Philadelphia 76ers: Raul Neto has won the backup point guard battle

The Philadelphia 76ers have a backup point guard who deserves playing time.

This comes from a once-resident of Trey Burke Island — someone who, in the preseason, vouched for Burke getting minutes as the primary lead guard behind Ben Simmons. The Philadelphia 76ers‘ backup point guard battle has a clear, definitive winner. It’s Raul Neto.

You can lament health concerns or style points all day, but until he actually gets hurt, Neto’s health issues are in the past. He might not have the same flash as Burke, but basketball I.Q., efficiency, and defense all lean in Neto’s favor. Basketball aesthetic can’t determine rotations.

Neto has played 28 or more minutes in three straight contests, starting twice in Ben Simmons’ absence. He’s averaging 11.0 points and 4.7 assists over that span, with commendable efficiency and a strong presence on D.

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It’s clear Neto can vastly improve the second unit. He gets dribble penetration, yes, but he’s also valuable as a spot-up shooter, a DHO partner, and a cutter. His I.Q. as a playmaker lies miles ahead of Burke, who despite solid statistical performances of late, has struggled to make advanced reads.

Take the Charlotte game for example. Burke was solid — 12 points, 4-for-8 shooting, four assists — but it was messy. He committed just one turnover, but he also missed several open teammates by not surveying the court in a timely fashion. His tendency to over-dribble is a real problem.

On the other end, Burke is the most exploitable member of the Sixers roster. It’s offset to a degree by the elite personnel around him, but even Joel Embiid and Al Horford can’t entirely negate the impact of an undersized point guard who lacks both strength and awareness.

Neto looks the part of a genuinely useful defender. Brown called him the best defender on the floor in the Sixers’ narrow loss to Utah a few days ago. He’s small height-wise, but he has a thick core to absorb contact and bother stronger, bulkier guards. His lateral quickness, efforts, and instincts are all well-equipped to the lead guard spot.

The Sixers have built an identity around size and physicality, but there is still tremendous value in a strong point of attack defender. As Zhaire Smith‘s development plods along in the G-League, Neto can help fill a momentary gap in the second unit.

Neto’s multifaceted skill set is a perfect fit in Philadelphia’s bully-ball rotation. His defense is legit, and his offensive game complements the roster’s stars. He can shoot or pass out of the DHO, run the pick-and-roll, or work off-ball next to Simmons and Richardson. There are options.

The rotation is bound to change upon Simmons’ return to the starting lineup, but one thing should remain constant: Neto’s involvement in the game plan. Matisse Thybulle still deserves minutes, and Brown will have a few issues to sort through, but it’s abundantly clear Neto needs to be on the floor nightly.