August 19, 2016
Over the past few years of Sixers basketball, many not so small things have certainly changed. Michael Carter-Williams was the point guard of the future, and then he wasn’t. Sam Hinkie had the full support of ownership, and then he didn’t. Brett Brown didn’t have an incredible beard a la Gregg Popovich, and now he does.
One idea has remained constant, even with the addition of Ben Simmons: Joel Embiid has the highest ceiling on the roster. That was true the moment of the infamous tape delay, and it’s still the case more than two later, two years Embiid has spent not playing basketball:
Joel Embiid looked THRILLED to become a 76er: http://t.co/Q59auBvmaA pic.twitter.com/cBspDfvWGn (Yeah, he was on tape delay, but, still.)
— SB Nation (@SBNation) June 27, 2014
After Jahlil Okafor was drafted last season, I wrote this:
Embiid’s murky future makes the Sixers even more of a mystery because of the three bigs, he’s the most complete player. Okafor brings elite offense to the table while Noel offers elite defense, but Embiid has both.
And earlier this week, Philly Mag’s Derek Bodner went in-depth on this subject:
But for all of the talent the Sixers have acquired over the past three years, none are as sure of a thing, from a talent-only perspective, as a healthy Joel Embiid, a weird thing to say considering how much uncertainty there is when you add in his injury situation to the equation. It’s a little bit overly simplistic to say, but Embiid has the chance to have the defensive impact (even if not the sheer versatility) of Noel, the offensive production of Okafor, and the rebounding production that neither are able to replicate.
In a sea of talented, but flawed, prospects Joel Embiid stands out as an exciting amalgamation of the best of both worlds, a player capable of dominating both ends of the court, and without a glaring weakness to hide.
Like Bodner pointed out later in his piece (go give that a read), there is no way to feel better about Embiid’s foot until he plays. Even then, there will be some anxious moments whenever he hits the deck, for any reason. The big fella is on schedule to play in the preseason, but the track record for big guys (and to be clear, Embiid is freaking humongous) with foot injuries is bad.
Even with the injury concerns, this is still an athlete that you can't help but be excited about.
My 2016 NBA No-Defense team: Tim Kawakami, San Jose Mercury News
Kawakami began this column by apologizing for its tardiness, but from our perspective, some fresh content during a dead period was just what the doctor ordered. The former Daily News Eagles beat writer mostly uses the eye test to rate the worst defenders in the NBA, and as you might suspect, Okafor was the first-team center and “rookie of the year”:
One stat: His -1.56 DRPM ranked him 71st and last among all centers. More stats: Okafor blocked just 61 shots in 1,591 minutes. He’s 20 years old and a 6-11 center. San Antonio’s Danny Green blocked 64 shots in 2,062 minutes. He’s 29 years old and 6-6.
Basically, Okafor looks like he has a lot of potential on offense, but zero defensive instincts–so he’s shaping up to be a non-three-point-shooting Carmelo Anthony, at best, or maybe Al Jefferson right on the number.
Ranking Simmons, Ingram and top Rookie of the Year contenders; Ranking Towns, Porzingis and the best NBA sophomores: Chad Ford and Kevin Pelton, ESPN Insider
As you can tell by the title of the two articles (Insider Only!), the Sixers are more prominently featured in the one focusing on the rookies. In fact, Okafor didn’t crack either Ford or Pelton’s top-10.
Pelton and Ford ranked Simmons first among rooks, and as you’ll ready about below, Embiid third:
Pelton: If anyone's going to beat Simmons for Rookie of the Year, maybe it will be his teammate Joel Embiid. If Embiid can stay healthy and if the Sixers are willing to play him starter minutes (and if they can find that many minutes with Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor also in the mix at center), I don't think there's any rookie more likely to help his team win. Yeah, that's a lot of ifs, but are you ready to dream big with me?
Ford: I'm going to depart from you and the panel on this one, Kevin. I agree, on pure talent, Embiid is an excellent choice. If he's fully healthy and if he can find minutes in a crowded frontcourt (remember that Dario Saric is also showing up as well this season), then maybe. But he has hardly played in the past three years. I think the rust will be significant.
And just to make sure we aren’t being too hard on Jah, here are some of his season highlights from internet maestro Dawkins. I might need to get Dawkins some of the game film from my pickup games:
Progress on Sixers training center might be slower than they've said: Mike Sielski, Philadelphia Inquirer
The Sixers are returning to Stockton for training camp this season, which puts into question the timeline of the new practice facility in Camden:
Hey, Galloway Township is lovely in the summer and early fall, and the Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club is a gorgeous place to stay, and the university's gym does have two regulation-size basketball courts, which allow Brown and his players to get in the work they need, and Atlantic City and its casinos are just a 20-minute ride away in case that retreat aspect gets a little too confining for anyone. You can see why the Sixers would be happy to hold training camp there again, even if their new training complex were ready.
Which it isn't yet. But it will be, they said. On schedule. Just as they intend.
Richaun Holmes has a definite role in crowded Sixers frontcourt: Jake Hyman, Liberty Ballers
While I’m not sure I agree with the title due to the Sixers’ glut of big men, Holmes proved he can play in the NBA last year. He deserves some minutes, but the question to me is if the Sixers can realistically provide him with any:
I feel that I can bring energy and things that you can control like hustle and effort," Holmes said. "I can play with as much energy as I possibly can and let the rest of [my game] speak for itself. Being active around the rim, being able to catch and finish offensive rebounds...that's big time. I think in the NBA that's going to be a part of my role and my NBA career as well. I want to bring that every game."
Players, in any sport, come into professional environments with labels attached. Holmes isn't just an "energy guy;" hustle and effort fuel different aspects of his game. With a frame that plays at either the power forward or center position, Holmes couples his rugged build with ample amounts of energy to be useful in a plethora of areas.
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann
