1. Al Horford’s role
This ties in directly to Milton’s role. If Shake does indeed emerge as the fifth starter, then Al Horford will permanently join the second unit. It seems wise for Philadelphia to make the move permanent, as the Embiid-Horford-Simmons trio has reached an impasse.
Ideally, a three-month break will have rejuvenated Horford to some degree. Not to mention his razor-sharp wit, which always seems to shine through in the playoffs. There’s nowhere to go but up. Even so, it’s not wise for Philadelphians to get their hopes up. Horford doesn’t fit the Sixers any which way.
If Horford maintains his spot in the starting five, then it’s important to monitor how much time he spends next to Embiid. And, more specifically, how much time he spends next to Embiid and Simmons — again, there is far too much overlap when that trio shares the floor.
In the likely event Horford is moved to the bench, it’s worth wondering just how prominent his role will be this postseason. While Horford may still hold the title of fifth-best player on the roster, his skill set brings very little value to the Sixers. He doesn’t fill an area of need when on the court, and the results have often been frustrating.
If Embiid plays 38 minutes a night in the postseason — Brown’s target number — and Simmons hovers somewhere in the vicinity of 40 minutes a night similar to last season, there is very limited time and space for Horford to truly man the second unit. He will almost always need to share the floor with one star, and it’s difficult to imagine him playing only 10 minutes a night.
This is probably the main storyline to watch. Horford is a wild card in a very unexciting sense. Brown’s future could depend partly on how he manages the Horford situation, which will obviously impact the Sixers’ success in some form or fashion.