The Sixers made an addition to their roster last Friday in the way of sharp-shooter Ryan Broekhoff. The former Dallas Maverick will join the Sixers as they aim to make their playoff push but could he stick around longer than this season?
Broekhoff 101
You may be unfamiliar with the near 30-year-old Australian, so here’s a quick rundown. Broekhoff went undrafted in 2013 and decided to play professionally overseas – first in Turkey, then Russia. In 2018 He signed a two-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks whom he played for until he was waived so the team could sign Philadelphia/Somerdale, NJ native, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
Though Broekhoff has yet to make much noise in the NBA, he has shown a knack for knocking down shots from threes in bunches. He may have only 59 games under his career belt, but he has shot over 40% from deep in that time. If there is a player who can shoot 40% from three, the Sixers should be interested.
The Fit
Broekhoff may be limited but what he does can be extremely helpful to this Sixers squad. The Sixers must surround Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid with as many shooters as possible and while Broekhoff will never be a starter, he could serve as quality bench depth.
One of the major reasons to be interested in Broekhoff long-term is his affordability. It’s not likely that any team would have to break the bank to afford Broekhoff’s services. A cash-strapped team like the Sixers need as much bang for their buck as they can get. Players like Shake Milton and Furkan Korkmaz have already proven to be extremely valuable to the team and Broekhoff could be very similar in the sense of an affordable contributor.
Broekhoff could even eventually replace Korkmaz who may not belong on this Sixers team. The Sixers hold a team option on Korkmaz’s contract and will all but certainly accept it as the base salary is less than $1.8 million. The following season may get a bit more tricky though as Korkmaz will certainly be looking for a pay bump and the Sixers may not be able to compete with the other teams pining after Korkmaz. If the team is unable or unwilling to retain Korkmaz, Broekhoff could serve a similar role albeit in a smaller capacity.
While that may seem like a specific scenario and one that is far from today, Broekhoff would still serve a purpose until then providing extra depth.
Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
