Sixers: How many players do they have in The Athletic’s top 125?

Seth Partnow of The Athletic has spent the past week releasing his tiered ranking of the top 125 NBA players ($). Unlike more traditional lists, Partnow’s is fully committed to tiers — not individual rankings. He splits the top 125 into five tiers, with smaller sub-tiers within. He does not, however, decipher between No. 80 and No. 125 in tier 5, for instance.

The Sixers naturally have a fair amount of representation. Despite genuine doubts about the direction of the franchise, Philadelphia is the reigning No. 1 seed in the East. Had a few bounces gone the other way, they could have been a conference finals team, despite Ben Simmons’ historic choke job.

Here is where Partnow included various Sixers in his ranking, and what it says about the franchise’s core.

Sixers included in The Athletic’s top 125: Danny Green

RANKING: Tier 5A (80-125)

No surprise here, as Danny Green remains the quintessential 3-and-D wing. He has taken a step or two back the last couple years, but even so, Green’s prolific 3-point shot and timely team defense make him a positive-impact player.

For the Sixers, Green is even more valuable than he would be in other settings. He’s not only a great leader, but a quick trigger. He gets up a lot of shots, and doesn’t hesitate when afforded an open look behind the arc. When Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are your two best players, that’s an essential attribute. Green spaces the floor and doesn’t muck up possessions with fruitless dribbles.

Green’s defense has been a point of contention for many in the fanbase, and sure, he’s not what he once was. The NBA’s more dynamic guards can terrorize Green in isolation — just ask Trae Young. Even so, Green’s awareness makes him a valuable off-ball defender, especially with his quick hands. He can handle most secondary matchups, too. With Simmons and Matisse Thybulle on the roster, Philly doesn’t really need to worry about Green guarding elite point guards (unless Doc Rivers insists…).

Green is the lowest rated Sixer to crack the top 125 — pretty much what you would expect, as no bench player on the roster is of that quality yet. For the season, Green averaged 9.5 points and 3.8 rebounds on .412/.405/.775 shooting splits.