The Sixer Sense
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Furkan Korkmaz isn’t ready to contribute yet

By Christopher Kline

DENVER, CO - JULY 6: Furkan Korkmaz #30 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on against the the Boston Celtics during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 6, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - JULY 6: Furkan Korkmaz #30 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on against the the Boston Celtics during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 6, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Philadelphia 76ers fans should temper their expectations for the former first-round pick.

Furkan Korkmaz exploded in Summer Leaugue. Or at least part of Summer League. He scored 40 points in the Philadelphia 76ers‘ first game, lighting up the Boston Celtics in Vegas. Then he scored one point over the next two games. Then he played well again.

In many ways, this summer was a microcosm for Korkmaz’s (very young) career. He’s wholly inconsistent, struggling to find stability as he searches for a role with the Sixers. He was always labeled as off-and-on during his time with Anadolu Efes, to boot.

There were definite flashes from Korkmaz this summer. He looked good shooting the ball, flashing the smooth mechanics that got him drafted 26th overall in 2016. His playmaking chops were also a pleasant surprise, operating in dribble handoffs and making some high-level passes on the move.

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He was also dreadful on the defensive end, something that won’t improve against full-blown NBA competition. His inconsistency, until he proves otherwise, is also a major issue. An issue that will keep him out of the rotation next season.

It’s no secret that the Sixers’ need shooting in the second unit. Losing Marco Belinelli and replacing him with Zhaire Smith is going to force Brett Brown into some tricky spots, no matter how good the latter is defensively.

Korkmaz is the perfect theoretical replacement — he’s 6-foot-8 and was drafted to fill that exact role. He’s another shooter who likes to move without the ball, the perfect archetype for Brown’s system and the perfect fit next to Ben Simmons.

Until he improves defensively, though, the Sixers will have trouble keeping Korkmaz on the floor. He’s too thin, getting bullied by strong guards and wings. That, combined with poor footwork, makes him one of the worst defenders on the roster.

His offense to date hasn’t been good enough to overcome that kind of deficiency. He showed flashes of his potential value this summer, but he needs to become more consistent and vastly improve the “D” portion of his 3-and-D label.

The Sixers still need shooters in the second unit, whether it be another free agent or one of the young pieces already on the roster. Korkmaz definitely earned some consideration in Summer League. Landry Shamet is probably the better option at this point, though.

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Korkmaz is still a project going into year two. That project may or may not work out, but his long-term potential is still worth keeping around. Just don’t expect him in the regular rotation next season.