If there is one thing that has remained the same for the Philadelphia 76ers over the years, it is the fact that their cushion behind Joel Embiid leaves a lot to be desired. That is still the case for the franchise this year as they approach the offseason. Now, it is incumbent upon the front office to give the former MVP more support at the center position.
Adem Bona, who will be entering his third campaign with the 76ers next season, could make the 76ers brain trust re-think things, though. The young big man will once again be on deck for an international stint this summer as he is set to show up for Team Turkey in the FIBA World Cup European qualifiers.
He did not exactly stand out for the Turkish national team last summer, but Bona could definitely flip the script this time around. While his squad will be bannered by All-Star center Alperen Sengun, he definitely has a chance to excel if he can prove that he has learned from his mistakes. If so, that could change the outlook of the 76ers offseason.
Adem Bona could force the 76ers to change their offseason priorities with a breakout in the FIBA qualifiers
Bona got consistent playing time in his sophomore year, but he did not take the kind of leap people were expecting from him after his rookie campaign. In 17.4 minutes a night, he averaged 4.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. However, his field goal shooting percentage dropped from 70.3 percent to just 59.5 percent, an unremarkable figure for someone who basically camps in the restricted area to get his markers.
His role waned as the stakes got higher, though. Perhaps that should have been foreseeable all along, especially since Bona did not solve his issue when it comes to staying on the floor and, say, not fouling unnecessarily. His lack of discipline hampered his minutes, and that is precisely what will make the difference for him in his stint with Team Turkey.
Even now, the 76ers are probably on the lookout for safer options over Bona. However, if the latter succeeds in the international tourney, that could imbue more confidence on the front office to keep him as a primary option to spell Joel Embiid off the bench next season.
Of course, Adem Bona is technically facing a make-or-break campaign with the 76ers next season. Hopefully, he can turn things around this summer and it can spill over to Year 3.
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