When the Philadelphia 76ers entered the 2016 NBA Draft, there were no guarantees of improvement. Still, the future is much brighter now. Brighter, and more interesting. The 76ers added rookies Ben Simmons, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Dario Saric and Joel Embiid, who join veterans Gerald Henderson, Sergio Rodriguez and Jerryd Bayless on the roster this year.
The current roster is beginning to reflect the image of what head coach Brett Brown had hoped for over the past three years. His “pace, space, pass” script now has true players– athletes who can accelerate the rate of the game, set up at the perimeter for three-point shots, perch near the basket for a crowd-pleasing alley-oop dunk, or drive to the basket on a layup.
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The team has the right players now, but unfortunately like any kit out of the box, they need sorting out. Questions like who compliments who; who is on minutes restrictions and who can shoulder significant time on the court; who is ready to start on day one, and who will need time to earn that starting role are all things that must be carefully considered. While the new faces may take a while to integrate into the roster, even NBA veterans Gerald Henderson, Sergio Rodriguez and Jerryd Bayless will need time to build rapport with the coaching staff and their teammates.
The Summer League featured a nice mix for the 76ers with rookies, veterans and NBA hopefuls, but Ben Simmons was clearly the star of the series. In the three-game Utah Summer League series, Simmons averaged 8 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game and 5.5 assists per game, despite leaving the first game prematurely with leg cramps. He followed that up by averaging 11.3 points per game, 7.0 rebounds per game and 5.3 assists per game in Las Vegas. In both series, he got the ball to the right player, and his assists would have been even more impressive had the guys he passed to completed their shots.
He made passing appear as natural as breathing, often threading three defenders to place the ball into a shooter’s hands just as the shot opened up. Despite a scoring outburst, it’s clear that Simmons will need options to distribute the basketball to.
Enter Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot: “TLC” is the highest rated “3 and D” prospect in the 2016 NBA draft, and for good reason. He is averaging 9.4 ppg in Las Vegas on 23.2 minutes per game while shooting 41.9 percent from the floor. But his most significant contribution may be his defense, where he held Brandon Ingram to just seven points and 25 percent shooting in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
The biggest upgrade may lie in the overall strength of the team’s roster. Last season, reserve players were forced to start; this season, starting players will be forced to the bench. This will give head coach Brett Brown something he hasn’t had before: An NBA worthy team.
To hear more from Bret Stuter, follow him on Twitter @milroyigglesfan.
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