Sixers: Preseason grades for every player

Sixers preseason grades: Bench warmers

Matisse Thybulle is out of the rotation. At least it seems that way after four preseason games. That’s both disappointing and illuminating. Even so, Thybulle made the most of his minutes when he did see the floor. He racked up deflections like usual, but more importantly, he took a lot of 3s. His rate of success varied game to game, but he looks more comfortable firing away from deep. That’s an important first step toward becoming a player the Sixers can rely on.

Furkan Korkmaz might be back to his old self after last season’s slump. And, right now, he might be the best point guard on the roster after Harden and Maxey. He’s not good enough to receive consistent playing time, but Korkmaz is a potentially explosive 12th or 13th-string player who can produce in multiple areas offensively when called upon.

Jaden Springer made the team over Isaiah Joe, which is going to set certain corners of the fandom against him. Patience is hard and the Sixers are trying to win games right now, but Springer is still the youngest player on the team. Give him time. The flashes on defense are tantalizing. He needs to figure out how to play offense eventually, but the Sixers drafted him for his unique athletic profile and defensive upside. His stock is well in tact.

Charlie Brown Jr. is back for his second go-around in Philly. He played sparsely last season and spent most of the year in Delaware. Expect a similar outcome this season. He’s a real athlete and even a good defender, but he’s nowhere near good enough offensively right now. Until he can reliably knock down 3s, Brown will struggle to break through at the NBA level.

It’s hard not to be impressed by Julian Champagnie’s preseason performance, especially after so many people wrote him off following Summer League. The undrafted rookie out of St. John’s fits the profile of a good NBA role player: at 6-foot-8, he can guard multiple positions and hit 3s. He will need to be more consistent with the latter, but his confidence is striking. He might have the stuff needed to carve out a future in the league.