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Lack of Center Depth Could Lead to Disaster for 76ers
- Story by
- Lack of Center Depth Could Lead to Disaster for 76ers
Lack of Center Depth Could Lead to Disaster for 76ers
(USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect)
When you're looking to win a championship, every little detail matters. This includes building adequate depth behind your starters. The Philadelphia 76ers have quite possibly one of the best starting lineups in not only the NBA but also NBA history.
One of their stars, Joel Embiid, is a crucial part of what they want to do this season. The only problem is he's prone to injury. Knowing this, it would make sense that the 76ers ensure they have a capable backup. The only problem is the cupboard is bare at the center position. The two players behind Embiid are Adam Bona and Ariel Hukeport, two unknown players. Now, this isn't a knock on either one of these players; it's just a huge dip in talent.
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This is a big reason the 76ers went and signed Tacko Fall to an Exhibit 10 contract . The hope is that he can compete and provide the depth they need. That's just not going to be enough.
It's a long and grueling season. Sometimes, you may need to go deep into your bench for assistance. The 76ers may have to look to the free agent pool and see what they can find. Last season, they had Andre Drummond to fill that backup role; now it's a head scratcher. With all the moves the front office has made, one would think they'd look at who is behind Embiid.
While Drummond averaged under ten points a game, he made up for it with his tenacious rebounding. Something that will be sorely missed this season.
There are a few players they could look into. Kevin Love is still available; even with his age, he is still a viable player who can still stretch the floor when asked to. Kelly Olynyk is another center with starter experience that can provide the same things as Love. The 76ers are going to need a big bruiser to come in and protect the paint. The one player who can provide that would be free agent Mason Plumlee. What he lacks in rebounding, he makes up for in hustle and physicality.
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It may not be much to look for, but the 76ers have to do something if they want to win a championship. It's going to be hard to foresee a trade happening just for a backup role unless certain players end up on the trading block.
It seems the focus for this team was building a roster with star players who can create for themselves. They expect a new, slimmed-down Embiid to play nearly 60-70 games, and that just doesn't seem likely given the history.
The 76ers will have a rough time if they don't resolve this issue before it derails the season.
