Philadelphia 76ers: What can Wilson Chandler bring to the second unit?

An expert provides insight on the Philadelphia 76ers’ biggest offseason addition.

The Philadelphia 76ers‘ bench will take on a new look next season, with Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala and Markelle Fultz leading the charge. Chandler was the Sixers’ biggest get this offseason, coming from Denver via trade after an uneventful free agency period.

At 6-foot-8, the 30-year-old Chandler will spend time at small and power forward, backing up the likes of Robert Covington and Dario Saric. The Zhaire Smith injury makes his presence, especially on the defensive end, even more important.

Given Brett Brown’s tendency to stagger rotations, Chandler is bound to see consistent playing time next season. While his statistics have declined in recent years, there’s reason to believe the Sixers can maximize his production in a reduced role.

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We invited Mathew Huff — site expert at Nugg Love — to answer a few questions about the Sixers’ new addition.

1. Wilson Chandler’s production has declined in recent seasons. What do you think is leading to that decline, and which aspects of his game have fallen off the most?

"“The biggest cause I believe is health and age. He is not getting any younger and despite having a bounce back year after the season after he had hip surgery, there always seems to be lingering injuries throughout the years. Chandler can still get it done defensively, but his offensive prowess has taken a hit.” — Mathew Huff"

2. How do you think he fits into the Sixers’ system and what will translate best from his time in Denver?

"“I think he will fit well to be honest. Philly has a ton of young talent, so bringing in a veteran presence will help this squad. Not to mention, having a glue guy like Chandler could really benefit Ben Simmons and his development. His perimeter defense will translate best as the Sixers now have someone who can play guys like Giannis, KD, PG13 and LeBron tough. Obviously he won’t stop these players, but he will be able to at least contain them.”"

3. Removing the 2011-12/12-13 seasons, Chandler has played 30+ minutes per game in every season since his rookie year. Do you think playing fewer minutes per game, therefore keeping his legs fresh, will boost his effectiveness?

"“I do think it will boost his effectiveness. As alluded to earlier, he is not getting younger so it will be imperative for Philly to manage his time. We are seeing vets’ minutes managed more and more in recent years after Spurs’ coach, Gregg Popovich was able to get two more decent years out of future hall of famer, Tim Duncan. It would be smart for the team to use this same strategy on Chandler.”"

Much has been said about the Chandler acquisition over the past month. Some would have preferred that cap space be used elsewhere — Tyreke Evans is one name that comes to mind — but there’s reason to believe the former Nuggets starter can provide real value next season.

Assuming he stays healthy, Chandler has proven himself to be a capable, multi-positional defender. Playing him in shorter bursts, rather than 30+ minutes per game, should allow him to exert more energy on that side of the ball, maintaining (or increasing) his effectiveness on that end.

Excluding his injury-plagued campaigns, last season was the highest three-point percentage of Chandler’s career (35.8 percent). If he has fresher legs, that theoretically translates to his shot. He’ll get plenty of open looks next to Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, and could provide additional value when utilized as a stretch-four.

The Sixers won’t need much from Chandler. As long as he can competently shoot the ball and attack closeouts, he adds value. His defensive aptitude could make him more valuable than Marco Belinelli, especially once the playoffs hit and two-way versatility becomes key.

In the 2017-18 campaign, Chandler averaged 10 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 31.7 minutes per game. It’s reasonable to expect his numbers to remain in that vicinity, although his minutes will likely drop to 20-25 per game.

For more from Mathew and Nugg Love, go read the site and follow them on Twitter here. You can also read Mathew’s piece on the love/hate relationship between Chandler and the Nuggets fanbase.