Time has passed since the disappointing second round exit that the Philadelphia 76ers experienced at the hands of the Miami Heat. While the pain of the loss still stings in some of the hearts of the Sixers’ fanbase, it’s important to have a positive perspective moving forward.
Throughout the course of this season, there have been at least three positives that can be taken away from this year. These positives can set up the 76ers for success this season and moving forward.
3 positive takeaways from the 2021-22 season: Center depth
Recently, Christopher Kline, my fellow site expert for The Sixer Sense, wrote about how the Sixers no longer have a whole on their center depth chart. In general, I tend to agree with him on that premise.
Paul Reed is an athletic big man who has natural instincts defensively. He’s a bit undersized at 6-foot-9, but he has a high motor which helps makes up for it. Now he still has to get stronger, which he acknowledged at the end of the season, per Keith Pompey of The Inquirer. However, if he improves his body his ability to screen, rebound, and protect the paint will improve.
Let’s not forget Charles Bassey who showed flashes of real potential this season. Bassey fits the mold of a more traditional big man at 6-foot-11. However, he’s still just coming off his rookie year. However, if he can show growth, he could compete with Reed for minutes.
The Sixers don’t need to focus on getting a veteran big man who can outperform either of their young guys this offseason. If they do, great, but it’s not a major point of concern for this roster as Reed is ready for a bigger role and Bassey should be ready for it soon as well.