The Sixer Sense
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Furkan Korkmaz could be a beneficiary of the Sixers’ G-League team

By Christopher Kline

ORLANDO, FL - FEBRUARY 26: A detail of an official Spalding basketball going through the net with an offical logo of the 2012 Orlando NBA All-Star Game during the 2012 NBA All-Star Game at the Amway Center on February 26, 2012 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - FEBRUARY 26: A detail of an official Spalding basketball going through the net with an offical logo of the 2012 Orlando NBA All-Star Game during the 2012 NBA All-Star Game at the Amway Center on February 26, 2012 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Given the Philadelphia 76ers‘ depth on the wing, Furkan Korkmaz may be best utilized in the G-League on occasion.

With the Philadelphia 76ers rapidly trending towards competitiveness, their approach to this upcoming season could vary drastically from those in recent years. The team is trying to win games, which means veteran talents like J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson will get legitimate playing time, while their rotations will be based off of on-court production more so than their long term ramifications. Development is still a focal point, but it’s not longer the only factor driving Brett Brown’s decisions.

Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers /

Philadelphia 76ers

That puts a youngster like Furkan Korkmaz into an interesting position.

I’ve been steadfast in my opinion that Korkmaz could have the highest ceiling of any wing currently on the Sixers’ roster. He’s a smooth shooter and a plus athlete at 6-foot-8, while his vision as a passer has gone vastly underrated during his time on NBA radars. In what was somewhat of a surprise, Philadelphia was able to nab him towards the back end of the first round in 2016, making him a potentially talented contributor at a highly affordable price.

Those contributions may not come this season, though. With Redick and Covington set to man the starting rotations, Korkmaz is immediately put into a tough spot on the bench. He’ll be playing behind fellow 2016 draftee Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, while several contributing factors could lead to the likes of Nik Stauskas and Justin Anderson getting more minutes in the season’s early stages — even if, in a vacuum, they’re less skilled.

Part of the knock on Korkmaz — and perhaps the biggest reason for concern as he makes his way to the States — is strength. He’s extremely thin for a wing of his size, which means stronger opposition can bully him offensively while overpowering him on the defensive end. He’ll have the length needed to bother shots defensively, and his athletic tools are far from lacking, but his frame simply isn’t conducive to immediate production at the NBA level.

He’s also just 19, a fact that often flies under the radar given his status as a draft-and-stash. He was one of the youngest players in last year’s draft, which means he still has a fairly extensive developmental curve left to fulfill. He’s still learning the nuances of the game in some areas, and those are problems that will solely magnify once he tries to make the adjustment to professional ball in America.

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As the Sixers make their push towards the playoffs — and assuming they don’t fall out of that race — the focus for bringing along Korkmaz will likely be centered around development, not playing time. He’ll ride the bench in close games, while Redick will likely be relied upon as a mentor in the locker room. Given the latter’s success as a flat-out gunner from deep, Korkmaz could learn a thing or two from watching Redick on the sidelines.

All of this culminates in the G-League — where we’ll likely see Korkmaz spending a good deal of his time. As the NBA continues to stress the growth of it’s farm league, the Delaware 87ers have been one of the leading forces behind it’s growth. With the team just down the road from Philadelphia (or more importantly, Camden) geographically, Korkmaz could spend time there while still flowing freely between the Sixers and Sevens rosters without any real hitches.

It’d give him time to bulk up physically while still seeing the floor in legitimate minutes, rather than sitting cold on the bench for the season’s majority. He’s already a capable shooter — which may be enough for him to scrap together some NBA minutes — but the remainder of his offensive repertoire, which remains unpolished and inconsistent, would likely benefit from some more refinement.

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Playing with both the Sixers and the Sevens gives Korkmaz the best balance of playing time and developmental work possible, and is likely the best route towards maxing his output down the road.