The Philadelphia 76ers have a long period of introspection ahead of them after another disappointing second-round exit. Time and time again, the Sixers have failed to put the necessary pieces around Joel Embiid. And, time and time again, we have seen them fall short because of it.
Very few basketball minds are as accomplished, innovative, and bold as Daryl Morey. He will make winning a championship next season his top priority, because the Sixers have the prime talent — Embiid — to go the distance. Opportunities are few and far between in the NBA. To squander Embiid’s prime would be a historic travesty.
Many are convinced Ben Simmons has played his last game as a Sixer. That may very well be true. I’m not sure the fanbase can stomach another season of half-baked offensive stardom from the weirdest and most inexplicable $30 million player on the planet. That said, if the Sixers cannot retrieve reasonable value for Simmons on the open market, it would not shock me to see Morey keep him around — at least long enough to rebuild some trade value in 2021-22.
So, with that said, here are three players (other than Simmons) who have probably played their last game in a Sixers uniform.
Sixers who have played their last game in Philly: Mike Scott
When talking about poorly allocated resources on the Sixers’ roster, we don’t talk often enough about Mike Scott. The Sixers signed him to a two-year contract at the mid-level exception. He made $5 million last season so fans could beg at the altar for Doc to bench him. There are plenty of quality role players every year who sign on the mid-level exception. Scott was not one of them.
While he may or may not get another chance in the NBA, Scott is basically done in Philadelphia. Even on a minimum contract, there’s no reason to expect the Sixers to have interest. Sure, he’s a likable person who carved out his niche in the locker room, but Philadelphia should use its 15 roster spots on players with a purpose. Morey understands that, and therefore, he will not re-sign Scott just to keep the handful of remaining Hive members happy.
Mike Scott shot 36.0 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from deep last season. For a player whose one and only NBA skill is his jump shot, that’s not near good enough. He is gone.
Sixers who have played their last game in Philly: Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard worked wonders in the locker room, and at times a joy to watch and cheer for in his Sixers season debut. That said, he was unplayable in the postseason and not very good in the regular season, either. He will only get older from this point forward, and the Sixers would be wise to invest in a better reserve center.
While Howard has a name brand and a long pedigree, his inability to guard in space, combined with boneheaded fouls and an inflated sense of on-court value, make him a constant liability. He was game for the occasional highlight block, but he mostly let the defense fall to tatters, just like every Embiid backup before him.
On offense, Howard could dunk and rebound and provide a big body inside. That said, his hands were a mess, he would too erratic for a niche rim-runner, and his lack of floor-spacing was problematic next to Ben Simmons and, to a lesser degree, Matisse Thybulle. While Simmons may be gone next season, all the reasons above would still qualify as reasons to let Howard walk.
Again, Morey is not one to waste a roster spot. He will go into the season with 15 players whom he believes can provide value, or he will leave a roster spot open for the buyout/trade market. Howard is not worth rostering at this point, frankly. He’s fine as a third big, but the Sixers already have Paul Reed — why not find another wing or guard?
Sixers who have played their last game in Philly: Furkan Korkmaz
Shout out to Furkan Korkmaz, who had the gall to demand a trade when he was deservedly riding the bench. Over time, under Brett Brown then this season under Doc Rivers, he scrapped his way into a sizable role. He even started most of the second round after Danny Green got hurt.
Unfortunately, the end of Korkmaz’s wildly unpredictable run in Philly may be coming to a close. The Turkish wing is an unrestricted free agent this season, and unless the Sixers are willing to dip into the mid-level exception, he will probably walk for a more lucrative contract elsewhere. Perhaps on a rebuilding team, where his offensive skill set would have more room to blossom.
Korkmaz played his part in Philadelphia, but he’s too unreliable to invest in a third time, methinks. The Sixers should look for wing depth elsewhere, whether it’s a different unproven youngster, or more preferably, a solid veteran who can hit 3s and play better defense.
There’s no doubt Korkmaz can hack it in the NBA. He has proven his mettle with the Sixers, and a team with less urgency to contend should happily take the plunge and explore the vast depths of the Korkmaz sea. How far does that floater go? What’s longer, the infinite pi, or Furkan’s pump fake? These are questions better researched outside Philadelphia.
Best of luck, Furky.