The Philadelphia 76ers have won three straight games, and while that is not earth-shaking to any degree, the vibes have never been this good for the franchise this season. However, amid the jubilation from the team starting to round into form and get healthier bodies, the coaching staff made a sudden change just recently which is not being talked about enough.
With Joel Embiid looking as healthy as he has in the last couple of years, Nurse has gone against the grain as of late, favoring sophomore big man Adem Bona over the veteran Andre Drummond as the first center off the bench to spell the superstar. That is certainly a big change for the team, and while the sample size is not yet ample, it hints at the coaching staff’s vision for how the rotation would look like moving forward and then some.
Bona had relatively lofty expectations set on him heading into the present campaign, although a rather slow start to the year derailed his growth at the start of the season. Now, he is slowly getting his mojo back, and the 76ers are rewarding him with considerable court time to show that he is ready to usurp his more tenured counterpart in Drummond.
The 76ers are suddenly favoring Adem Bona over Andre Drummond
As everyone knows, Drummond was having a commendable bounce-back campaign after the failed individual campaign he turned in last season. He has been more than capable filling in for Embiid when he is sidelined due to injuries or rest, with some even believing that he is here to stay.
While that is still probably true, the 76ers are prioritizing Bona — and rightfully so. Philly badly needs to solidify its cushion behind the injury-prone Embiid, and developing an in-house prospect like Bona would go a long way toward elevating this team’s floor in the present and immediate future.
Fortunately, Bona is starting to clean up on some of the mistakes that frequently gets him shelved. He is fouling a lot less in the last five games, while his rebounding has gotten even better. Of course, he is still a proficient shot-blocker, although his post defense still needs work.
Moving forward, the 76ers coaching staff will still most likely play it by ear when it comes to choosing which big man to deploy off the bench. However, if Bona keeps developing, he is not only bound to rake in the available minutes at center, but he would also arm the franchise with a potential floor-raiser they badly need at the position.