Sixers: Can Furkan Korkmaz make a run at Sixth Man of the Year?

The Philadelphia 76ers are a surprising 8-2 just 10 games into this new season and are at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. This is without the presence of Ben Simmons and several other key role players in the rotation.

A big reason why the Sixers have had this success is due to the improved play of Furkan Korkmaz to start the season. He’s averaging 12.4 points and 2.8 assists, while converting 48.8 percent of his field goals and 42.6 percent of his 3-pointers.

It’s for sure a strong start to the regular season, but is it enough to put him in the Sixth Man of the Year conversation?

Do the Sixers have a Sixth Man of the Year candidate in Korkmaz?

Let’s compare Korkmaz to the other competition for the award. The early favorite in this race has to be Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro, who is averaging 21.3 points coming off the bench. Then there are veterans like Buddy Hield, Montrezl Harrell, and Carmelo Anthony who are all averaging between 16-17 points off the bench for their respective clubs.

Obviously, Korkmaz would have to improve his scoring but that’s not impossible for the Turkish sharpshooter. Out of the nine games he’s played in, he’s scored in double-digits five times and has eclipsed 20 points twice.

If Korkmaz can become a more consistent scorer then there’s a good chance his averages will be closer to the players in the second tier of Anthony, Harrell, and Hield. It’s also likely that Herro cools off at some point.

With that being written there’s certainly a scenario where Korkmaz might be representing the Sixers in the Sixth Man of the Year award race. However, if the question becomes if he can actually win the award, then that seems like a stretch to assert at this point in the season.