Although they just suffered their first loss of the season, the Philadelphia 76ers are still in great shape to start their campaign. They’re still tied for the second-best record in the East, and they’re just starting to get their key players back from injury, which is a game-changing thing for this group in particular.
Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe have been doing the heavy lifting so far, with Joel Embiid taking on a more secondary role, although that could also be attributed to the superstar being on a strict minutes restriction. The coaching staff is keeping his minutes low for now, and while he may not like it, it has become necessary due to the enormous associated injury risk that constantly surrounds him.
But going back to his role, the 76ers need Embiid permanent take a backseat to his younger teammates in Maxey and Edgecombe. While he will still be – and should be – a prominent option in this squad, he is will have to make the necessary adjustments to his play to give the team a quicker outlet to unleash his full potential.
Simply put, the former Most Valuable Player will have to reinvent himself.
The 76ers need Joel Embiid to do the little things more often than before
Maxey and Edgecombe will be the future centers of this team, but they may also be their best right now. with Embiid still limited. While that dampener is only temporary for Embiid, the 76ers need him to fully embrace his current streamlined role.
More directly, Embiid needs to take on more of a facilitation role to make life easier for the team’s electric backcourt. He is currently averaging the second-most assists per appearance per 36 minutes in his career. That already says what he is doing well so far, but it should also be a signal of what dynamics should develop further.
Sure, Embiid may not measure up to Jokic when it comes to passing the rock and setting up his teammates for easy baskets, but he’s easily an above-average passer for a center. That’s something the coaching staff needs to explore and slowly implement as a standard MO for this team.
Getting Embiid to actively commit as a facilitator unlocks Maxey and Edgecombe – that’s pretty clear. However, that should also provide the added benefit of helping him maintain his body better.
While some might think Embiid’s transformation into the mroe of a playmaking hub would be a waste of his unstoppable scoring prowess, that shift would be not only practical but sensible for the 76ers for the reasons stated. So far, he seems very willing to take on that mantle, and that’s exactly what will benefit the team in both the short and long term.
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