We touched on the point guard depth chart yesterday and it promptly went kablooey, with Ben Simmons deciding to hold out and Tyrese Maxey suddenly getting wrapped up in Klutch Sports’ Philly snafu. That said, the Sixers have some level of stability at shooting guard. That is where our focus lies today.
Seth Curry is expected to reclaim his spot in the starting five, although a Simmons trade could change the calculus of Doc Rivers’ rotation. Last season was Curry’s first campaign as a full-time starter. He delivered, averaging 12.5 points and 2.7 assists while bottoming 45.0 percent of his 3s.
Let’s dive in.
Sixers’ shooting guard depth chart: Seth Curry — STARTER
Curry was the Sixers’ second-best player for extended stretches in the playoffs. Against Atlanta, he averaged 21.0 points on 59.6 percent shooting from deep. That was outlier production, but it signaled a higher gear — a gear he should look to find in the regular season. A lack of aggressiveness has long been Curry’s biggest vice. If he’s letting 3s rip with the confidence of a 20-point scorer, the Sixers’ offense accelerates tenfold.
Joel Embiid is a shooter’s dream. He’s a double team magnet, and has improved drastically as a passer over the past year. He and Curry already have a strong rapport, with Curry running some of the same actions that once elevated J.J. Redick to new heights in the Wells Fargo Center.
Curry’s roughly $8 million contract is one of the better bargains in the league. And he’s under contract for two more seasons. Ideally, the 31-year-old guard is looking at a long stretch in Philadelphia to finish his career. He is, in the simplest possible terms, one of the five best shooters on the planet. That alone caries signifiant value, even if his defense can, at times, pose problems.