Even at this point in time, the Philadelphia 76ers still have not addressed one of their most obvious needs — more functional depth at center to arm the team with a stronger insurance behind Joel Embiid.
On the contrary, one team from the Western Conference — the Houston Rockets — have an absolutely crowded rotation at center. With All-Star big man Alperen Sengun already in the fold and Steven Adams re-signed this offseason, the budding contender added Clint Capela in free agency, giving them the most physically imposing loop of centers in the league.
As a result, the Rockets were forced to waive Jock Landale, who has become the odd man out in Houston’s front court. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Aussie big man is expected to sign with another team after clearing waivers. Apparently, there is still some degree of interest for the 29-year-old.
Having said that, while the 76ers need another big body, they must stay far away from Landale at all costs.
The 76ers must avoid going after Jock Landale in free agency
At 6’11” and 256 pounds, Landale packs a lot of size and muscle as a front court piece. However, his skill set is far from what the 76ers really need from a potential backup to Embiid who can start whenever he is sidelined due to injury or rest.
Landale is an offensive-minded big man whose limited athleticism and foot speed makes him a target on defense. He is nowhere near a good rim deterrent, nor can he survive being latched onto smaller and quicker players, even if for just a brief spurt.
The 76ers already have enough of Andre Drummond not being a good rim protector, and trying to replace him with Landale will not do anything to fix that team-wide issue.
On offense, the Australian is rather serviceable. He has a nifty touch in the post and uses his body well to get better angles on the post, and is a quietly good passer for his size. He even has a three-point shot, although it is pretty iffy due to him not resorting to it as much. Landale is also a hustle player whose limited athleticism willingly goes after loose balls. There is much to like about him on that end.
Still, he is clearly not the solution the Philadelphia 76ers are badly looking for. Sure, he may not cost an arm and a leg, but the front office needs someone who can fill in whatever the team needs, even if only to a small degree. For that reason, the front office should avoid Jock Landale at all costs.