The roster of the Philadelphia 76ers is loaded up with youth, and may be one of the best rosters of tomorrow’s NBA. One young talent, shooting guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, is caught in a paradox. He simply needs playing time. So why not give it to him?
French shooting guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot has been on the radar of the Philadelphia 76ers for a very long time. He is a rare find in an NBA draft, a prospect who has demostrated talent at playing staunch defense, as well as shooting three pointers. So it was understandable when neither the 76ers organization nor the fan base expected him to fall to the 24th pick of the 2016 NBA Draft. He did fall, and fell to a team desperately in need of his skill sets, particularly in light of the arrival of point forward Ben Simmons.
Ben Simmons arrival on the team changes the dynamics of the timing and the make-up of this roster. The team is now, and finding the pieces to compliment Simmons has already begun.
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That’s why the Philadelphia 76ers need to give Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, or “TLC” all the time he needs at the shooting guard position. The only drawback to TLC is the fact that he is raw, and needs to build NBA experience rapidly to keep up with Simmons progress. But that investment is one the Philadelphia 76ers needs to make here, and now.
You see, there is a very specific type of player need now in the company of Simmons with the ball. That player must be able to maintain motion without the ball in his hands, must be able to space properly, shoot from the perimeter, defend well, and have a high basketball IQ.
TLC has it all. In the summer league, his performance, though inconsistent, inspired Josh Wilson to write a very complimentary story about the young man. But the challenge on this roster is the simple fact that the team is stuck in a log jam now at the two position.
Gerald Henderson and Jerryd Bayless were two veteran signings in free agency, and both can play shooting guard. Added to the depth is the fact that the Philadelphia 76ers are still high on young players Hollis Thompson and Nik Stauskas, and there seems to be little playing time left for the rookie at this point. This depth was pointed out in another article, one indicating that TLC will be assigned to the development league this season.
While the numbers may force that alternative, it would be a mistake to make that course a priority. While the 76ers have plenty of players at the shooting guard position now, the final 15 man roster may reflect a different makeup. But no shooting guard needs to pair up with Ben Simmons more than Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot.
Cabarrot is a great defender, in a position where the Sixers have long sought to get good defense. Paired with Noel, Holmes, and Grant, Cabarrot could help the 76ers reclaim a reputation as one of the tougher teams defensively in the NBA. That in itself warrants his inclusion on the 15 man.
But he benefits in two other ways: He can find an incredible mentor in Gerald Henderson, a vocal and spirited leadef on any NBA team his is part of, and a man whose audacity would amplify a natural fearlessness in the younger guard.
Lastly, the time invested now to build team rapport and camaraderie is priceless. Match Simmons and TLC early. Eventually, Simmons will evolve into the point guard, and his teammate will be Luwawu. Setting them up now pays untold dividends two years down the road, dividends which will mean the difference of a win or a loss.
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Some players find motivation by knocking down closed doors. Others are motivated by hearing “you can’t” so often, that they focus on proving the naysayers wrong. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot seems to have a different accelerator. He already has an internal motivator. Now he simply needs to have a cause. Give him that cause. Toss him into an NBA game and let him take his lumps. He may be inconsistent, but he flashes enough to warrant optimism as to his ability to handle the NBA. And his teammate, Ben Simmons, will progress much more rapidly if Luwawu sits while Simmons plays.
I think Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot has something special about him, and the best time to prove that he can be special is now.