Wendell Carter Jr. could be Joel Embiid’s long-term backup

Wendell Carter Jr. continues to rise up draft boards, and the Philadelphia 76ers should take notice.

The Duke Blue Devils are loaded with NBA talent. Their entire starting five has a shot at the first round in the 2018 NBA Draft, even with recent slippage from Trevon Duval and Grayson Allen. They’re that good.

Perhaps the most underrated prospect in that starting five, however, is Wendell Carter Jr. He’s a consensus lottery talent who doesn’t get much love, largely due to the fact that he shares the frontcourt with Marvin Bagley III.

As the Philadelphia 76ers gear up for their playoff push, it’s also important to keep tabs on this year’s draft class. The Lakers’ pick is likely to convey this season, giving the Sixers another shot at lottery-level talent in a top-heavy draft.

Carter needs to be one of the top names on their list.

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Philadelphia doesn’t need another center with Joel Embiid on the roster, and Carter probably won’t play power forward alongside him. The Sixers aren’t looking for franchise cornerstones, though, and that’s the difference between this year’s draft and what we’ve seen in past seasons.

The Sixers are already competitive, and they should only improve moving forward. As long as Embiid is healthy, Ben Simmons continues to grow, and Bryan Colangelo can pad their depth chart, Brett Brown’s squad is set to be a perinnial playoff team.

That means the draft boils down to adding depth and finding players who fit around their current core. Going Best Player Available is always a good idea, but the Sixers could be persuaded to do otherwise if the right fit presents itself. There’s also a good chance that Carter is the top prospect on the board, depending on where they end up picking.

Amir Johnson has filled in admirably as the Sixers’ backup center this season, but he’s clearly in the latter stages of his career. Bringing him (or maybe even Trevor Booker) back on a veteran minimum contract is an option, but neither offer long-term solutions behind Embiid.

Richaun Holmes will still be on the roster, but Brown has shown little trust in the former second round pick. His lack of defensive awareness is something that, until fixed, will continue to keep him off the floor.

Carter has a much higher ceiling than Holmes while also giving the Sixers a capable defender in the second unit. He has had his issues on that side of the ball this season, but a lot of that ties back to Duke and the Blue Devils’ tendency to avoid playing defense at all costs. It hasn’t been the best team to showcase Carter’s two-way prowess.

Offensively is where Carter fits the Sixers best, though. He has a game that, while not on Embiid’s level, can help fill that void when the All-Star sits. That all starts in the post.

While most modern offenses shy away from post-up possessions, there’s still value in bigs who can work efficiently on the block. Embiid is an example of that, and most of the Sixers’ offense runs through him to some extent.

Carter has drawn Al Horford comparisons for his post work in the past, using a strong frame and excellent footwork to carve out space and score around the basket. He’s also a plus athlete, getting after offensive rebounds and finishing above the rim when needed.

While not necessarily a focal point of his game at Duke, we’ve also seeing some passing skills from Carter. He’s somebody who can make solid reads out of the post and pose a viable threat as both a scorer and passer, something the Sixers don’t currently have when Embiid sits.

For the sake of continuity, that kind of addition could help Brett Brown keep the offense in tact when the second unit takes over. Aside from their stark lack of shooting, that has been one of the biggest problems for the Sixers all season.

At 6-11 with an NBA-ready frame and 7-3 wingspan, Carter already looks the part of an NBA center. He’s also showing signs of a reliable three-point shot, hitting on 48.6 percent of his attempts from range (the sample size is admittedly small). He can play outside the post as well, avoiding the Jahlil Okafor vibe that most fans dread.

This year’s draft class is filled with elite prospects in the frontcourt, and Carter is one of them. He might not have the name value of somebody like DeAndre Ayton or Mohamed Bamba, but his all-around game is worth a look in the back half of the lottery.

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That’s where the Lakers pick, in all likelihood, will end up.