At 2-7 heading into Wednesday night’s marquee matchup and the start of the Emirates NBA Cup, the Philadelphia 76ers find themselves lurking at the nadir of the Eastern Conference. While there’s still a ton of time to make up for the early deficit they are facing on the standings, it is an imperative at this point for the team to start buckling up for a trek to improve their record moving forward. It’s not going to be a cruise from here on out.
Through the first nine games, the 76ers have struggled to stay consistent on both ends. Injuries to their star players are valid excuses, but the team is not absolved altogether. Also to blame is the club’s roster construction — one that patently lacks balance position-wise.
Philly has an embarrassment of riches in the backcourt but is as thin as it can be at forward and center. Put simply, the front office has to amend this issue at the earliest possible time, especially with the team’s pressing needs only being exacerbated by their lack of more sensible construction.
The 76ers should drop Reggie Jackson and sign free agent guard Markelle Fultz
At this point in the season, though, the 76ers also somehow need help in the backcourt. Tyrese Maxey is out for quite some time, and some of the team’s backcourt options have been nothing short of disappointing so far. Aside from Eric Gordon, who has been absolute disaster to kick things off, Reggie Jackson has also quickly become an afterthought.
A wiser use of a roster spot would presuppose waiving Jackson. In his stead, Philadelphia should seriously consider signing free agent guard Markelle Fultz, who somehow remains available in the open market after failing to find a taker during the offseason.
The former Sixer guard does have an iffy footing in Philly, but he’s been more than solid in his varying roles with the Magic, his most recent team. He showed flashes of brilliance and stability when he was their full-fledged starter, and even though his minutes and role eventually waned, he’s far from an unplayable cog as can be inferred from his earlier years.
For an end of the bench role, giving Fultz another chance to prove his worth is a more tenable and sensible option than letting Jackson rot on the bench. While the latter is probably still the better scorer, Fultz is a better defender and a much more capable playmaker despite his lack of a three-point shot.
At this point, the Philadelphia 76ers have to become more prudent in making moves. And this proposed change would probably do them much more good than harm.