The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Joel Embiid Could Thrive At Power Forward Position

By Bret Stuter

Apr 8, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Injured Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) practices prior to a game against the New York Knicks at Wells Fargo Center. The New York Knicks won 109-102. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Injured Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) practices prior to a game against the New York Knicks at Wells Fargo Center. The New York Knicks won 109-102. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 3
Next
Dec 11, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (R) and center Jahlil Okafor (M) greet Detroit Pistons forward Stanley Johnson (L) prior to game action at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 11, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (R) and center Jahlil Okafor (M) greet Detroit Pistons forward Stanley Johnson (L) prior to game action at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Addition by Addition

The team has been open minded about the best fit for Ben Simmons.  They should be equally receptive to allowing Embiid’s skillset, not height, determine the best fit for him on the basketball court.

Why is this an important step?  The goal must not deviate from creating the best long term champion caliber team.  Trade rumors are fun for debate and speculation.  Future draft picks are excellent uses of imagination.  But the here and now of this roster should be fully understood before the team inadvertently surrenders a piece of the roster on a hunch or a guess.

With Okafor scoring at the post, Simmons serving up pinpoint passing, and Embiid handling the mid-range and three point shooting, this team will have three key pieces in place.  The linchpin to this scenario will be determined when Embiid’s scoring at mid and long range proves to be authentic or simply a mirage of an open gym.

And what of Dario Saric?  He can slide to the small forward role.  While that may not ideally suit him defensively, his long range shooting would be a very nice addition to the other three players.  A tall shooting guard, perhaps Robert Covington, would be the final missing piece.

Yes, there are rumors of adding players from other teams.   Perhaps the team will do so as free agency winds down.  But the goal of free agency was not to add expensive players now who will consume valuable playing time and then move on to another team.  The goal for this free agency is to add players who can contribute quality minutes, pick up starts until the team’s younger players earn the right to start, and to give their teammates NBA quality mentoring.  To that end, the team has had a very successful off-season. 

Next: Philadelphia 76ers Test Grant And Stauskas On Vegas Roster

Brett Brown has stated that the team is not positionally balanced.   He is correct.  But the fix does not need to be trading players.  It can simply evolve into moving players into other roster roles. If the team move Embiid to the four and if Saric arrives, migrate him to the three, theoretically, the team could slide either Richaun Holmes or Christian Wood to the five spot as a third center for spot minutes.  At season’s opener, the best 15 players need to be on the roster.  Right now, that should persuade the team to alternatives rather than pay a steep premium to have another team take one of our centers off our hands.