The Philadelphia 76ers roster for 2016 will be filled with some intriguing new faces. We’ll be looking at Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris as well as Al Horford. Let’s see if these three guys can make an impact on this team. Who will the Sixers bench look like? It is difficult to choose a starting five without knowing who they will be. However, there are some familiar faces in the frontcourt that will be a solid addition to the roster.
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Philadelphia 76ers roster 2016
The Philadelphia 76ers were the 68th franchise in the NBA and have now topped the standings in the Eastern Conference. The team was founded in 1932 and has a rich history, including a successful stint in the National Basketball Association (NBA). While there are many new faces and names on the 76ers roster, the most notable is Paul George, who was a former star. The 76ers will look to keep that legacy alive this season.
Joel Embiid was the third pick in NBA Draft. He has yet to play for Sixers. Embiid underwent stress fracture surgery in June 2014 and underwent another one last summer. His return would make it even more crowded in the front court. Still, the Sixers are cautious about Embiid’s availability. With all the hype surrounding Embiid, the team is making the right moves.
While this roster has some intriguing pieces, there are still plenty of question marks about the team’s future. While they have three guaranteed roster spots, the Sixers need to address their perimeter needs. The team will need to improve its depth at the position, and this is where Okafor fits in. Okafor played college basketball at Illinois and averaged 13.2 points per game in Spain last season. He is also a solid perimeter scorer.
Joel Embiid
While the 76ers’ lineup this year might have some other options at center, Joel Embiid should be included. While his shooting ability is a definite asset, he isn’t the only 76ers player who excels in the post. He also has an impressive assist rate, making him a vital piece of the offense. But before he can get to the rim, Embiid must improve his ball handling and dribbling.
Embiid was a key component of the 76ers recent roster moves. Despite missing two seasons and several trade deadlines, he has maintained close relationships with his teammates. And he doesn’t understand why players get upset when they’re mentioned in trade talks. Embiid is also known for not understanding why players are upset when they are mentioned in trade negotiations.
Unlike Embiid, Ben Simmons has been an extremely valuable part of the Philadelphia 76ers. He averaged 11.7 points per game last season with Anadolu Efes of Turkey in EuroLeague competition. Ben Simmons is a versatile player, even though he isn’t a good perimeter shooter. As a freshman, Simmons averaged 11.8 points and 6.4 rebounds. He also had 4.2 assists. Embiid is not the only Sixers player. Josh Richardson and Tobias Harris are also on the Sixers roster.
Tobias Harris
Is Tobias Harris a good fit for the Philadelphia 76ers roster? The 6-foot-10 forward has been with Sixers for two seasons and, although he has never made an All-Star team in his career, he is one the league’s most efficient scorers. His career field-goal percentage of 47.1% is his best and he is expected to break into the NBA’s top-50 this year. If the Sixers want to improve their playoff performance, they will need him to have a great playoff run.
Harris, like many Sixers players, was born in Long Island. He is the youngest of five siblings: Tessa, Terry, T.J. and Tyler. Tyler played college basketball at NC State, while Terry and T.J. played at Eastern Michigan and North Carolina A&T, respectively. Tessa is a college coach in Wilmington, North Carolina, and is a former assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers. Tori began her college career at James Madison, before moving to St. Bonaventure.
In Toronto, Harris averaged 14.0 points per game. The Sixers’ offense was a mess without Harris, but he made up for it by shooting 37.4% from three. He had a great shooting night and also added a clever little trick. Harris’s field shooting percentage is below 46.0% and the Sixers are currently 13-20. His shooting percentage has been a problem this year.
Al Horford
Al Horford is the right choice for the 76ers roster, with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid out for at most a few weeks. The 14-year-old veteran has not played much since signing the four-year deal with 76ers in off-season. His play has been inconsistent at best. Now the question is: Is he a better fit for the frontcourt?
In a trade with the Boston Celtics, Horford would likely be added as a second-round pick. While his defense is inconsistent and his offense hasn’t been the best this season, he would bring a different type of skill set to the table. He could bring a level of playmaking ability that other players can’t do without. He would add another dimension to the Celtics’ offense, defense, and playmaking ability.
If he were to play center, he would have to be the team’s best option, as his versatility in the mid-range is his most notable strength. On mid-range shots, which are shots made between the three-point line (three feet from the basket) and the three-point line (three feet), he averaged just over 50 percent. This would place him on par with Embiid who is one the most versatile players in NBA.
Josh Richardson
Josh Richardson, Philadelphia 76ers shooting coach, is expected to be a key contributor for the 76ers this year. Richardson has been injured multiple times during the season. Richardson was out for at most two weeks after sustaining a non-contact injury to his hamstring in the first game. However, the Sixers were able to beat the Lakers and the Warriors without their leading scorer.
The Miami Heat drafted Richardson with the 40th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. In his first year, he made the playoffs twice but only once advanced out of the first round. His best playoff performance came during the 2016 postseason when the Heat were eliminated in the first round by the Toronto Raptors. The 76ers and the Heat will meet in Philadelphia on Nov. 23. Richardson will also play for the Miami Heat on Dec. 28.
The 76ers will have more scoring options with Richardson and Harris on their roster. Richardson is a great player with NBA experience. Simmons and Harris are both excellent players. Richardson has the size, athleticism, and size to play alongside these greats. With an average scoring output of 16.6 points, he will be a valuable auxiliary option. The 76ers will have a tough time keeping up with the talented young core in the Eastern Conference.
Jahlil Okafor
If you’re looking for a point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers this season, make sure you check out Jahlil Okafor on their roster. He was the Sixers’ top scorer last season, shooting 50.8 percent from the field and averaging 17.5 points per game. His season did not go as smoothly as some expected, though, as he missed 11 games due to right knee soreness. While Okafor has yet to reach his scoring potential, his defensive skills are still improving. Okafor should be the starter off the bench for the Sixers, even though they have many options.
Okafor’s incredible rookie season has not been the only thing that impressed scouts. Okafor played 53 games, splitting his time between center and power forward. Although Okafor was considered a possible trade by the Sixers for D’Angelo Russell, it seems unlikely considering the Lakers’ position at the draft. However, this move would fill a key void on the Sixers’ roster: an offense-creating point guard.
Okafor is a better fit to the 76ers’ offense than Nerlens Noel, who was a solid offensive player and a great rim-protecting centre. During the preseason, the 76ers rotated five players to play two positions. This was not ideal as it led to a decrease in production and weakened the team’s roster.
Gerald Henderson
If you were to create a list of players who would be worth adding to 76ers’ roster next season, it would likely include Gerald Henderson, the shooting guard. Henderson has not yet played in an All-Star or playoff game despite his long career in the NBA. Still, he is an experienced presence with 463 career games under his belt. It’s difficult to argue with a player that has played in 463 of his career games.
Henderson, a former Duke basketball player attended Episcopal Academy outside Philadelphia. He played three seasons for Coach K before declaring for the draft. He’s now likely to serve as the starting shooting guard for the Sixers, where he can defend the perimeter and knock down shots. The Sixers have an immediate need for a wing player to complement Ben Simmons, and Henderson’s size and athleticism makes him an excellent choice at a cheap price.
Gerald Henderson is a free agent and has not yet played a significant role in the Sixers’ roster. While he may be a revolving door on the roster, he should be an invaluable addition to the Sixers. Henderson is a natural freak who can help the Sixers’ offense. He is also athletic enough to play defense. He could also be a valuable backup defender if he isn’t a starter.