The Sixer Sense
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Should Philadelphia 76ers Consider Center In 2017 NBA Draft?

By Bret Stuter

Dec 14, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) and forward Nerlens Noel (M) and forward Ben Simmons (R) during a timeout in the second half against the Toronto Raptors at Wells Fargo Center. The Toronto Raptors won 123.114. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 14, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) and forward Nerlens Noel (M) and forward Ben Simmons (R) during a timeout in the second half against the Toronto Raptors at Wells Fargo Center. The Toronto Raptors won 123.114. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 13, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers Dionte Christmas (33) drives against Milwaukee Bucks guard O.J. Mayo (3) in the third quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 13, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers Dionte Christmas (33) drives against Milwaukee Bucks guard O.J. Mayo (3) in the third quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /

Delaware 87ers D-League is D Place to Be

The 76ers and the 87ers benefit from a close relationship.  Not only do the teams exchange coaching resources, the 76ers make use of the 87ers to get players rehabbed and share playing minutes with underused prospects like Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot this year.

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With future rule changes in the new collective bargaining agreement, the teams will work even more closely together.  In fact, several players who had caught the eye of the Philadelphia 76ers are currently on the roster of the 87ers.  Their roster includes: guard Cat Barber, guard Dionte Christmas, center/power forward Shawn Long, and forward James Webb III. The team also once held the likes of Brandon Paul before Paul signed a contract to play with Furkan Korkmaz on the Anadolu Efes team in Turkey.

The only problem with all of this raw talent is that most of it centers in the back court.  Only 6-foot-9 248 pound Shawn Long plays center in the D-League, and he projects as a power forward in the NBA.

No centers to speak of.

And so, the pipeline of talent laid every so deliberately and carefully to get the Philadelphia 76ers to this early point in “The Build” is already approaching it’s first crisis.  Will the team respond effectively?