There’s a lot to feel good about regarding the 76ers right now.
They’ve signed Paul George to form an All-Star trio with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. They also added an insurance policy in backup center Andre Drummond in case Embiid becomes injured or needs rest. And the Sixers are the deepest they’ve been at the guard and wing positions in at least 11 seasons.
Yet there’s still one thing left on this summer’s to-do list to improve the roster.
While undersized at 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, KJ Martin is the only power forward listed on the Sixers’ roster. The problem is that the Sixers have only a one-year, minimum-salary deal to offer candidates for the position. The team has interest in signing former Sixers power forward and North Philly native Marcus Morris Sr.
Jae Crowder, Dāvis Bertāns, Danilo Gallinari, former Sixer Thaddeus Young, and Philly native Lamar Stevens are among a free-agent pool of power forwards the Sixers can pick from. Sources have said the team had some level of interest in Bertāns.
But despite his 6-10, 225-pound frame, Bertāns is more of a three-point specialist than a power forward. Morris fits the bill better, and would be a seamless addition.
The Sixers actually missed the 6-8, 218-pounder’s toughness, leadership, and stellar play after they traded him to the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 8. Versatile, Morris played power forward and small-ball center when needed for the Sixers, averaging 6.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in 17.2 minutes while shooting 40% on three-pointers last season.
If the Sixers are unable to sign a power forward, they’ll be forced to use other players in that spot. And that’s not uncommon in today’s NBA.
A lot of teams are going with their best five players instead of worrying about a particular position. The NBA champion Boston Celtics are a prime example. Their starting lineup consisted of All-Star wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, post player Kristap Porziņģis, and guards Jrue Holiday and Derrick White.
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks started All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson, small forward OG Anunoby, center Isaiah Hartenstein, and shooting guards Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo during their first-round playoff series victory over the Sixers.
The Celtics and Knicks had success with Tatum and Hart, respectively, playing in the post.
The 6-4 Hart averaged 16.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.0 block as the Knicks defeated the Sixers in six games. Meanwhile, Tatum averaged 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists and was a first-team All-NBA selection last season.
The Sixers could have George, Kelly Oubre Jr., or Caleb Martin play power forward this season. The three wings have been mentioned as projected starters alongside Embiid and point guard Maxey.
“I think you would say Kelly, Caleb, PG are all kind of interchangeable two through four,” coach Nick Nurse said last month. “You know what I mean? I just think you’ve got wing players out there. And that’s how I see it right now.”
The Sixers shouldn’t have a problem putting four perimeter players around Embiid in the regular season. If they need to go big during certain stretches, they could have a twin-towers lineup of Embiid and Drummond.
In a perfect world, the Sixers would add a power forward in free agency. But if they don’t sign one, they can make do with a guard-heavy squad until a suitable one becomes available in a trade.
