Refreshing our rankings for every player on the Philadelphia 76ers’ roster.
The Philadelphia 76ers are 40-23, half a game behind Indiana for third in the Eastern Conference. It has been an unexpected season for Brett Brown’s squad, with new GM Elton Brand making multiple high-profile acquisitions on the trade market.
With that being the case, it’s only natural to re-examine our preseason rankings for every Sixers player. Through Brand, there are eight players on the roster who weren’t there when the season began. That’s roughly half the team.
Names like Robert Covington and Dario Saric have shifted to Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris. Even the two-way contract situation has changed. For reference, here’s our tally from before the season — 11 individual lists averaged into one composite ranking.
- Joel Embiid
- Ben Simmons
- Dario Saric
- Robert Covington
- J.J. Redick
- Markelle Fultz
- Wilson Chandler
- T.J. McConnell
- Mike Muscala
- Zhaire Smith
- Amir Johnson
- Furkan Korkmaz
- Landry Shamet
- Jonah Bolden
- Shake Milton
- Jerryd Bayless
- Demetrius Jackson (Sept. 15, 2018)
Things have changed … quite a bit. Akin to last time, 11 contributors volunteered their rankings, which were averaged into one definitive list for the new-look 2018-19 Philadelphia 76ers roster. The criteria were simple: best player, not necessarily best fit.
Here are the final results.
17. Haywood Highsmith
Haywood Highsmith was the third player to sign a two-way contract player for the Philadelphia 76ers this season. His signing came after the release of point guard Demetrius Jackson from his two-way contract in January. Prior to being signed by the Sixers, Highsmith showed real promise as a 3-and-D player with Philly’s G-League affiliate the Delaware Blue Coats.
The undrafted rookie has seen most of his playing time with the Blue Coats this season. He’s averaging 12.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.5 blocks, 1.8 turnovers and 1.7 fouls, while converting 42.1 percent of his shots from the floor, 33.9 percent of his three-pointers and 63.6 percent of his free throws. His NBA numbers aren’t nearly as impressive.
Highsmith has only logged nine minutes with the 76ers thus far this season. In two games with the Sixers he’s averaged 1.5 points, 0.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists, while shooting 50.0 percent from both the field and three-point line.
There’s no doubt that Highsmith has the potential to be a 3-and-D player in the future. He’s a 6-foot-7 and 220-pound wing that down the road has the potential to come off the bench for the Sixers as part of the rotation.
However, the struggles with his shot has seemed to have set him back a bit. When the Sixers had signed him in January he was shooting 40.2 percent from downtown. For his shooting to drop from 40.2 percent to it’s current 33.9 percent shows a serious cause for concern.
If he can’t get his shooting fixed, it’s more than likely that he won’t see anymore time with the Sixers unless injuries were to occur. The bigger concern for Highsmith would be is that if he can’t fix his shot his future with the club may be in jeopardy.
16. Justin Patton
If you could sketch what the perfect type of center would be for the 76ers it would go something like this: Big, mobile, rim protector and a soft touch from outside. Justin Patton checks off all the boxes. The problem is, his attributes have been seen more on paper than on the court.
The 7-foot, 241 pounder was the No. 16 pick in the 2017 draft and has played a total of one NBA game due to almost constant foot problems. He was part of the Jimmy Butler trade with Minnesota on Nov. 12, but was unable to play at the time. He finally got going in late January and was slowly worked into the Delaware Blue Coats lineup. In seven games he’s averaged 11.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks, and he did it in just 18.1 minutes per game.
With injuries to its top two centers, Patton was finally called up to the big club on Feb. 28 but he did not get in the Sixers win over Oklahoma City. There are plenty of people who are tantalized by Patton’s potential and would like to see him get some NBA action. He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season so it would be nice to see what he can do.
Whether, in the middle of a playoff seeding push, coach Brett Brown sees a role for Patton is to be determined.
15. Shake Milton
As a 76ers rookie, things obviously could not go completely smooth for Shake Milton, because they never do.
The ‘Sixers Curse’ struck Milton on Feb. 5 when he broke his finger. It was decided there was no need for an operation, but he is expected to be out ‘a long time’, as coach Brett Brown put it.
