Philadelphia 76ers 2019 roundtable: New Year’s resolutions
Amir Johnson
By Christopher Kline
The Sixers’ lackluster perimeter depth tends to overshadow the fact that their frontcourt depth is just as bad. Mike Muscala is serviceable and Jonah Bolden continues to show flashes, but neither is ideal for significant playoff minutes against elite teams.
Amir Johnson doesn’t fit that category either, but his sudden deterioration has left the Sixers with two capable reserves behind Joel Embiid and Wilson Chandler — if we’re being generous, that is. It isn’t a great situation.
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Johnson wasn’t bad last season, giving the Sixers a stabilizing force on the defensive end. He helped keep the second unit afloat when Embiid sat, even if his offensive production was minimal. Now he’s an unmitigated disaster on both ends.
The biggest reason is his penchant for fouling. With aging legs, Johnson can’t stick with quicker players on switches, nor can he make swift rotations around the rim. It ends with him hacking away, often getting into foul trouble just minutes into his playing time.
If Johnson could defend without fouling, Brown might still have some use for him. It would also aid the Sixers, who need to keep Embiid (and the other starters) fresh. The Sixers need to target another frontcourt piece if Johnson doesn’t improve.