5 Philadelphia 76ers who need monster second halves to save their jobs
With 28 games left on the calendar, the Philadelphia 76ers have to go hard as a collective as they aim to cement their playoff standing after the break. Their path will be harder than most due to Joel Embiid sitting out due to injury, but the pathway is still clear for them to qualify for the postseason in some capacity.
Having said that, the ending months of the season will also be some sort of an audition for a handful of players on the team to present their case as to why they should remain on the roster next season. It’s no secret that the 76ers aim to go big this summer, but having holdovers will still serve them well nonetheless.
Here are five players who need to prove themselves for a roster spot on the team moving forward.
5 76ers who need monster second halves to save their jobs
1. Paul Reed
Expectations were high for Paul Reed before the season started, with heach coach Nick Nurse glowingly speaking about the 24-year-old entering the campaign. The backup center has fared just fine for the most part in his limited minutes, but no one would peg him as a success story just yet.
Profiled as a potentially vibale big man who can play next to Embiid, Reed hasn’t shown much progress on that front. Instead, he’s been filling in for the reigning MVP in his absence, but his inconsistent showings on both ends have been the main reason behind the 76ers openly seeking more help in the center position.
Reed has a non-guaranteed deal on the next two years, and if he fails to step up big time for the rest of the season, both from a numbers standpoint and the eye test, the 76ers will inarguably look for better and more proven options to spell Embiid for the foreseeable future.
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