It’s Time To Return Luc Richard Mbah A Moute To Philadelphia 76ers

With the Exodus of Elton Brand, the Philadelphia 76ers should consider signing projected free agent Luc Richard Mbah A Moute

He was the man responsible for Joel Embiid.  In fact, it was the presence of Luc Mbah A Moute in the life of Joel Embiid which turned Embiid’s attention to basketball. It was one in a million shot that found Joel Embiid drafted to the team which had just acquired his mentor.  The thrill of the two pairing up on the same basketball court truly ignited the imagination of many.  However, that never came to pass. Joel Embiid sat on the bench for two seasons, and Luc Mbah A Moute was not re-signed by the Philadelphia 76ers. Ah, but the hopes were so much different.

With Joel Embiid finally coming off the bench to play his first basketball in the 2016-2017 season, it would be a very responsible move to place the man who brought him to the NBA into a Philadelphia 76ers jersey for the occasion.  But Luc Richard Mbah A Moute means more to the Philadelphia 76ers than just serving as the escort and mentor to Joel Embiid.

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He was also the man responsible for the Philadelphia 76ers defensive surge in the 2014-2015 season.  In fact, that season as a Philadelphia 76er was his best season offensively – where he translated his 28.6 minutes per game into 9.9 points per game.  But defensively, he stands out.
He can play both power forward and small forward.  Late in the game, he brings the defense to snuff the opposition’s offense time and again.

At one point late in the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the small forward knew a 24 seconds inbound pass would target Andrew Wiggins, so he changed the inbound pass’s trajectory. The Los Angeles Clippers won the game.

"“I saw the cross screen, just read it and went for it,” Mbah a Moute said. “I was trying to make him have a tough catch, so it worked out for us.”"

That type of play doesn’t show up in the stat sheet, but it does make quite an impression on the head coach.

"He does all the different things that don’t show up on the stat sheet,” Clippers point guard Chris Paul said of Mbah a Moute. “He makes the cuts, he does the box outs, and that’s why he’s so valuable for us.”"

It’s that defense and versatility to place the 6’8″  man with the 7′ 1/2″ wingspan at either forward position which makes Mbah A Moute a necessary piece to the puzzle this off-season.

Imagine this lineup.  Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, Luc Mbah A Moute, Robert Covington, Ben Simmons.  With that group on the basketball court at the same time, the defense would be loaded with sky scrapers who would athletic enough to guard smaller players.  The wing span on that crew would crush passing lanes and complicate the lives of even the fastest shooters.

While we don’t have the compass points for the team on whether the team will go offense or defense, we do know that the Philadelphia 76ers will benefit from an emphasis on defense.  To get there, they would do very well to bring in a defensive standout, particularly one who knows the team and who has known one of the key players since his childhood.

Next: The Ultimate Philadelphia 76ers Guide to NBA Free Agency

Luc Richard Mbah A Moute may be from Cameroon like Joel Embiid, but it’s time for the Philadelphia 76ers to bring him home.  Even if just to be court-side when Joel Embiid steps onto his first NBA basketball court.  Some things need to happen because they are the right thing to do.