The timing could not have been worse as Milton was not only getting some playing time with the 76ers, he was getting something Markelle Fultz never achieved, being part of the closing unit at the end of a game.
As the 54th player taken in the 2018 NBA Draft (by Dallas, then traded on draft night to Philly), the 6-foot-6 combo guard Milton seems like a steal. He is on a two-way contract and for the G-League Blue Coats averaged 23.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 17 games. For the 76ers he played 13 games, with his last appearance on Feb. 2 where, in a loss to Sacramento, he played 20 minutes, scored six points and was a +10 overall.
If he can come back in time to round into shape for the playoffs, Milton could very well ‘shake’ up the rotation.
14. Amir Johnson
This past summer, Amir Johnson re-signed with the Sixers on a vet minimum. Johnson had a decent year in 2017-18. He appeared in 74 games and registered a defensive rating of 103, which was tied with Robert Covington. Johnson also shot over 50 percent from the floor and finished fourth on the team in offensive rebounds and blocks. His spot in the playoff rotation evaporated, once Ersan Ilyasova found his role as the backup center. Re-signing Johnson was a neutral move.
Johnson is at No.14 on our list because he has unfortunately regressed. He’s been out of the rotation for weeks. Johnson was once a starting power forward (vintage Amir Johnson would be an awesome backup center on this team), and is now a reserve center that only cracks the rotation in garbage time or due to frontcourt injuries.
His role on offense has diminished even further, and defensively the only players he can guard are lumbering big men. Amir Johnson is only 31, but he’s in his 13th year and the basketball lifer’s miles are showing.
Last week, Johnson requested to play in a Delaware Blue Coats game. Not many NBA vets would ask to play a G-League game after falling out of the rotation. Johnson was drafted out of high school, and wanted to stay sharp by playing in a minor-league game that he didn’t have to.
A rampant complaint of the Process years was the lack of a veteran leader. The Sixers have just that in Amir Johnson. He no longer has the quick-feet and athleticism that made him an efficient two-way player, but his high-character and leadership are what makes him a great Sixer.
— AJ Iezzi
13. Zhaire Smith
Only the Philadelphia 76ers would have a first-round pick’s season waylaid by sesame seeds.
Zhaire Smith was expected to provide a lockdown super-athletic wing defender the Sixers desperately need. Those plans did not change even when he was not expected to begin play until December due to a broken foot (Ben Simmons’ disease) suffered in August.
However, a severe allergic reaction to either sesame seeds or a food product with sesame oil caused him to be hospitalized and suffer a severe drop in weight. While this weekend he should have been chasing Steph Curry around as the NBA champ Warriors visited the Sixers, he was instead up in Maine for a Friday night G-League game, as the Delaware Blue Coats played the Red Claws for his very first game action of the season.
When the Sixers traded for the 6-foot-4 Smith after the Phoenix Suns took him with the No. 16 pick (in return for Mikal Bridges and a 2021 Miami unprotected pick), the team was under no illusions he was a finished product.
Having played mostly power forward at Texas Tech, it was going to take time for him to learn the skills to play guard. But he was expected to be able to contribute quickly as a wing defender thanks to his natural athletic ability. In just a couple of light practices with the big club, coach Brett Brown says Smith has a natural ‘bounce’ to him.
If recent additions James Ennis and Jonathon Simmons continue to play poorly, maybe Smith still has time to help the Sixers.
12. Furkan Korkmaz
A meniscus tear will keep second-year wing Furkan Korkmaz out for the remainder of the regular season as he is expected to be sidelined for at least four weeks.
He has not played since a loss on Feb. 12 against the Boston Celtics.
Before the injury, Korkmaz was a 5.8 point per game player who only found valuable rotation minutes on occasion. Much of his time has been spent as a three-point specialist to help space the floor.
The 21-year-old recorded a season-high 18 points twice and it happened in consecutive December games against the Pistons and the Nets. Korkmaz has shown he is capable of a hot hand.
Korkmaz is dependent on his three-point shot falling and his overall impact on games is limited as a result. He hits about one third of his long range attempts.
