The Philadelphia 76ers made a conscious effort to bring in more help at the center position during the 2024 NBA Draft. As such, the front office drafted Adem Bona out of UCLA with the 41st pick in the second round. This season, the sophomore big man is starting to have a more consistent role for the team, although he is still learning the ropes to becoming a staple in the rotation.
Having said that, the 76ers could have done even better to bolster the center position. After all, they could have gone with Quinten Post instead, who was drafted 11 spots behind Bona. The Boston College product has become a vital role player for the Warriors, and he has a much more intriguing skill set than Bona.
At this point in their careers, Post is undoubtedly the more skilled player. He is a legitimate stretch five who can also capably defend. In fact, he has already played in high-stakes games for his veteran-laden squad, which is a testament to what he can bring to the table. Meanwhile, Bona is not even a staple in the 76ers rotation just yet.
The 76ers could have drafted someone better than Adem Bona in Quinten Post
Today’s game has seen some sort of a resurgence for big men, which has made the center position all the more important. However, it is also critical to have players who can do multiple things on the floor and not just be tethered to a particular niche.
Bona is arguably the best shot-blocker in his draft class, but he does not really have any other standout skill. His presence as a vertical spacer does help, but he is not one who can be easily integrated into different lineup permutations.
On the flip side, thanks to his three-point shooting and competent defense, Post can be deployed next to different kinds of players. The Warriors, for example, have slotted him next to Draymond Green while also having mobilized him in other two-big lineups.
This take might be pleasing the peanut gallery way too much than it needs to, but the 76ers would have welcomed having a different breed of big man in Quinten Post. After all, they already have Andre Drummond on the roster to fulfill the traditional center role. One can say that Adem Bona is redundant on this roster.
Of course, there is still a lot of time for Adem Bona to make this thought piece end up becoming a laughable one, but for now, there is little doubt that Quinten Post has been the better prospect.