Staying put is Sixers’ best option
In my gut, I feel that patience is key for the 76ers. Luckily, Philly’s two big name basketball minds are not in a precarious situation. Daryl Morey and Doc Rivers are in their first year after signing contracts in the offseason. They can exercise prudence and see how the young players produce in the postseason and weigh their options in subsequent years.
When it comes to our young players, they should be able to at least finish this season in Philly. If Korkmaz can’t become the perimeter assassin Philly’s been waiting for, then deal him later. If Maxey does not morph into the next big-time Kentucky guard, ship him off in the future. If Thybulle can’t pull himself out of a one-dimensional bag, the trick’s up, and he’s out. If Isaiah Joe can’t bulk up, just feed him Chick-fil-A.
Matisse Thybulle is a jump shot away from starting. https://t.co/fTt74s3MoL
— The Sixer Sense (@SixerSense) February 10, 2021
As far as some vets who have been granted minutes, I will say this: veteran experience will come in handy in the playoffs. As frustrating as Danny Green can be at times with streaky shooting, he does have three rings. Despite Dwight Howard’s lack of offensive skills and barrage of offensive fouls in limited playing time, he has had a positive impact on the locker room and is playoff-tested. Even Mike Scott, who is not as spry as he used to be, can still offer rebounding and 3-point shooting in the playoffs.
The bench, as a whole, still needs time to mesh. They have real potential to be a solid reserve unit. Just the other night, they rose to the occasion against a talented Dallas team. Sure, Thybulle did not shoot well, but his shot will come along, and his defense is stellar. Milton showed some improvement since returning from injury. Scott is making more threes consistently, and Korkmaz was a nice spark in his minutes played. Howard is still the best backup center Embiid has ever had, and his outburst against the Mavs proves that he still has dominance in his veins.