The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Philadelphia 76ers: Breaking down the small forward battle

By Owen Nelson

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 08: Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first quarter at the Wells Fargo Center on April 8, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Bucks won 90-82. 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 Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 08: Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first quarter at the Wells Fargo Center on April 8, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Bucks won 90-82. 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 Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Philadelphia 76ers didn’t add any small forwards this offseason but they already had a great group of options at their disposal. In this article, I will attempt to breakdown this position battle.

After trading Nerlens Noel for Justin Anderson at the trade deadline last year, the Philadelphia 76ers have some gritty defenders at the small forward position. Robert Covington, Justin Anderson and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot are all, for the most part, exceptional perimeter defenders. It will be a headache for Coach Brett Brown to give all three players a fair amount of playing time.

Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers /

Philadelphia 76ers

Robert Covington

The undrafted stud is perhaps one of the most underrated players in the NBA. Robert Covington ranked first in defensive real plus-minus amongst small forwards, with a large gap (4.32) between himself and second place (3.13). What’s even more impress is that Covington third in the whole league, ranked only behind Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green and Rudy Gobert.  It’s amazingly shocking that Covington hasn’t got the recognition for this, his name never comes up when talking about the league’s best defenders.

The former Tennessee State man started last season horribly from three, he ended up getting booed by those at Well Fargo Center when he touched the ball. That all stopped after his game-winning layup to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves. From then on, Covington raised his three-point percentage to a respectable 33.3 percent. It would be ideal to see that percentage rise this season but it’s not imperative due to J.J. Redick coming into the fold.

We may see Covington play out of his skin this year since it’s a contract year. After seeing average wings getting between $15 million and $20 million, there’s no reason why Covington shouldn’t ask for around the $20 million mark. He’s earned it, his defensive play has won the 76ers games last season. If not the 76ers, someone won’t hesitate in paying Covington a near max contract. I’m sure the 76ers will want to hammer out a contract extension in the early portion of the season.

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot

There was obviously some growing pains last season for Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot but he showed some great promise and potential to one day become an elite three-and-D shooting guard. The Frenchman did struggle from three, shooting only 31.1 percent, but he ranked 14th in defensive real plus-minus amongst shooting guards, for a rookie, that’s incredibly high.

Related Story: Korkmaz or TLC?

Luwawu-Cabarrot will not only be playing minutes at shooting guard, but he will be able to play some small forward as well. Last season, Luwawu-Cabarrot played 62 percent of his time on the floor at the small forward spot, with 37 percent coming at shooting guard. The Frenchman is definitely versatile.

If Luwawu-Cabarrot can take a leap in his three-point shooting percentage then he will soon be on his way to becoming a household name. A potential wing tandem of Covington and Luwawu-Cabarrot could be incredibly effective. Defensively speaking, that tandem could be one of the best in the whole league.

Justin Anderson

After acquiring Justin Anderson from the Dallas Mavericks in the questionable Nerlens Noel trade, he performances have been very inconsistent. For one, he ranked below Nik Stauskas (86th)in defensive real plus-minus. He also was ranked 59th in offensive real plus-minus. These two stats are very poor and if Anderson wants to maintain a frequent role in the lineup, he’ll have to up his performances massively.

One way Anderson could elevate his game is by improving his three-point shot. This past season Simba only shot his threes at a 29.9 percent clip, however, Anderson has shown he can hit shots behind the arc. This was mainly shown throughout his last season with the Virginia Cavaliers where he shot an impressive 45.2 percent.

Must Read: Breaking down the Sixers' depth chart on the wing

If Anderson struggles to find minutes at either wing spots, the 76ers may decide to throw a curve ball and put out a lineup similarly to the Golden State Warriors by inserting Anderson into the lineup as a small-ball-four. Draymond Green is only one inch taller than Anderson, with Anderson’s hustle and effort, he should be able to make the transition.

Verdict

With how Robert Covington has progress throughout ‘The Process’, he should definitely get the nod for the starting job. He’s also a perfect fit alongside incoming rookies Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz; he defends, hits the three ball well and doesn’t demand the ball.

An important trait for a shooter is how he reacts to a bad shooting night. Well, Covington had a poor first half of the last season in terms of shooting, but he was still always willing to take the big-time shots. The most memorable ones being against the Portland Trail Blazers — Covington hit two three-point shots in the last 40 seconds to come back from a four-point deficit to win by one.

I see Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot being the long-term starter, I’m not sure how soon that may be. The Frenchman’s future weighs on whether Covington opts to sign a contract extension. On the other hand, Luwawu-Cabarrot may find himself starting sooner rather than later if Covington has a rough start from three like last season.

Next: Top 10 Sixers entering next season (Part 2)

Anderson may find himself getting lost in this rotation if he can’t take significant strides to become a better player. With his contract expiring 2019, the 76ers may cut their losses and ship Anderson for a veteran, like they did with Jerami Grant.