When the Philadelphia 76ers drafted V.J. Edgecombe, the choice confirmed the new direction they’ve been heading in for months. Philadelphia has morphed into a modern-day team by stockpiling back-court talent. However, the 76ers must have proper front-court infrastructure for this vision to come to fruition. That’s where Adem Bona comes in.
Bona needs to fill in the 76ers' front-court gaps
Philadelphia boasts a wealth of talent, including Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, V.J. Edgecombe, and Quentin Grimes (eventually). Since there’s such a back-court logjam, Daryl Morey hinted at the 76ers potentially running three-guard lineups in the upcoming season. This is undoubtedly something Philadelphia should experiment with.
By doing so, the 76ers can play faster, but it would also exploit their biggest weakness – their front-court. Philadelphia has big men who are either unproven or may be unable to complement its guards defensively. For as talented as the 76ers’ guard rotation is, it can only cover so much ground on the defensive end. Guards will inevitably get beaten off screens, and if there isn’t a help-side defender to rotate, the opposing team could get an easy bucket.
That’s why Bona’s year-two progression could be the deciding factor in Philadelphia’s guard investment. He displayed convincing flashes of defensive excellence in his rookie campaign, especially as a shot-blocking help-side defender. The 76ers gave up 1.8 more points per 100 possessions when Bona was on the sideline compared to when he was on the floor.
Bona typically defends pick-and-rolls in drop coverage, but he does have the agility to guard multiple positions, switching off screens. However, he’ll have to improve his foul discipline to become an elite defender. Bona notched 2.2 fouls per game in just under 16 minutes of action last season. Still, Bona’s rim protection could be key to the 76ers’ hoisting multi-guard rotations. Philadelphia hasn’t had such a bouncy defender since Joel Embiid in his youth.
The 76ers' front-court is questionable defensively
Embiid has played at an all-defense level for most of his career, but he regressed as a rim protector last season. He was less mobile and often got picked on when covering pick-and-rolls. His lingering left knee injury obviously hampered him, so time will tell if he can return to form or if this is a tough reality we must accept.
Not to mention, the 76ers don’t have a reliable defender at power forward, as neither Kelly Oubre Jr. nor Trendon Watford is proficient at guarding larger players off the point-of-attack. They also lack the size to be a formidable help defender. Then, there’s Andre Drummond and Johni Broome, both of whom may not be impactful defensively for their respective reasons. This is all the more reason Bona’s progression is essential.