Sixers Final Roster Spot:
Ryan Broekoff
After agreeing to a contract with the Sixers last season and being forced to opt-out due to COVID complications, Broekoff has a second chance to try to latch on to the Sixers roster. The 30-year-old Aussie recently inked a one-year non-guaranteed contract with the team. Broekoff is known for his shooting as he has shot over 40% from 3 on over two attempts per game in his short NBA career. Adding shooters to space the floor has been a clear pattern of this offseason, so if the Sixers want to stick with this trend Broekoff may find himself as the 15th man on the roster.
While his ceiling is not very high and he is limited athletically, Broekoff is a smart basketball player who moves well off the ball and has a lighting quick trigger on the catch-and-shoot in order to get his sweet stroke off. He has played a much more limited role since coming to the NBA, but Broekoff showed flashes of being able to handle the ball and had success in the pick and roll in his time overseas. In his best season in Russia, Broekoff averaged 12.3 points per game on an insane 50.6% from downtown on 5.2 attempts beyond the arc. There is no such thing as too much shooting so adding another sniper to the arsenal could go a long way toward helping the Sixers in continuing to spread the floor for Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.
Derrick Walton Jr
Outside of Ben Simmons, there are still questions regarding who will handle the ball on a regular basis. This is where Walton Jr comes in as in his limited role in the NBA he has shown the ability to run an offense. Derrick Walton Jr signed a 1-year non-guaranteed contract with the Sixers for this year and it is also worth noting that he played under Doc Rivers with the Clippers last season.
At 25 years old, Walton Jr has played in just 42 total NBA games. He has not averaged over 9 minutes per game so far in his career and Walton’s highest scoring average has been 2.2 points per game. He has flashed his ability to shoot knocking down 3’s at over 40% in both years of his career so far. This seems the most unlikely option to make the team, but if Doc Rivers thinks highly of him and has concerns for the number of ball-handlers on the roster the tune of this could change.
Justin Anderson
The return of “Simba,” or Justin Anderson would be a welcomed reunion from one of the heroes of The Process. Anderson agreed to a 2-year deal to return to the Sixers in which year 1 is partially guaranteed. In the 62 games he played in a Sixers uniform, Anderson averaged 7.1 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist per game. He is a physical defender standing at 6’6 and weighing 230 pounds so Simba could play a role matching up against bigger guys who Isiah Joe or Furkan Korkmaz may struggle with.
It is also important to note that Justin Anderson has remained a good friend of Joel Embiid since their time together in Philly. Keeping Joel happy must continue to be a priority for the team and this is a clear indication that this is the case. The biggest concern in Anderson’s game is his lack of shooting. In his time with the Sixers, he shot 31.4% from 3 point range and he has only shot 29.6% from here throughout his NBA career. However, in the 31 games Anderson spent in the G-League last year, he shot 35.3% from deep on 7.7 attempts per game. If Anderson can continue to hit at this rate at the next level he could be a real asset for the team. It seems that Anderson has a slight edge up on winning this spot, and the partially guaranteed contract is certainly an indication of this.
Sixers Only Carry 14
While the maximum amount of players the team can carry is 15, it is still possible that Daryl Morey decides that none of these players are good enough and to leave an open roster spot. Morey has talked several times about the importance of making moves during the season. Recently Morey was on the Rich Eisen show where he said it does not seem likely for more moves to occur before the start of the season. He elaborated by saying it would not benefit the team to use their “bullets” to get a player whom they think will help the team now rather than waiting to see what the team’s needs really are. As Morey put it, “Later we’re going to see where the gaps are much clearer and we’ll be able to address them that way.” Expect the Sixers to remain active throughout the season in finding the final bench piece so Morey may leave the spot open until the right player becomes available.
Regardless of what the roster ends up as it should be looked at as a positive that this level of competition for a roster spot is back. Forcing guys to compete for a spot and earning their way typically results in bringing out the best in players. If I had to make a prediction, it seems most likely that Justin Anderson will lock down that 15th spot. However, it seems an even better bet that there will be changes to the roster throughout the season as Daryl Morey continues to put his fingerprints on the Sixers franchise.
Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire
