Philadelphia 76ers Should Utilize Small Ball

When you look at the Sixers’ current roster, or at least how it projects in the future, it’s not difficult to understand just how effective they could be from a small ball perspective. Once you get past the fact that they need to move on from one of their excessively plentiful big men, the athletic prowess and positional versatility that Sam Hinkie and then Colangelo have put into this rotation is fairly striking.

Ben Simmons was one of the most prolific rebounders at the college level, averaging upwards of 12 per game while still being utilized as the main facilitator at times during his tenure at LSU. His court vision is possibly the most developed of anybody in the 2016 Draft class, and standing at 6-10 he has the quickness and strength needed to cover any position from center to shooting guard on the defensive side of the ball. It seems likely that he will be the best player on the court for the Sixers on day one, and he could legitimately operate from the five spot as the main ball handler on the court if necessary.

In addition to Simmons, the potential of Dario Saric coming over next season, if not this season, gives them another versatile piece to work with. He runs the court with impressive fluidity and has solely improved upon and already reliable outside shot during his extended stay overseas. While there’s a chance he could get pushed out of minutes by Simmons in a traditional rotation, running out a small ball lineup with Simmons at the five and Saric at the four could put opposing defense on their heels.

Both are capable facilitators when called upon, and have the defensive mobility to guard multiple spots on the floor while still rebounding at a respectable rate. Simmons has the upside of an improved Draymond Green, and Saric could be ideal compliment to run alongside him.

In terms of their perimeter depth, albeit lacking in some aspects, they do have some solid pieces to work with as their development continues. Robert Covington is a rangy athlete with a smooth three-point shot, which would allow him to easily slide into the rotation alongside Simmons and Saric at either the three or two spot in an effective manner. He helps space the floor even further for a team that has lacked that luxury when running out consistently traditional lineups, and gives them another player who can handle the ball and keep the offense moving around the court with excellent rapidity.

Alongside Covington, Brown has the likes of Jerami Grant, Timothe Luwawu, Gerald Henderson, Nik Stauskas, and Hollis Thompson to incorporate as well. Grant is a fluid athlete who could fill a valuable gap both defensively and in transition for Philly, while Luwawu and Henderson are skilled 3-and-D players who could mold seamlessly into the rotation. Thompson and Stauskas give them more shooters to work with as well, further expanding the plethora of options Brett Brown could fall back on with an ever-evolving rotation if he were to incorporate a small ball set. In addition, Furkan Korkmaz will be making his way to Philadelphia next season in all likelihood.

Another benefit of having playmakers like Simmons and Saric up front comes at the expense of the Sixers’ point guards. They have three willing passers who could easily cap off the rotation in Sergio Rodriguez, Jerryd Bayless, and T.J. McConnell who could help them space the floor further and give them another willing passer to boot. However, if they place enough trust into Simmons and Saric as the primary playmakers, they could further impose their defensive capabilities by adding another skilled wing such as Luwawu to the end of the rotation while still retaining ample ball movement.

Richaun Holmes and Christian Wood, if he’s retained, are other solid athletes who could play alongside Simmons in the frontcourt as well, only expanding the possibilities.

Philadelphia’s rotation will likely see a lot of change over the course of the next few seasons, but their core pieces of Simmons and eventually Saric seem relatively guaranteed in some capacity. With the league changing as quickly as it is, throwing out a rotation from time to time that matches up well with the most elite offensive and defensive groupings in the league is certainly a reasonable idea.

Small ball spaces the floor far better than anything we’ve seen from Philly in recent years, and also highlights the strengths of some of their most important young pieces for the foreseeable future. Having the versatility that the Sixers currently have as a viable weapon in the playbook is becoming an incredible bonus in today’s league, and Brett Brown would be almost foolish not to utilize it.

They have the ability to of going big and doing so with some success, but that’s simply not the direction the league is heading. While it may not be the rotation they start out each game with, periodically relying on a smaller rotation could yield plentiful results for the Sixers as they begin to recognize their long term plans.

Next: Setting Up Their Core for Success