The Sixer Sense
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Evaluating Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot’s performance

By Michael Bronson

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 5: Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts after making a basket against the Detroit Pistons at the Wells Fargo Center on January 5, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 5: Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts after making a basket against the Detroit Pistons at the Wells Fargo Center on January 5, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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After going 24th in the 2016 NBA Draft, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot has disappointed in his second season with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 2016 NBA draft was a great night for Philadelphia 76ers fans. Along with the selection of likely 2017-18 Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons, the Sixers took a player from France that had potential to be an athletic 3-and-D player in Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot.

TLC averaged 6.4 points, 1.1 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game while playing 17.2 minutes and shooting 31.1 percent from behind the 3-point line during his rookie season. Luwawu-Cabarrot has barely improved his points (6.6) and assists (1.2) per game this season and his rebounds per game have decreased from 2.2 rebounds to 1.6 rebounds per game.

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Even before the he played a game this season, my expectations for Luwawu-Cabarrot were lowered by how he played in Summer League. As an NBA sophomore playing against rookies that haven’t experienced a real NBA game, I expected TLC to dominate. While his 14 points, four assist, and 4.5 rebounds per game in the Utah Summer League doesn’t look too bad, his 8.7 points, 1.7 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game while shooting 29.2 percent in 20.7 minutes in Las Vegas was horrific.

I began to wonder if he made a mistake coming over to play in the NBA last season and should’ve stayed oversees for a few years and watching him play most of this season didn’t change my view.

Not counting Markelle Fultz’s 19 minutes per game due to him missing the majority of this season with an injury, Luwawu-Cabarrot is eighth in minutes per game on the Sixers with 17.3. TLC has managed to score at least 10 points in only 10 of the 47 games he played and shot at least 30 percent from the 3-point line in 19 of them, so he really is a major reason the Sixers’ bench is only scoring 27.6 points per game.

Luwawu-Cabarrot’s disappointing play seemed to make an unexpected turnaround when J.J. Redick’s injury forced him into the starting lineup. He played two of his best games during this period when he scored 16 points while shooting 60 percent from three in the Sixers’ win over the Milwaukee Bucks and scored 20 points while shooting 75 percent from three in the Sixers’ loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

But his turnaround appears to be short-lived, with TLC scoring a total of 12 points and going 2-10 from 3-point range in the Sixers’ recent losses to OKC and Milwaukee.

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It’s too early in Luwawu-Cabarrot’s career to write him off as a bust, but it’s not too soon for the Sixers to be open to trading him before the deadline and looking for a better role player moving forward.