Sixers roundtable: Potential starting five and second unit for 2021-22

Roundtable, Potential starting five and second unit: Jarod Hughes

• Tyrese Maxey
• Danny Green
• Matisse Thybulle
• Tobias Harris
• Joel Embiid

Regardless of if Ben Simmons has been traded before the season or during the season, Simmons won’t be in the lineup for the team to start the season. In light of this, I think Doc Rivers and the rest of the coaching staff should create this starting lineup that involves Maxey/Green/Thybulle/Harris/Embiid.

Before I get into why this should be the starting lineup I want to address why I moved Seth Curry to the bench in the replacement of Maxey. Curry ended the postseason as the Sixers’ third-leading scorer with 18.8 points per game with excellent shooting efficiency of 57.8 percent from the field, 50.6 percent from three, and 78.9 percent from the line.

I think without Simmons and his great playmaking and facilitating Curry, his shooting and these numbers would best be suited off the bench. This would help create some breathing room for the team once players like Embiid or Harris sit who are the two leading scorers for the team.

With Curry now on the bench, I first wanted to find a replacement for Simmons’ defense and that was with Matisse Thybulle. Thybulle has already earned himself a place on the All-Defense team and has shown that he is a great defender having averaged 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks in only 20 minutes per game.

With Simmons gone I think if Thybulle gets 36 minutes a night where he can space the floor for Embiid with improved shooting and could potentially win Defensive Player of the Year. Lastly, is Tyrese Maxey and Danny Green.

Green, who returned to the Philadelphia 76ers, now becomes the primary defender with Matisse Thybulle and has proven to be a pivotal and vital leader for the team moving forward. Green played a key role for the team, averaging 9.5 points and shooting 40.5 percent from behind the arc and should look to continue to do so this season again in the starting lineup.

Maxey was the 21st pick and the steal of 2020 NBA draft. Having shooting around Embiid is always a good thing but Embiid also needs someone on the court to be able to create their own shot as well. Maxey has the ability to play good perimeter defense, be a good playmaker and create his own shot off the dribble while also catching and shooting when needed.

He ended his first season with the Sixers shooting 30 percent from the 3-point line. The 20-year-old guard can look to improve on that after showing impressive summer league performances in only two games where he was the best scorer in the summer league.

Having this lineup to start the season gives the Sixers the spacing and defense needed to continue to be a winning organization. It also allows for star players in Harris and Embiid to be the focal points in the offense.