Philadelphia 76ers, may we approach the bench?

Mix vets and youth

The trick is to mix enough youth and veterans on this team to make sense. A playoff bound team can carry no more than five young developing players on the roster. So that places the team into three categories: starters, veterans, youth.  And that needs to be the average mix of this team going forward.

Right now, the team is carrying Markelle Fultz, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Furkan Korkmaz, and Justin Anderson at the wing position.  Like it or not, that is two players heavy. Even if you consider Anderson and Korkmaz as small forwards, they overlap the cycle of TLC and Fultz. So the team needs to move on at least one if not two players this off-season.

Some players worth keeping

Richaun Holmes, although still developing, is more power forward with an ability to play center. His versatility is enough to keep him on this roster. But the team needs another young player at both center and power forward to develop. So the addition of both international players Pasecniks and Bolden makes sense. T.J. McConnell is a good veteran to back up the point guard role, and Markelle Fultz is the solid young player to develop. Considering TLC a developing backup at shooting guard is a strong possibility.

Next: Richaun Holmes is out of the regular rotation

So that leaves C, SF and SG  as team needs this off-season.  Translated, need dictates targeting free agency for a veteran shooting guard backup, a small forward backup, cut ties with Justin Anderson and Jerryd Bayless, and see what’s available in the draft.  Belinelli could fill the team’s veteran need at shooting guard. Ilyasova could fill the team’s needs at power forward / center. But the fact is that the 76ers have 15 slots to keep. It’s time that the front office stop the impulse buying, trading, and giveaways which have resulted in 33 games of Trevor Booker for Okafor, Stauskas, and that second round pick. It is a simple recipe. Lets hope that front office can boil a championship roster.