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor to a serviceable power forward, the reality is that the days of experimentation and fitting pegs into misshaped slots has concluded from the moment the Sixers became under construction with news of the first pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.  The roster truly needs a power forward, and Saric gives the team the best option in terms of IQ, shooting, and defense.

With a post game managed by Embiid, Saric can play to his strengths – shooting 50% from the floor and 40% from the arc, and launching an incredible 94% from the foul line.   Saric also brings a physical presence to the boards – scooping up an average of 9 rebounds per game and passing off for 2 assists per game.

Next: Simmons Elitism To Small Forward