Halfway through the Philadelphia 76ers season, it’s time to look at mid-season report cards; specifically, the team’s forwards.
Just before the start of the second half of the 2020-21 NBA season, and the Sixers are 24-12, sat atop the Eastern Conference as we peruse through the last few days of the All-Star break.
Continuing our series of grading the team’s position groups at the mid-season mark, we now transition on over to a group of players that could end up getting shaken around quite a bit come the trade deadline: the forwards.
Trade rumors aside for the moment, let’s just simply grade the wing players who are currently on the Philadelphia 76ers roster:
Tobias Harris: A
Missing out on the physical All-Star Game stings a little bit, but Tobias Harris has still played like an All-Star this season. He’s averaging career highs in points per game, field goal percentage, free throw percentage, assists per game, offensive rating, and win shares per 48 minutes.
Whatever voodoo magic that Doc Rivers employs when coaching Harris clearly works because the two have consistently produced above-average results when operating together. If Harris keeps this level of form up heading into the playoffs, the Sixers will have themselves a legit “third star.”
Danny Green: C+
It hasn’t been pretty at times, but Danny Green has still been an above-average player for the Philadelphia 76ers this season – but just barely.
The veteran’s defense has looked shaky at times. His decision-making with the basketball has left us scratching our heads on more occasions than one.
With that said, he’s currently leading the team in threes made per game with 2.2, which was the main reason his addition was welcomed during the offseason. Green will likely get moved at the trade deadline, but he’s definitely served a purpose thus far.
Matisse Thybulle: B+
His offensive game still remains nonexistent, but Matisse Thybulle’s defense somehow got even better over the offseason. Not only has he improved his ability to stay in front of ball-handlers when playing on-ball defense, but he’s somehow got even more disruptive in terms of generating steals, blocks, deflections, etc.
Amongst qualified players, Thybulle currently leads the entire NBA in deflections per 36 minutes with 5.7. If he can just figure out that three-point shot moving forward, we’re looking at a legitimate starting-caliber forward.
Furkan Korkmaz: C
Some days Furkan Korkmaz looks completely unplayable. Other days he’s dropping 20+. Easily the streakiest player on the Sixers roster, Korkmaz’s ability to randomly turn into prime Ray Allen on any given night is boosting up his grade quite a bit here.
Korkmaz’s numbers have taken a sizable drop-off compared to last season, with his field goal % sitting all the way down at 38.3%. That’s obviously less than ideal, and his defensive woes remain a problem. His hot nights are much appreciated, but this is a player that Doc Rivers would likely prefer to not have in the rotation come playoff time.
Mike Scott: D
Fan-favorite turned benchwarmer, there’s not a whole lot that can be said about Mike Scott here in 2021. He’s battled injuries and inconsistencies all season long, and he likely won’t be on the roster after the trade deadline.
Scott has occasionally provided some energy off the bench when the team is missing some players. Still, for the most part, he’s been a complete non-factor this year.
Terrance Ferguson: N/A
Terrance Ferguson has only played 34 minutes this season – pretty impossible to give him a fair grade after such a small sample size. A throw-in during the Al Horford/Danny Green trade, Ferguson was never really meant to play a role on this team here in 2021.
Another player, I’d guess, is off the roster following the trade deadline.
Paul Reed (Bball Paul): N/A
If I was giving him a grade based on his G-League performances, I’d give him an A++++. However, similar to that of Ferguson, Paul Reed simply hasn’t played enough NBA-level minutes (55) to give him a fair grade.
Reed definitely looks like a promising long-term piece for what it’s worth. The second-round pick has been torching things up for the Delaware Blue Coats, and he’s still just 21 years old.
