Philadelphia 76ers Player Power Rankings: Stacking Up Full Roster in December
The Philadelphia 76ers are nearly a quarter of the way through the NBA season, and the talent among the roster is beginning to shape up.
Deciding on which people have played best after Philly began the season with an 1-17 record is actually easier than it might sound. The variety of talent level ends up being easier to see because there's frankly not much.
Coming up with power rankings for all 15 players on the Sixers is a combination of a number of factors. Statistics is obviously a key one, however, experience and skills also factor into the equation. Add everything up and we start to see how the rankings pile up.
It's still early in December, and these rankings are far from final. Nevertheless, let's take a look at where Philadelphia's roster stands as of now.
Nos. 15-11
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15. Jason Richardson
2014-15 Stats: No games played.
Witnessing veterans struggle to ever see the floor because of nagging injuries is incredibly frustrating and sad. They got to where they are because of a successful career, but at some point their bodies just don't let them continue.
It appeared as though this would be the case with Richardson, except he recently told the press that he believes he'll definitely be back before the All-Star break.
There's a high chance of him losing a step or four, but Richardson would certainly contribute if his skill set is still what it used to be. He's been one of the NBA's premier three-point shooters during his entire career, and it's reflected by his 12-year average of 37.1 percent from beyond the arc.
This isn't a case of wanting to see a guy sooner rather than later. This has to do with wanting to see him at all.
14. Joel Embiid
2014-15 Stats: No games played.
The more the Sixers play, the more fun it gets to think about what they'll look like with Embiid in the lineup.
Unfortunately, the former Kansas product is currently sidelined with a foot injury. His return is questionable, as Philadelphia may elect to use the same strategy as it did with Nerlens Noel's knee injury: sitting Embiid out for the entire season.
Seeing the talented 7-footer play is incredibly enticing, but being patient is in Philly's best interest. There's no point in rushing him back to the floor and putting him on a team that could struggle to win 10 games all year. If general manager Sam Hinkie is serious about losing heavily now in order to win big in the future, then waiting to play Embiid until the 2015-16 season is the right thing to do.
13. Jerami Grant
2014-15 Stats: 2.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks
Grant's playing style matches Philadelphia's almost too perfectly.
His length and athleticism make him seem bigger than his 6'8" height suggests, and he runs the floor like a gazelle when given the opportunity. Everything matches from an outside perspective, but Grant isn't quite ready to see any kind of valuable minutes until he's able to do more than fit the profile.
The disadvantage to getting little-to-no minutes is obviously a lack of playing time. There's not much more to it than that. Fortunately, it provides the player with an opportunity to work on his game in a setting with much less pressure than an NBA game.
Every once in a while a player comes out of nowhere and begins to contribute around the middle of the season. Grant may or may not be that guy, but he definitely has all of the physical tools to fit the profile.
12. Drew Gordon
2014-15 Stats: 1.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 0.2 assists and 42.1 percent from the field
Nothing that was just said about Grant can really apply to Gordon. He isn't on the team based on physical gifts and potential. He was called up from the NBA Development League near the beginning of the season in order to fill a role. The decision seemed to be based on what he could give Philly during this season, with the intention of re-evaluating where he's at when the time comes.
Gordon fits the perfect mold of an undersized big man who has to battle his way onto an NBA roster, and we have to remember that there is nothing wrong with that.
He's seen double-digit minutes in five of his 10 games, and there will continue to be inconsistencies in his playing time. Gordon now has the tough responsibility of always being ready to contribute, even if he hasn't played more than five minutes in his last two games.
It takes a special player to do that. We'll see if Gordon is that type of guy.
11. JaKarr Sampson
2014-15 Stats: 1.8 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.5 blocks
It's rare for an organization to give solid minutes to the No. 11 guy on the team, but Philadelphia is clearly in a unique situation. The Sixers have started a total of 10 different players through the first 18 games of the season, so playing time varies.
Sampson is getting a firsthand look at what this looks like as he began the year getting a little more than 14 minutes per night through the first six games. It was then followed by eight games where he averaged 0.5 minutes.
There's really no telling as to when he'll see the floor.
The good news for Philly fans is that he's shown some respectable upside when he does get his few moments. His offensive numbers are a joke, but a good amount of rookies are in the same boat. Sampson makes up for it with his ability to play defense at a high level. His athleticism lets him get to where he needs to be, and most of his six total blocks have come from his help defense.
Expect to see Sampson on the court more as the season goes on. His defense is much closer to where it should be than his offense, and playing defense is more important to Philadelphia at this time.
No. 10: Hollis Thompson
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2014-15 Stats: 7.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 38.5 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from three
Believe it or not, but there have actually been a number of very positive surprises despite Philly starting the season with an 0-17 record.
