Furkan Korkmaz may be the Philadelphia 76ers’ sharpshooter of the future.
I’ve been a vocal opponent of Furkan Korkmaz as a postseason mainstay in the past, but it’s abundantly clear that Brett Brown values the 22-year-old’s contributions. As arguably the best shooter on the roster, Korkmaz is expected to maintain a significant role during the Philadelphia 76ers’ stay in Orlando.
When talking to the media this week, Brown heaped praise on Korkmaz and his skill set.
"“You forget his size at times, you forget his ability to pass at times, he’s very clever, like Euro (Marco) Belinelli clever with floaters and different reads on things and I think all of that has been realized in a pronounced way this season. We’re going to ask him to keep that going in the playoffs. We need his ability to shoot the ball and, in general, score in many ways once, especially, the playoffs roll around.” (via Ky Carlin of SixersWire)"
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Brown’s love of crafty shooters runs deep. He made J.J. Redick a central figure on offense, while Marco Belinelli was of similar importance off the bench during his short Philadelphia tenure. As Korkmaz takes the torch from those two, it’s unsurprising to see Brown bring up the comparisons.
I do think Belinelli is the better point of comparison for Korkmaz. Both are much slower than Redick. Whereas J.J. would fly around screens at full speed, square his feet, and unleash mechanically perfect jumpers, Belinelli was much more unorthodox. He simply lacks Redick’s high gear — as does Korkmaz.
Belinelli instead unleashes high-difficulty shots that tend to stroke nylon despite overwhelming scientific and mathematic improbability. He will shoot 3-point rainbows off one foot, or prod the defense with a couple dribbles before shooting at an angle no defender can logically expect.
It’s a similar situation for Korkmaz. He’s slower than Redick, and his style mirrors that. He can still shoot on the move, but his release is slower. Korkmaz is more inclined to probe inside and work the in-between game, where he has nice collection of floaters and touch shots. He hasn’t developed Belinelli’s affinity for strange, off-kilter shots, but he does have the same methodical, slow-to-unwind style.
The comparison can even stretch to the defensive end, although that certainly wasn’t Brown’s intention. Redick was never a good defender. He’s undersized, short-armed, and not particularly athletic. He is, however, a smart defender — one who moves his feet, understands where to position himself, and plays hard.
Belinelli’s slowness doesn’t play well on defense. He’s bigger than Redick, as is Korkmaz, but the lack of lateral quickness hurts both. Korkmaz is a better defender than Belinelli — in part due to Belinelli’s advanced age — but on the whole, both Korkmaz and Belinelli are major weak points on defense. It’s why Belinelli was so accosted for his playoff performance in Philadelphia, despite his immense value in the regular season.
A similar fate may await Korkmaz, which is why I’m skeptical of him as a core piece in Orlando. The Sixers have more well-rounded players on the roster — Alec Burks, Glenn Robinson III — and as far as defense goes, it’s difficult to deny the appeal of Matisse Thybulle. Even if the Sixers need Korkmaz’s shooting, he may give up more points on defense than he creates on offense.