He has shown some improvement on defense but has also been a liability at times. Opponents are shooting an overall 48.6 percent and 44 percent from beyond the arc with Korkmaz as the primary defender.
In the playoffs, it will be difficult for a post-surgery Korkmaz work his way onto the court in key moments. As rotations typically shrink from the regular season to the postseason, Furkan may find himself in the same situation as last year’s Rockets with Luc Mbah a Moute: out of the equation in many games.
However, if Korkmaz can find some quality minutes and show that he can be more consistent as a shooter, he has the potential of playing a poor man’s Kyle Korver-type role.
11. James Ennis III
The season hasn’t played out exactly as James Ennis III had probably hoped. This past offseason, he signed with the Houston Rockets and was supposed to serve as one of their replacements for Trevor Ariza as a “3 and D” guy.
Ultimately, Houston decided to go a different direction from Ennis, as they traded him to Philadelphia for draft considerations.
Philadelphia had been working to retool their bench following the trade for Tobias Harris. In Ennis, they hoped a change of scenery would help jump start his season. Thus far, it hasn’t exactly panned out, as Ennis is still trying to fight for playing time in the rotation and is averaging less than three points per game for Philadelphia.
Currently, Brett Brown has been playing two of the three among Furkan Korkmaz, Jonathon Simmons, and Ennis. Unfortunately, none of the three have forced his hand into giving them more playing time.
Ennis hasn’t been producing the way Philadelphia had hoped and oddly has been lacking on defense, but he does still have the look of a potential “3 and D” player. At 6-foot-7, his length allows him to get into passing lanes and make life difficult for other teams wings. On offense, he has quietly put together strong shooting percentages from the corners. Per NBA.com, Ennis is shooting 44.4 and 41.7 percent from the left and right three-point corners, respectively.
For the remainder of the season, Ennis needs to play hard nosed defense when given the chance and continue to work as a floor spacer with his strong corner three efficiency. If he can do that, he’ll force Brett Brown to give him more playing time.
10. Jonathon Simmons
Jonathan Simmons has had a rough start to his Sixers career. He’s still trying to find his role on offense, and up until Furkan Korkmaz’s injury, was fighting for playing time with two other players.
Simmons is a below-average shooter, has a herky-jerky handle, and at times, can look out of control with the ball in his hands. His scoring will most likely come from stand-still jumpers and easy buckets near the rim.
Simmons’ shortcomings on offense and small sample size have led to his No.10 ranking among our writers. Defense is where Simmons has the chance to make his greatest impact on the Sixers. He clawed his way into the NBA by being an active defender and a finisher at the rim. Simmons may not have the bounce he once did, but he still has the tools to benefit the Sixers on the defensive end of the floor.
Brett Brown said there will be a “tournament” between Simmons, Ennis, and Korkmaz for the main backup wing spot in the rotation. Korkmaz is hurt, Ennis hasn’t received many minutes or done anything to impress thus far, and Simmons looks like he could receive legitimate minutes moving forward.
I think Simmons will eventually do more to win over Sixers fans. He’s an intense player and a capable defender. There’s a solid chance James Ennis cuts into some of his minutes eventually, due to his three-point shooting.
Going forward, I expect Simmons to maintain playing roughly 15 minutes a night, and will have a playoff role similar to Justin Anderson last season — brief runs off the bench to be a tough, switchable defender. If the Sixers can resurrect Simmons’ San Antonio success as a live-body energy-man, he could become an interesting piece moving forward.
— AJ Iezzi
9. Jonah Bolden
Jonah entered the 2018-19 season as an intriguing young piece. Despite an uneven summer league performance, Bolden looked primed to be gunning for significant minutes as the backup to Joel Embiid.
After playing sparingly throughout a good chunk of the start of the season, Bolden started to earn a majority of the backup center minutes. He had a very solid stretch of games in mid-January before the arrival of Boban Marjanovic pushed him back to the end of the bench. Following four straight DNPs, his playing time has been revived of late in the wake of injuries to Joel and Boban.