Hollis Thompson, however, has arguably been the biggest disappointment.
He was one of the team's biggest surprises last season, as he went on to start in 41 games despite being an undrafted free agent. An increase in minutes by five per game isn't resulting in the kind of production jump you would expect. His shooting numbers are down by around eight percent each, and his scoring is only up by 1.7 points. Combine his scoring with a decrease in rebounding, and it's clear how stagnant Thompson is becoming.
Averaging 1.1 steals is what's keeping him on the floor as of right now. His length and positioning are the best among Philadelphia's small forwards, but he has to be on a shorter leash than usual.
Thompson needs to produce more.
No. 9: Brandon Davies
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2014-15 Stats: 6.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.8 steals
Brandon Davies has received more negative press from me than nearly everyone else combined, but I have gone on record as stating that I was wrong about most of what I've said. It's one thing to not play poorly, but it's another to end up playing well.
Crazy enough, that's exactly what Davies has been doing.
He has always been excellent at giving his all. Hustle has never been an issue with Davies. None of that has left, and it appears as though he expanded on his game during the offseason. He began the year averaging 10.5 points through the first six contests of the year and displayed some surprising talent off the dribble as well as from the perimeter.
There has been a disconnect since, but putting multiple solid games together is a giant step forward.
Davies needs to do his best to push through whatever wall he seems to have hit. He's beginning to come down from the surprising level of play, and it would be a shame to see him go back to playing as poorly as he once did.
No. 8: Alexey Shved
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2014-15 Stats: 10.4 points, 3.3 assists, 32.7 percent from three and 84.1 percent from the free-throw line
Alexey Shved has ended up being a solid pick up for Philadelphia as he looks like a rejuvenated player.
Shved showed his offensive potential while busting onto the scene as a rookie with the Minnesota Timberwolves. It seemed as though he had the complete package. He combined a tight handle with a nose for the rim and ability to knock down pull-up jumpers from anywhere on the court.
Year 2 came around, and the minutes went down as soon as the shots stopped falling.
Luckily for Philadelphia, that year ended. The Sixers were able to secure the talented Russian over the offseason, and his game has done a 180. His 10.4 points are a career high, despite averaging six fewer minutes per game during his previous best season. The best part of his game has turned into his ability to attack and get to the free-throw line. Shved is shooting 3.4 free throws and making them at an incredibly solid 84.1 percent.
There's a chance he would be higher on the list if he hadn't missed seven of the team's first 20 games with different injuries. Still though, he's been a bright spot in a season full of dark.
No. 7: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
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2014-15 Stats: 8.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute combines one of the NBA's best names with a defensive mentality that few possess.
It's wild to think that a 28-year-old happens to be the Sixers' second-oldest player. Still, though, he's on his third team in seven years and is scoring a career-best 8.2 points. The last time he scored close to this much was during the 2011-12 season.
He is doing a good job of putting the ball in the basket, but his biggest strength happens to be his toughness. Thaddeus Young was Philadelphia's glue guy for years, but his departure left a gaping hole that Mbah a Moute has done a solid job of filling.
Being a power forward at 6'8" isn't a walk in the park, but Mbah a Moute holds his own by using his strength and low center of gravity to get position on bigger players around the basket. Securing 5.1 rebounds per game is great for his size, and he's managing to somehow only foul 1.7 times per game while averaging 26.4 minutes.
Mbah a Moute is the furthest from being the biggest or quickest player on the Sixers, but he could be one of the smartest. He's an asset on Philadelphia's roster regardless.
No. 6: Robert Covington
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2014-15 Stats: 6.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and 52.4 percent from three
Having Robert Covington at No. 6 is definitely premature. There's no denying that. It's also a potential prediction as to where he could be in Philadelphia's scheme down the line.
Covington might be new to the Sixers, but he was instrumental in the team's first win of the season on Wednesday over the Timberwolves. He had 17 points in 31 minutes while going 3-of-6 from beyond the arc and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. His shooting numbers are great, but they look even better considering that he made all of his three-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Covington has only played in nine games thus far, but he looks like he has both the skills and poise to be a productive member off the bench for the duration of the season.
If he can light it up during the fourth quarter in any more games, then we'll call that a bonus.
No. 5: Henry Sims
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2014-15 Stats: 10.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 0.8 steals
Henry Sims was arguably the Sixers' biggest surprise during last year's miserable season. He arrived in Philadelphia and exploded in every statistical category.
Any questions about how well he'd be able to sustain his level of play need to be put to rest, because he's proved to be a legitimate NBA big man. His biggest asset is how he can be mentally prepared and physically ready to go regardless of whether he is starting or coming off the bench.
It can be difficult to differentiate between the two at times.
