Philadelphia 76ers 2020 New Year’s Resolutions

Raul Neto

By: Christopher Kline

I’ve flipped back and forth between Raul Neto and Trey Burke for a while now. At the moment, Burke holds the edge — his scoring kick is something the Sixers desperately need, for better or worse. Neto should have the edge, though.

In a playoff setting, I’m far more comfortable with Neto in a vacuum. He’s a solid one-position defender, a heady passer, and a smooth spot-up shooter. He fits nicely behind or next to Ben Simmons. The issue for Neto has been aggressiveness, or a lack thereof. He hasn’t asserted himself enough to solve Philadelphia’s core issues.

The Sixers need more ball-handlers who can get dribble penetration, collapse the defense, and create open looks in the halfcourt. Neto should fill that void more successfully than he has so far. While Neto has the necessary tools to dress Philadelphia’s wound, he doesn’t always make use of the entire first aid kit.

Too often, Neto is a passive bystander, simply dribbling up court and watching the play unfold. Rather than looking to get inside, create chaos, or move into open space, he initiates the set and fades into oblivion. If Neto can tick up the aggressiveness just a tad, he becomes an important member of the second unit.