The Sixer Sense
Fansided

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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Jan 9, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) an forward Nerlens Noel (4) in a game against the Toronto Raptors at Wells Fargo Center. The Raptors won 108-95. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) an forward Nerlens Noel (4) in a game against the Toronto Raptors at Wells Fargo Center. The Raptors won 108-95. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Center/ Power Forward / Small Forward

If the team plays Saric to his strengths, then Dario Saric becomes the starting power forward. With a healthy Joel Embiid anchored at center, the first option would be to push Ben Simmons to the small forward position. Perhaps that would work. Simmons can play virtually any position, and so the expectation that Simmons will be comfortable at the three is not stretching the imagination.

In this combination you have the potential to be very good on both offense and defense, and gives way to load the back court with shooting veterans.   Embiid becomes a focus of this offense in the post, and if he can excel in a similar fashion as Jahlil Okafor, the Sixers will be very dangerous.   At small forward, Simmons will be given the point forward role, and will distribute the ball to Saric as a stretch four, to Okafor down low, slice to the basket on his own, or draw defenders to him and dish the ball out to the back court for an easy look trey.

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The strengths of this lineup is that it truly fits what Colangelo wants to do and what the Sixers current roster would be optimally suited for.  If the team retains Jahlil Okafor, he becomes the natural backup/starter as Embiid becomes healthy.  While he will not have the defensive skills of a healthy Embiid, his offense will pressure the other team.   With better looks, the team will find the play of Robert Covington, Nik Stauskas, Isaiah Canaan, and even Hollis Thompson will deliver better accuracy in their perimeter shooting.  Offensively this is likely one of the stronger lineups.

Defensively, the team can rotate in Nerlens Noel, Richaun Holmes, and Jerami Grant in the front court and deflate any hopes of the opposition making a comeback in the game.  This lineup also is not desperately dependent upon top tier free agents in the back court, as the team could slide in a veteran of Carl Landry‘s level of talent in the back court with surprisingly effective results.

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