Bolden’s game has gradually improved over the course of the year. He’s a very active body on defense and has proven to be a solid interior defender. He is still foul prone and his instincts are a work-in-progress, but that’s to be expected from a rookie big.
Offensively, he has shown some promise. His three-point shooting has been progressing and he has the potential to be an effective roll-man. He’s not necessarily a threat in halfcourt sets yet but he can really get out and going in transition.
Looking ahead, expect Jonah to still get a decent amount of minutes off the bench. Though it appears as though Boban has firmly entrenched himself into the backup center, the Sixers could still turn to Bolden due to Boban’s limited skillset. His athleticism and motor could certainly help this team push the pace while letting Joel get much-needed rest.
8. T.J. McConnell
It happened again. Most fans were out on T.J. McConnell coming into the season, expecting Markelle Fultz to return to form and absorb his minutes. That obviously didn’t work out, leaving T.J. — per usual — as one of Brett Brown’s most trusted reserves.
There’s constant debate regarding McConnell’s skill set and fit, but he adds value through the intangibles. He’s comfortable in Brown’s system, hustles on defense, and tends to change the tempo of games with his assertiveness.
McConnell is the classic underdog story, which fits Philadelphia quite well. He’s undersized and lacks athleticism, but still makes an impact through grit and high-I.Q. basketball, as cliche as it might be.
Long term, it’s reasonable to question T.J.’s future with the organization. He’s a free agent next summer, where other teams might be able to outbid the cash-strapped Sixers. He’s also an odd fit next to Ben Simmons and Jimmy Butler. Add in his defensive liabilities, and the Sixers might finally move on.
There’s also reason to believe otherwise, though. Brown continues to show faith in McConnell, warranted or not. T.J. has also been a positive locker room influence, forming friendships with star players and constantly hyping the bench. His handling of the Fultz saga cemented that.
As the season progresses, McConnell will continue to get sizable minutes off the bench. His playing time will likely decrease in certain matchups once the playoffs hit, but expect him to play as prominent a role as anyone not named Mike Scott in the second unit.
7. Mike Scott
Mike Scott comes in at No. 7 on the list. Since being traded to the Sixers, he is averaging 7.0 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and shooting 45 percent from three on 3.6 attempts per game.
Mike Scott is an upgrade from Mike Muscala due to his ability to defend multiple positions, stretch the floor, and score off the dribble when need be, and attack the rim. Mike Scott has played center at times during the stretch in which Joel Embiid and Boban Marjanovic have been injured. He has been a solid defender of players bigger than him due to his strength.
Scott also brings a swagger to the team like no other. His has a J.R. Smith/ Nick Young-esque attitude to him that is great for this Sixers team. The problem with a lot of contending teams is that they struggle to let loose and enjoy themselves, playing so serious all the time. It’s beneficial to have a guy like Scott, who through post-game interviews, you can tell is a funny guy and great locker room player.
Mike Scott’s shooting is imperative for this Sixers team, especially after losing its second best shooter in Landry Shamet. He is a dead-eye shooter who can shoot over most defenders no matter how well they are contesting him, which is not a common trait to have even in today’s NBA.
Scott has a well-rounded two-way game that will be useful in the playoffs. Expect Scott’s minutes and responsibility to increase as the year goes on, as well as his play as he gets more comfortable with a new team. Mike “Emoji Tats” Scott is a great asset the Sixers added this year.
6. Boban Marjanovic
Boban Marjanovic. The new crowd favorite in the Wells Fargo Center. Boban comes in at number six on the list.
Bobi is one of a kind. Boban was the second-fastest active player to 1000 career points (behind Joel Embiid) and did so in just 1500 minutes. Boban has been a blessing since being traded to the Sixers. The backup center position was a hole that needed to be filled and Boban did just that. Since joining Philly, he is putting up 9.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and shooting 71.1 percent from the field in just 17 minutes per game.
Boban has already captured the hearts of all Sixers fans. From his uniquely amazing personality to his tip-toe dunks and being the team’s big friendly giant at 7-foot-3. The bromance between Tobias Harris and Boban is one of a kind and is cherished by everyone in the NBA.