The strangest yet most impressive thing Sims has done this season happens to be how he's managed to expand his range. When you're talking about a big man, the talk of extended range usually constitutes going from 10 to 15 feet. Nothing huge, but still substantial enough. Instead, Sims has moved even further back and has taken five three-pointers on the season.
He's hit three of them.
There aren't any alarms sounding since the sample size is so small, but that isn't the point. We should be focusing on the fact that Sims clearly spent time working on certain skills, and it's all translating really well at the NBA level.
No. 4: Nerlens Noel
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2014-15 Stats: 7.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks
Nerlens Noel has made his long-awaited debut in the NBA, and he hasn't disappointed at all.
Is he as dominant as some would hope he'd be? No, he's far from that point.
Noel's offense is years behind his defense. He'll never dominate in the post without a steady back-to-the-basket or face-up game. Being active in pick-and-roll situations is crucial toward getting easy buckets, but it won't separate him from any other athletic big men who know how to play above the rim.
We'd be crazy not to at least mention his defense, though. Averages of 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks are ridiculous for an eighth-year player, let alone a rookie. Noel has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. Combine his never-ending energy with his body placement, and he starts to come up in discussions about becoming an elite defender.
Not much has been said about Noel's durability, but he's done a great job of not missing time. We're 18 games into the season, and he has only missed three of them to date.
Being healthy for an entire year should give him even more confidence to play without the fear of getting hurt. It would be an important mental hurdle to jump.
No. 3: K.J. McDaniels
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2014-15 Stats: 10.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.4 blocks and 0.9 steals
K.J. McDaniels has gone from being a second-round draft pick to a potential Rookie of the Year candidate.
Philadelphia faced a real fork in the road when it came to McDaniels and his playing time. He was frustrated with how few minutes he was receiving, and it gave the Sixers two choices. They could play him more and let him develop on the floor or wait for it to take place during practice.
Seems like a pretty easy decision, right?
CBSsports.com's Sam Vecenie recently ranked the NBA's rookies, and McDaniels officially took the top spot. Here's what Vecenie had to say about the first-year player:
"A little bit more about McDaniels so far: he's third in scoring among rookies, third in 3-point percentage, and third in 3-pointers made. The scoring is mostly due to his role on the hapless Sixers, but his shooting is legitimately improved. I don't think he's a consistent 40 percent 3-point shooter by any means, but I do think that his motion looks much more fluid than it did at any point last season with Clemson. That bodes well for his future, which is very much in question given that he signed a one-year deal and will be a restricted free agent this offseason. He's making himself a ton of money right now, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him get a yearly average around $6-7 million in July. The increased cap along with his perceived upside as a 22-year-old free agent will likely make him one of the most sought-after players on the market.
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The bottom line is that McDaniels made the right decisions before the season and is making the right decision right now.
The Sixers probably weren't expecting him to turn into a star, but it's something they might have gotten out of the rookie swingman.
No. 2: Tony Wroten
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2014-15 Stats: 17.9 points, 6.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 4.2 turnovers and 6.7 free throws per game
McDaniels has a case for being No. 2 on this list based off pure potential, but that would be doing a disservice to Tony Wroten who has been simply sensational.
The 6'6" combo guard was able to step in for an injured Michael Carter-Williams and deliver performance after performance. They happened to be in losing efforts, but his final numbers showed all they needed to.
Wroten proved he could contribute off the bench last season as he averaged 13.0 points, but that was pretty much all he brought to the table. This season has been almost entirely different as he's increased his assists by 3.3 per game. The only negative with more passing comes with his 4.2 turnovers, which are ridiculously high.
That number has to go down for Wroten to be as effective as he could truly be.
Wroten could be a great backcourt companion to Carter-Williams moving forward if he can continue to have an attacker's mentality. It's early in the year, but he's playing like a certified starter.
No. 1: Michael Carter-Williams
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2014-15 Stats: 16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 4.3 turnovers
Michael Carter-Williams is finally starting to play like the guy who won the NBA's Rookie of the Year award last season.
He definitely got off to a slow start after returning from a torn labrum in his right shoulder, but he has started to display the versatile game we've come to expect out of the 6'6" point guard. In fact, he's averaged 20.6 points, 10.6 assists and 10.0 rebounds in his last three games.
That's right, Carter-Williams has had a string of games where he's putting up wild triple-double-like numbers. It might be early, but he's showing that last season was no fluke.
Before we get too excited, there is something very important to note.
Philadelphia managed his minutes during his first couple of games of the season, but December is already looking like a different story. Carter-Williams is averaging 38.5 minutes in the first two games of the month, and it'll be interesting to see if he begins to wear down after some time.
There's no question about how good he's looked, though. The Sixers have a weapon with Carter-Williams, and hopefully he continues to show that he can be Philadelphia's point guard of the future.
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