In a tale as old as time, the Philadelphia 76ers have yet to find a suitable understudy for their offensive talisman, Joel Embiid. When he is not in the lineup, the Sixers tend to unravel as his replacements have consistently fallen short of the required standard. If Philadelphia do not recruit a player who can have a positive impact during the non-Embiid minutes in the offseason, they will continue to fall short of their championship ambitions.
While every team in the league would be desperate to land a dominant center with Joel Embiid’s extraordinary scoring ability, having a player of this stature can make it difficult to find a capable replacement willing to accept a limited, largely bench-based role for much of the season. Even if his understudy performs valiantly in his absence, it will not change their minutes in the rotation when he returns.
However, this is why Daryl Morey is paid the big bucks. He must strike a balance between a player who can accept a lower percentage of minutes and one who can make a significant impact from the bench. As it stands, the 76ers' center depth is hindering their chances of postseason success.
Adem Bona and Andre Drummond are not up to the level required
While Adem Bona and Andre Drummond are two entirely different stories, they both end in a similar fashion. Andre Drummond is in the twilight of his career. At 32 years old, he is not expected to come off the bench and contribute heavily to scoring. Drummond was acquired to snatch rebounds when Embiid was not on the court, and to a certain extent, he has done that. Nevertheless, the impact he is currently making is not enough for Philadelphia to progress further.
At the other end of the spectrum is Adem Bona. This postseason was his opportunity to announce himself to the NBA and prove to his head coach Nick Nurse, that he can play a huge part in the future of the franchise. His outrageous athleticism and defensive prowess should make him the perfect rotational piece for the 76ers, but his minutes on the floor have been disastrous, and that was no different against the New York Knicks.
During the 76ers' 98-137 Game 1 defeat to the Knicks, Bona stunned Madison Square Garden with his performance -- but not for the right reasons. In just three minutes and 47 seconds of action, Bona recorded five fouls, three turnovers, and one rebound. While such a high volume of turnovers in so little time would dent any hopes of a Sixers road victory, his inability to stay out of foul trouble in his second year with the franchise suggests he may never develop into a reliable understudy for Embiid.
This is not a new issue for the Philadelphia 76ers; finding a capable second option when Joel Embiid is not on the floor has proved an impossible task. Neither Adem Bona nor Andre Drummond is an effective answer to this problem -- albeit for different reasons. The Sixers must prioritise centre depth in the postseason, or they will continue to struggle whenever their star is absent from the lineup.
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