Boban’s game fits perfectly for this Sixers team. Boban cannot play many minutes due to his size, but that is all the Sixers need from him due to Embiid playing 30+ minutes per game. Boban can defend the rim, grab rebounds, and has superb playmaking skills for a big from the elbow. That, along with him being able to makes shots over his head without looking at the basket and dunking on opponents without jumping.
Boban is an energy guy for the team and his role is imperative for the Sixers’ success when Embiid is off the floor.
(P.S. Boban has the highest PER of all-time.)
5. J.J. Redick
In his second season with the 76ers, J.J. Redick has proven himself essential to this young team’s success. 13 seasons into his career, the Duke product is averaging a career best 18.1 points per game. A threat to score 25 on any night, Redick is one of the most underrated players you will find in the NBA.
In his absences this season, it is clear that the spacing Redick brings to the 76ers is essential if this team plans on making a postseason push. Despite having the third worst shooting season of his career, he is still shooting the three at 38.6 percent, which puts him above the league average. Even on an off night, the Sixers look to Redick when the game gets to crunch time because he won’t hesitate to get his shot.
The consummate pro, J.J. Redick has been one of the backbones of this team over the last two seasons, and there is little to no doubt that he will continue to produce the rest of the season. For the 76ers to make a playoff run, 15 points on 5-8 shooting is going to be essential, and Redick has shown that he is up to the challenge time and time again.
Redick being ranked fifth on this list is no knock on his abilities, it just shows how talented the 76ers’ starting five is. With Redick set to be a free agent this summer, re-signing the sharpshooting guard should fall high on Elton Brand’s to-do list.
4. Tobias Harris
Tobias Harris comes in at four on this list, but his seamless fit with the Philadelphia 76ers could see his value to the team rise. He can handle the ball well and he hits 43.2 percent of his threes and his efficiency from beyond the arc spaces things out for Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, making them more productive.
His defense brings him down, though: he has the fifth-worst defensive box plus/minus (-1.0) on the team out of players on the roster who have played more than 100 minutes. He also boasts a worse defensive rating (110) than Amir Johnson, T.J. McConnell, and Jonathon Simmons.
He has not missed a beat since coming over from the Los Angeles Clippers, where he served as their primary scoring option. Although he plays with prolific scorers like Joel Embiid, Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons, and J.J. Redick, he has averaged one more point since joining Philly, dropping 21.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game.
Harris is a one-way player, but his offensive presence makes the entire team better. And defensively, he still has better numbers than Dario Saric and Wilson Chandler, the power forwards who preceded him with the Sixers this season.
Acquiring Harris seems to have given the Philadelphia 76ers the catalyst they need going into the playoffs, and they now have a legitimate threat at every position in their starting five.
3. Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler’s season has been a rollercoaster. It began with an awkward, tumultuous situation with the Minnesota Timberwolves in which now ex-Timberwolves coach, Tom Thibodeau, tried to keep Butler and salvage the team. After only playing ten game with Minnesota, Butler was traded to Philadelphia.
With Philadelphia, Butler found immediate success. He hit two buzzer-beater threes within the first couple weeks of joining the team. Butler appeared to be a great addition in that his near career high three-point shooting helped space the floor while he also served as their late game hero.
Yet, as has gone with Butler, things weren’t perfectly smooth. Reports were leaked that him and Brett Brown had a fiery back-and-forth and that both him and Embiid were unhappy with the way they were being utilized. The reports led to rumblings from those outside the organization about whether Butler fit with the team or was worth the headache.
Of course, talent wins out and winning cures all.
Since those rumblings, Philadelphia added Tobias Harris and went from a potential three-way power struggle to a four-man star studded affair.
The qualms about shot selection and play calling have grown quieter. In fact, the biggest issue recently has been Butler’s passivity. Over the next 19 games, Butler will need to continue to assert himself. He should look to attack the basket and put pressure on the other team’s bigs just as Embiid does. From there, Philadelphia will be able to further dominate with their size.
With Embiid scheduled to come back soon, Philadelphia will look to continue to quickly learn what works best for one another in time for the playoffs.
