The Philadelphia 76ers have one of the most loaded lineups in the entire league, that’s for sure. The abundance of raw talent on this roster cannot be denied, especially since the team features a good mix of star players, capable veterans, and young players who show a lot of promise. Health permitting, this group is built to compete with any team.
That said, this selection isn’t perfect by any means. The least sensible thing about the 76ers’ lineup is the fact that they still have players who can no longer viably get minutes. At the top of that list are their two wise veterans, Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry, although the former is barely felt as the latter essentially functions as a quasi-assistant coach to Nick Nurse.
As expected, Gordon was nothing more than a benchwarmer in his 18th season. At age 36, he no longer has the tenacity to be a consistent rotation player. In fact, he’s managed just a hair above 15 minutes in nine games, which reflects his current role (or lack thereof), with the 76ers exclusively resorting to their young guns to fill all the minutes in the backcourt.
That’s why it’s high time for the 76ers to make a serious effort to replace him, and one name that could pique their interest is a former All-Star in Victor Oladipo.
The 76ers could turn to Victor Oladipo to replace Eric Gordon
Oladipo, who last saw action in the NBA during the 2022-2023 season with the Miami Heat, appears to be eyeing a comeback. He hasn’t played in the league for two full seasons, but he is apparently laying the foundation for a possible return to the big league.
After briefly suiting up for the Guangzhou Loong Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), competing during the preseason, Oladipo reportedly signed to the G-League player pool according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.
The G-League season has just started, even though it hasn’t been claimed yeta visit to the developmental league could improve his chances of returning to the NBA.
The 76ers could certainly use Oladipo as a better alternative to Gordon. While we probably shouldn’t put too much stock in his flashy scoring display in the two preseason games with the Loong Lions, his skillset still makes more sense for this team.
Injuries have sapped his athleticism, but Oladipo is a much more competent defender and secondary playmaker than the one-dimensional Gordon. And even better, the injury risks he faces will be hidden by the fact that he won’t have a consistent role anyway.
Gordon has more mileage, but Oladipo also has plenty of experience, especially in the playoffs. VJ Edgecombe’s play is especially similar to his during his peak years with the Indiana Pacers, when he made two All-Star teams.
For now, this is an obvious guess, but the 76ers will be hard-pressed to find a better replacement for Eric Gordon than Victor Oladipo, someone who should be a better third-stringer but won’t cost anything of value to acquire.
#76ers #forgotten #Star #replace #unplayable #veteran