Sooner than later, the Philadelphia 76ers will get Kelly Oubre Jr. back from injury. The veteran is set to miss his 17th straight game when the team gets on the floor for their post-Christmas matinee, but he has already made a significant step forward to returning on the court which is a very welcome development for this group.
Having said that, it is definitely worth thinking about what his role could look like when he comes back. Of course, Nick Nurse and the coaching staff will ease him back into action. It is when he gets reacclimated where things get interesting because his starting role, which has now been given to Dominick Barlow, may no longer be his again.
The question as to whether the 76ers should start Oubre or Barlow at one of the forward spots next to Joel Embiid and Paul George could very well turn out to become a real dilemma for this team, albeit in a good way. Both players offer varying play styles, though they are similarly impactful within the confines of their respective skill sets.
The 76ers have a budding dilemma ahead once Kelly Oubre returns
Oubre, billed as a microwave scorer at forward, makes a lot of sense as an energizer bunny of the sorts off the bench. However, despite that rather easy call, Nurse has largely utilized him as a complementary piece in the opening group. Since the 2023-24 season, Oubre has started in 121 out of his 140 appearances for the 76ers.
Now, Barlow has a lot less tenureship to him as a member of the starting five, but he has started in 15 of his 18 games with the team thus far. Clearly, Nurse trusts him and likes his fit with the starters, and there are lots of good reasons for that lineup quirk.
Despite not being a real factor on the perimeter, Barlow is a very competent and steady defender who rarely makes mistakes on the offensive end. His size has given the 76ers a higher ceiling on defense, giving them a rare double-big look with Embiid still playing in limited fashion.
Meanwhile, Oubre was having one of his best seasons yet before his untimely injury. He has chemistry with the other starters, and his three-point shooting is now close to league-average.
At this point, picking between Oubre and Barlow would be a matter of what the coaching staff values more. Oubre is undeniably the bigger factor on offense, but Barlow brings a unique flavor to the starting unit with his size and defensive acuity.
Once Oubre returns, Nurse will have to deal with this difficult question. Luckily for him, there is no clear-cut wrong answer.