Philadelphia 76ers: 5 breakout candidates in 2019-20
By Abin Thomas
Which players on the Philadelphia 76ers will take it to another level in 2019-20?
In just under two months, the much-anticipated NBA season will kick off. Fans from all over the world will tune in to witness their teams initiate their season-long campaigns. The Philadelphia 76ers have made various changes to their roster and their championship aspirations have placed a huge load of pressure and expectations on themselves.
The acquisition of Josh Richardson and Al Horford has significantly bolstered the defensive capabilities of the Sixers’ starting squad. With that being said, let’s look at the top five breakout candidates for the 2019-20 season on the current 76ers roster.
5. Tobias Harris
We all know what Tobias is capable of on the offensive end, as seen from his prior seasons in LA and his short stint at Philadelphia. He was heavily underutilized last season in Philly, playing under the shadow of Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid. This had a minor impact on his game, as he took a back seat to Jimmy and Joel to help steer the Sixers to the second round of the playoffs.
Tobias also adopted a different play style after his trade to Philly. Beforehand, since he was the primary scorer on the Clippers, he played with much more freedom and looked a touch more aggressive. His exchange to Philly brought down his 3-point percentage, dropping from 43 percent to 33 percent.
However, this season the Sixers will require much higher productivity form the forward who just signed a five-year, $180 million deal. He will look to have the ball in hand during the late stages of the final quarter. This is a massive void which Jimmy left open. Similarly, as a result of the Jimmy Butler trade, Philly lost a brilliant shot creator, leaving behind no one who is able to create their own shot. This task may also fall into the hands of Tobias, as the Sixers look to maximize the new contract they signed.
This season could possibly be the breakout season for Tobias, as he looks to be more aggressive, whilst also aiming to make an NBA All-Star team.