Philadelphia 76ers swingman Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot put together a solid rookie campaign — and now he’s looking to take the next step.
I’ve been on the Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot train for quite some time now. After a strong campaign with an elite developmental squad in Mega Leks, he was slotted eighth on my big board heading into the 2016 NBA Draft — just one spot behind eventual third overall pick Jaylen Brown. He had the physical tools and defensive acumen needed to make an immediate impact, while his offensive potential was evident with an up-tempo system guiding his ascent.
When the Philadelphia 76ers nabbed him at No. 24, I was admittedly giddy.
Philadelphia 76ers
Bryan Colangelo essentially managed to piece together two top ten talents in a draft that wasn’t considered all that deep. Ben Simmons brought virtually unheralded potential, while Luwawu had immediate utility as a two-way wing who brought a lot of what Brett Brown needed on the perimeter.
It took a while for TLC to catch on in the regular rotation. He spent a good chunk of the season’s beginning with the Delaware 87ers, while Nik Stauskas, Gerald Henderson and Robert Covington dominated the workload on the perimeter. Once some minor injuries and general improvements allowed Luwawu to get a crack at it, though, he was quickly cemented as a fall-back option for the remainder of the season.
While he never surpassed Stauskas’ playing time, it’s difficult to deny the fact that Luwawu out-performed him — vastly — down the stretch. With Gerald Henderson gone, Jerryd Bayless aging and Justin Anderson boasting some serious concerns, there’s no reason to expect anything less than a consistent role for TLC next season.
There are still some very real imperfections in Luwawu’s game. His 3-point shot fell at a rather uninspiring 31.1 percent last season, while his improved confidence off the bounce did correlate with a few more turnovers when attempting to do too much on his own.
He’s best as a niche scorer who flows well off the ball and plays quality multipositional defense. That type of niche has tremendous importance, though, and it’s one the Sixers will need filled on a consistent basis behind Covington and J.J. Redick next season.
Luwawu was a bit lost earlier in the campaign last year, but his second half performance established just how effective he can be on the offensive end. Even when he’s not creating a ton himself, he’s stellar when moving around screens and working in dribble handoffs as a drive-and-kick man.
His instincts are developed well beyond where they were with Mega Leks, while his vision when driving the lane could translate into some stability as a secondary playmaker further down the line — something the Sixers need plenty of alongside Simmons, Markelle Fultz and Dario Saric.
Brett Brown’s offense is based around motion, which will only become more true with their additions this offseason. Rather than being based solely around Embiid, there will be actions that hinge upon Simmons and Fultz’s playmaking, all of which could benefit from the spacing that comes with a viable shooter and constant off-ball motion. Luwawu makes easy money as a slasher, and his shot — albeit inconsistent last season — doesn’t have any serious mechanical flaws.
His shooting is perhaps his biggest concern. If his shot does remains static, there’s a chance that his value could dip a bit. Stauskas will at least remain a respectable shooter, while Furkan Korkmaz‘s stroke could be enough to garner playing time if nothing else is working. Luwawu already has the instincts and the complimentary skills down pat. Now it’s about upping his consistency.
All of the offensive benefits are accompanied by strong defense, to boot. He’s a more disclipined defender than Anderson, while his physical tools give him the upper hand over Stauskas and Korkmaz. As somebody who thrived in transition overseas, his ability to stick with three positions and play strong defense — which occasionally leads to turnovers, which lead to transition opportunities — is part of what drives his most productive outings.
Next: Top 30 players in Sixers franchise history
As strong two-way piece who brings both youth and immediate production is something Philadelphia needs to latch onto — and Luwawu should be embraced as their go-to wing off the bench moving forward. He’s too talented not to be.