Philadelphia 76ers: How Brett Brown should structure his rotations

Brett Brown will need to delicately balance the Philadelphia 76ers’ unique rotation next season.

The Philadelphia 76ers‘ over-under for next season is set at 54.5 wins. Most pundits expect Philadelphia and Milwaukee to battle for the Eastern Conference crown, as both Toronto and Boston took massive steps back after the respective departures of Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving.

Elton Brand was able to flip the loss of Jimmy Butler and J.J. Redick into the arrival of Al Horford and Josh Richardson. The Sixers have a good chance to once again possess the top starting five in basketball. The bench is tangibly better as well.

There’s a lot to like about the Sixers’ chances, especially in the East. Embiid is primed for another All-Star campaign. Ben Simmons should improve again in his third year. Al Horford will spell Embiid, ridding Philadelphia of their infamous meltdowns whenever Embiid sits.

It will require Brett Brown to smartly and delicately handle a unique rotation, though. Tobias Harris could make or break the Sixers’ defense. How will Brown handle Zhaire Smith and Matisse Thybulle? Who will earn backup point guard minutes? Those are all things Brown must figure out.

As presently constructed, the Sixers should finish among the NBA’s top defenses. The offense, while not ideal in every facet, should produce at a high level. Embiid and Simmons are powerful offensive fulcrums, while Harris, Richardson and Horford are all elite complementary talents.

Here’s how the rotation should look out when Brown and the Sixers open the season.