2. Ben Simmons
Coming in at the No. 2 spot is second-year point guard Ben Simmons, the same spot he was at before the season began. Though there were some outliers who disagreed about his spot, most of TSS had him firmly at two.
It is easy to see why Ben is here. For starters, there is a 7-foot-2 center by the name of Joel Embiid who unanimously garnered the top spot. And while the Fresh Prince certainly has most of the tools necessary to take over the league, his obvious lack of a jump shot keeps him from joining that elite tier of NBA players — for now.
The reigning Rookie of the Year is having another impressive season, and has improved in almost all aspects of his game. Currently, he is averaging 17.0 points, 7.8 assists and 9.0 rebounds per game.
More from Sixers News
- 3 Sixers players who could help Team USA Basketball
- 76ers 2k24 ratings: 3 most underrated players on Philadelphia roster
- 76ers head coach Nick Nurse bares lofty plans for Paul Reed this season
- Grade the Trade: 76ers swap Tobias Harris for superstar PG in mock deal
- Breaking Down Bombshell Report on Sixers Star James Harden
His scoring and rebounding is up since last season, albeit just slightly. His assists are down 0.4 from last season, but given the roster shakeups and his increase in scoring, this is understandable. His turnovers are also up from last season, which is something that a lot of Sixers fans hope he starts to bring down. But, he only began running an offense for the first time last year, so we’ll cut him some slack for now. Ideally, averaging fewer than three turnovers per game should be the mark Ben aims for.
Big Ben is scoring at an impressive rate, converting 57 percent of his field goals, which ranks 13th in the league. Simmons is the only player not listed as a power forward or center in the top-20 for field goal percentage. While this can be attributed to the fact that he is taking 87 percent of his shots within 10 feet of the basket, he has been attempting more mid-range shots and has even taken two legit (!!!) NBA three-pointers.
While he makes only a small percentage of his jumpers, his increased willingness to take them should give Sixers fans a little hope. His poor free throw rate (58 percent) still makes him somewhat of a liability towards the ends of the games, but he has had the occasional 80-90 percent showing from the charity stripe.
Ben has also shown improvement as a defender. His quickness, along with his 6-foot-10, 230-pound frame, allows him to seamlessly switch and defend guards, wings and even some centers, which is invaluable for the Sixers’ switch-everything defense. While he has been lackadaisical at times, he’s proven that he can lock down opposing players when it counts and make some clutch plays, such as this late-game block on Stephen Curry on Jan. 31.
Moving forward, we can expect Big Ben to continue to be a well-rounded young star who seems to do everything on the court except shoot. The addition of Tobias Harris and the attention he requires on the outside should only free up space in the lane for Ben to take advantage of. While his jump shot is still relatively nonexistent, it is encouraging to see him actively working on it and taking more in games.
Ben has one of the most well-rounded skill-sets in the league, and he is still only 22. As the new lineups start to mesh, it will be exciting to see Ben lead the offense hopefully in a deep playoff run.
1. Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid has played his way into first-team All-NBA status this season. He is currently sidelined with a knee injury but has mostly been available as he has played 54 of a possible 62 games. He has also averaged a career high 33.7 minutes per game.
While Embiid appears to be on the outside of the MVP race, he will be instrumental in Philadelphia orchestrating wins down the stretch as they look to take the third seed in the Eastern Conference.
The season hasn’t come without issues as Embiid has broadcasted his disdain for the number of three-point attempts he has taken and had a moment with Ben Simmons after an incidental elbow to the head. However, Embiid does appear to be coming into his role as the alpha on a team with potentially four max-caliber players.
On the year, Embiid ranks fourth in the NBA in Efficiency, per NBA.com. He’s scoring at the sixth-highest per game rate in the league and contributing 2.5 stocks (steals and blocks) a game as he continues to show dominance on both ends of the court.
Going forward, Embiid will need to return to the court healthy and assertive. For all the talent Philadelphia has compiled, Embiid remains the unquestioned best player. As he returns, so should Redick’s full speed run-arounds and a strengthened post defense.
The final 19 games of the regular season should be dedicated to locking up the three seed and gathering a further understanding of each top players role.