Trendon Watford signing a two-year deal with the 76ers this offseason isn’t what I’d call a “league change,” but it was a sneaky boost for a team that has struggled to find versatility in the frontcourt for years. Usually, the Sixers end up rolling out the most random veteran they can find on the open market, so the fact that Watford is 24 years old and coming off his most productive season is a nice change. His offensive game is more robust than Sixers fans may realize – especially his passing ability.
Tony Jones, who covers the Sixers for The Athletic, recently said on The Athletic Daily NBA podcast says Watford’s passing will be important to the Sixers’ plans:
“I really like the addition of Trendon Watford… He’s a 6-foot-1 guy, really good friends with Tyrese Maxey… That can do some unique things as a power forward in terms of running an attack and initiating an offense. He’s a really good passer, which is important because I think… A lot of the squad lacks dynamic passing. So I think Watford will ultimately become an important part of what the Sixers do.”
I don’t expect Watford to be a linchpin in the Sixers offense, and his 2.6 assists per game last year aren’t hugely inspiring (he played on a terrible Nets team, to be fair), but any playmaking in the Sixers’ frontcourt will be welcome.
Trendon Watford provides much-needed forward depth for Sixers
Again, even being a good passer in the Sixers’ frontcourt will be a big problem, because the other guys around Watford – Kelly Oubre, Justin Edwards, Adem Bona, etc. – aren’t what you’d call top-level facilitators. If Watford can be the best passer in the frontcourt every night, Nick Nurse will have a hard time keeping him out of the rotation.
Right now the power forward spot is full of bodies, but it still feels wide open. Oubre will get some time there, but he’s more of a natural wing. Jabari Walker could earn some minutes, but he may not be a regular rotation guy. Justin Edwards has real upside, but still has a long way to go before he can make a real contribution. So if Watford can find his niche – and potentially that’s a step forward – he should be in line to play a bigger role in Philly than in Portland or Brooklyn.
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