The Philadelphia 76ers, as usual, will enter the regular season parading one of the most stacked lineups in the league, at least on paper. Even though they are not penciled in as contenders in the eyes of many, there is no denying that among all things, raw talent is one thing this group is not lacking.
From top to bottom, the 76ers have multiple players who can go get a bucket with ease. Really, the biggest problem with this group is that it does not have a strong foundation to back that kind of talent up thanks to their ceaseless injury risks and the little things on the court which they have a deficiency of, such as defense and perimeter shooting, among many others.
Having said that, it is indubitable to say that this roster is deeper than what the team had last season. Sure, there are some playera who should not be there, but there should be much more playable bodies this year thanks to their new rookies and, unbeknownst to many, their pairing of what are arguably the best two-way players in the NBA.
For now, the 76ers have a couple of players on two-way deals in Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker. While far from being household names, that the 76ers front office managed to swoop in and sign them to two-way contracts is definitely a shrewd play.
The 76ers have the best two-way players in the NBA
Two-way players have a damper as to how frequent they can play for their mother team, but just having quality role players man those spots is huge, especially for a team like the 76ers. With this squad touting a glut of players who often miss games due to injuries, doubling down on talent in those two-way spots will be of practical use.
Barlow, for instance, has already been given a lot of run this preseason. While he may not be the foremost option for Nick Nurse and his crew, he is pretty handy to have around thanks to his mobility as a big man. Heck, the champion coach is already planning a significant shift for him position-wise, hinting at his role as a possible utility man for the team this season.
Ditto for Jabari Walker, whom many found as a massive bargain being a two-way player. Walker had a considerable role in Portland in the last three seasons, and he brings with him something the 76ers lack — size at forward. He is also capable of playing multiple positions which will be an asset to bolster Nurse’s shifty tactics on defense.
Clearly, Philly’s two-way players are not your conventional backups who will just languish on the bench. While minutes are not guaranteed for them, unlike what most teams have, the 76ers have a higher floor than usual when their two-way players take the floor.