National Basketball Association

Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid Holds Key to Solving the Frontcourt Logjam

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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With either Jahlil Okafor or Nerlens Noel likely to be traded eventually, how Joel Embiid performs on both ends could determine which player has a more fitting role with the team long term.

At this point, it’s almost a given that we will see either Jahlil Okafor or Nerlens Noel shipped elsewhere over the course of the upcoming season. The two post-oriented fives struggled to execute alongside one another on the court last season, and their ability to find ample playing time for all the studs in their revamped frontcourt rotation is set to be greatly hindered.

That’s where Joel Embiid comes into play. The 2014 first overall pick is finally set to make his NBA debut, and his production in certain aspects of the game could determine which big gets traded by the deadline.

As somebody who would have likely gone off the board first on draft night if it wasn’t for a nagging injury to his foot, Embiid clearly has the talent to produce at a high level in the NBA. His post scoring and footwork was always far beyond that of most players his age — especially considering how new he was to the game of basketball — and his defensive prowess underneath was a cornerstone of his Kansas squad alongside Andrew Wiggins on the perimeter.

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There’s still room, if he’s able to overcome the injuries that have sidelined him for two years now, for Embiid to emerge as the best center on this roster. With that said, even if he doesn’t soar above Okafor and Noel in terms of production, the manner in which he produces could help push the proverbial hand of Bryan Colangelo in one direction or another in regards to which five man ends up on the trading block.

Okafor and Noel provide vastly different benefits on the court, something that has been ever-apparent to Sixer fans over the course of the past season. Okafor, while he doesn’t embody the today’s NBA by any means, did prove his worth as somebody capable of scoring underneath. Even with a largely deficient offensive setup, his arsenal of post moves and intelligence around the basket was showcased in rare form for a player his age.

Noel, in turn, established himself further as the type of defensive cornerstone the Sixers can build around. He is averaging a shade under two blocks and two steals per game over the course of his young career (1.7 and 1.8 respectively), and displays a level of defensive versatility that has only been hindered in the slightest by the logjam underneath with Okafor.

Okafor’s defense has posed a massive challenge at times given his lack of awareness on that side of the ball, while Noel’s rather simplified offensive attack provides limitations in the other direction in terms of which would be most effective with the other traded away.

That’s where Embiid slides into the equation as the determinant of sorts. He’s a capable offensive producer who has shown his chops as an elite rim protector at the collegiate level. How he does on either side of the ball could help Brett Brown and the front office determine which of the two they are in need of the most.

If Embiid is highly efficient offensively and provides a more diverse scoring attack around the basket, then Okafor’s services may no longer be of absolute necessitation. On the other hand, if Embiid emerges as a defensive standout around the basket, the clash in fit could lead to Noel being packaged in a deal that sends him out of Philly.

The Sixers will have enough trouble plugging Embiid into a rotation consistenting of the aforementioned bigs alongside Ben Simmons and Dario Saric as it stands, but his versatility should allow him to carve out enough time in order to make some sort of impact on a potential deal. He’s flexible enough offensively to slide into the rotation as a power forward at times alongside Noel or Okafor, which could allow the team to see how they coincide on the court together. His ability to defend and get up and down the court could also allow him to be utilized in small ball rotations, which would only increase his exposure as a viable alternative.

This is a pivotal season in the evolution of this Philadelphia team, and how they resolve their big man problem will be a critical part of their decision making as the team looks to claw their way back into competitiveness out East.

Joel Embiid, while he may need some time to get acclimated to the NBA waters, could be a legitimate catalyst for a potential trade this season. His play could feasibly lay the framework for how their frontcourt will be managed for the foreseeable future if he’s able to stay on the floor. There’s a lot of potential with Embiid, and just how he displays it could give the front office a read on whose loss elsewhere in the rotation would cause the team less harm long term.

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