The Bench
The biggest issue for the Sixers the past two years has been their lack of depth. Elton Brand has seemingly fixed that issue this past offseason. Bringing back Mike Scott and James Ennis helps the bench immediately with veteran players that can do their jobs on both ends of the floor. While Furkan Korkmaz has returned and should be looked at in the same light as Landry Shamet was last year prior to his trade. He’ll add floor spacing three-point shooting off the bench.
Zhaire Smith should be in shape and ready to put some speed, energy and shooting on the offensive side, but he’s one of the best athletes on the team and will really help with the second team defense, if he can stay healthy. After that, rookie Matisse Thybulle shouldn’t be counted on to play a starters role but rather come off the bench and do what he does best, play defense. He’ll be a huge improvement over last years wings. Jonah Bolden is back along with newly signed Kyle O’Quinn, Raul Neto, and Trey Burke to add some depth to a bench that has seriously lacked it the past two seasons.
The team has remained relatively young and the bench is filled with potential but having Ennis and Scott there to work with them, the bench should be a surprise bright spot for the team this season.
Brett Brown
This may be the biggest of them all. Brown has a penchant for removing players during hot streaks and leaving them in during cold ones. He’s interrupted too many times where the team was playing and flowing well and he’s failed to recognize when they need a break and to regroup. With that being said, Brown has had a job to do and it was to prepare players like Simmons and Embiid for this season and the next few. He’s put them through tough spots and let them get beat up. He’s allowed them to see both the good and bad on the floor and as a teacher, he’s succeeded.
Most people will look at it negatively and tell you that he’s been poor as a coach and only succeeded because of the talent the team possessed. Again, this has all been part of “The Process” and Brown has done a great job preparing his team and it’s superstars for their run.
The Sixers title-run starts now. If Brown allows Simmons the freedom to run the offense throughout the game, lets Embiid dominate the paint, and rotates his bench evenly, the Sixers will be hard to catch in the East and they’ll be a nightmare for the teams in the West. These next four to five years should see the Sixers in the NBA finals more than they’re not. At least three times. Brown deserves the credit for getting this team where it’s at right now as he’s surely taken the blame for all of the early ills of “The Process”.
Buckle up Sixers fans, this year will be a good one. The team is as good as any in the league and the city could, realistically, be planning a parade in June.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
