The Sixer Sense
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The Simmons Saric Embiid Combination

By Bret Stuter

Apr 5, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) passes balls behind his back before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 5, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) passes balls behind his back before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 5, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) passes balls behind his back before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 5, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) passes balls behind his back before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

One of the most difficult challenges of Philadelphia 76ers president Bryan Colangelo’s career will be the Simmons Saric Embiid combination.

As the brain trust of the Philadelphia 76ers scales the priorities of transactions to prepare for the 2016-2017 season, you cannot help but be somewhat overwhelmed of the possibilities laying at the feet of the team thanks to the austerity of the former president Sam Hinkie.

But now the team is nearly paralyzed with choices which are nearly as numerous as that of a young child seeing the flavor options of Baskin-Robbins ice cream for the first time.  There is such a thing as too much of a good thing.   This off-season, the Philadelphia 76ers are flirting with that theory.

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One of the most curious puzzlers is the ultimate roles for the three newcomers to the team.  As you may guess, the Philadelphia 76ers value versatility, and it was that aspect of the roster which cramped the team development in the 2015-2016 season as so many players were plugged in at numerous positions to compensate for injuries or opponents.  That whirlwind of roles switching will likely slow to a snail’s pace this season.  But with the likes of Joel Embiid, Dario Saric, and a highly likely first pick of the 2016 NBA draft of Ben Simmons, the team will be introducing three more faces to the NBA to compete in the front court – as all three could make a case to start at the power forward positions.

But that cannot be, and the team must acknowledge the need to place the best lineup onto the basketball court simultaneously.  Right now, the team knows that they have both Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel for the center or power forward position, but either or both could become trade-able if the team is convinced that Joel Embiid is fully healthy to the point of withstanding an entire season of NBA basketball.  If that is the case, one of the two centers will be given the bench, while the other will be given the “for sale” sign.

But the combination of Joel Embiid Dario Saric and Ben Simmons is another puzzler.  Similar and yet world’s apart different in many ways.

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