The Sixer Sense
Fansided

To Nerlens Noel Two Is Company, Three Is A Logjam

By Bret Stuter

Sep 26, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Nerlens Noel (4) during media day at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Nerlens Noel (4) during media day at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers number one overall draft pick Ben Simmons (R) is greeted by center Joel Embiid (L) during a press conference at the Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers number one overall draft pick Ben Simmons (R) is greeted by center Joel Embiid (L) during a press conference at the Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Tall Ball Is Close To Reality

Right now, the team is flexible.  Head coach Brett Brown is eager to find the right fit for the lineup, and with so many players injured, his task is consuming far too much of his time.

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What he is doing is finding out who works where, with whom, and in what role.  Right now, there is a promising outlook of pairing Joel Embiid with Jahlil Okafor.

Would that evolve into a power forward role for Embiid, much like that shift of Ralph Sampson to power forward to accommodate the arrival of center Hakeem Olajuwon?

With Okafor at center, Embiid at power forward, Dario Saric would shift to small forward, and when a healthy Ben Simmons returns, he slots in at point guard.  The remaining shooting guard role is then between Gerald Henderson (6-foot-5), Robert Covington (6-foot-9), and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (6-foot-6).  In the midst of the off-season, that seemed like a remote possibility.  Embiid was assured he would be center. Simmons was slotted as power forward. Even Dario Saric was projected as a reserve. But right now, it appears that the team is heading for Tall Ball.