Philadelphia 76ers: The continuous mixed bag of Furkan Korkmaz

Sometimes, Furkan Korkmaz is exactly what the Philadelphia 76ers need. Until he isn’t.

We have talked about the duality of Furkan Korkmaz‘s production before on this very site. He’s a strange player — one few expected to join the Philadelphia 76ers for another season, and one who’s now locked into the regular rotation despite a multi-season slump to start his career.

Korkmaz is Brett Brown’s favorite bomber — a slinky 6-foot-7 wing who can hit 3s, finish with touch, and pump-fake unsuspecting defenders into oblivion. He’s an intriguing talent, made all the more intriguing by his on-paper necessity to Philadelphia.

The Sixers are a team short on shooters. Not open shots, but players who are willing to take advantage of open shots. Korkmaz is hitting 38.6 percent of his 2.8 three-point attempts per game this season. It’s a breakthrough with a large enough sample size to take seriously.

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The problem for Korkmaz is two-fold. While his offense has value, his defense is a perpetual negative. While his defense has improved, there is a meaningful difference between improvement and effectiveness. If you go from laughably bad to quietly bad, you’re still bad.

Korkmaz is the worst defender in the regular rotation — at least when Trey Burke isn’t playing significant minutes. For all the value his quick trigger provides, it’s tough to proclaim Korkmaz as a playoff contributor with any real confidence.

Another issue is his inconsistency. Korkmaz seems most productive when he’s thrust into a considerable role. Early in the season, Korkmaz was the clear minutes leader in the second unit and his numbers — and his confidence — showed it.

As the season progressed, however, Korkmaz’s production slowed. His defense eroded, his shooting wavered from night to night, and Brown became more stringent with his playing time.

Last season, Korkmaz demanded a trade due to a perceived lack of opportunity. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a trade request from someone with less leverage. It’s clear Korkmaz has a high valuation of his talent, and a decreased role could come with bruised confidence.

In the wake of Matisse Thybulle‘s recent injury, Korkmaz saw his production spike again. 21 points against Detroit. 16 points in Philadelphia’s thwacking of Milwaukee on Christmas. He hadn’t scored double digits for three weeks beforehand.

It seems reasonable to tie the volume of opportunity to the confidence and swagger Korkmaz plays with. When the Sixers invest in Korkmaz on the court, he tends to pay dividends — at least in terms of his offensive output. When his opportunities are drowned out by Thybulle, James Ennis, and company, his effectiveness dwindles.

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The Sixers need Korkmaz to find balance — to remain efficient and aggressive, even when his role lessens. If the 22-year-old is going to get minutes in the postseason, that’s the next step.