The Sixers are 4-2 on the young NBA season. It has been far from smooth sailing up to this point, but there are plenty of positives with this new-look Philadelphia team. Joel Embiid has more space to operate, and the Sixers’ 3-point rate has actually improved. Plus, the second unit is no longer a perpetual train wreck.
It is clear the Sixers still crave a Ben Simmons return. The front office won’t budge on the trade front, and there are clear indicators (such as being last in the NBA in pace) that suggest the offense could deteriorate once the red-hot shooting cools off. Even so, the Sixers’ adaptability in his absence deserves applaud, and is a testament to the leadership structure in place.
With roughly two weeks of basketball under our belts, let us dive into the players who have most clearly exceeded their preseason expectations up to this point.
Sixers who have exceeded expectations: Furkan Korkmaz
We have officially coronated Point Furk here at the site, and the Turk’s all-around improvement so far this season continues to impress. His shooting is on a mild downswing (he’s hitting 34.6 percent from deep on the season), but that number should tick back up soon.
Korkmaz’s confidence as a shooter remains undeterred, but what has impressed most is his playmaking. Prior to Shake Milton’s return, Korkmaz was — for all intents and purposes — the Sixers’ backup point guard. He was bringing the ball up the floor, creating out of pick-and-rolls, and orchestrating the offense with surprisingly deft touch.
At no point should Korkmaz ever be the only ball-handler on the floor, but he has proven he can operate as a secondary creator. He’s someone you can trust with the ball in his hands, while the off-ball gravity as a shooter makes him doubly dangerous to opposing defenses.
After inking a three-year, $15 million contract in the offseason, Korkmaz is officially in Philadelphia for the long haul. That appears to be a quite frugal move on the front office’s part, with Korkmaz well on his way to outperforming that salary.