Power Ranking Philadelphia 76ers Players Heading into Final Month of Season
The Philadelphia 76ers are heading into the final month of the 2014-15 season, and power ranking the team is like organizing the roster of an entirely different NBA franchise.
Philly recently signed Glenn Robinson III, making him player No. 25 to put on a Sixers uniform during the 2014-15 season—a Philadelphia record. The constantly revolving door has made finding any kind of consistency next to impossible.
Still though, there are a lot of promising pieces on Philadelphia's roster despite its 15-51 record. The best part is that the potential applies to every position on the floor.
Point guard all the way through center.
Here's a look at the power rankings of all 15 of the Sixers' players with the final month of the season upon us.
Nos. 15-11
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15. Furkan Aldemir
There's nothing wrong with being labeled as a rebounder. It just limits the total value of a player when that's all someone can do.
Aldemir is averaging 3.7 rebounds in 10.4 minutes per game, so there is clearly a well-defined skill. He'll just need to add different elements to his game in order to climb the Sixers' rankings.
14. Glenn Robinson III
Robinson III gets the nod over Aldemir strictly off his potential.
The Minnesota Timberwolves drafted him with the No. 40 overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, but he failed to live up to his father's name and only played in 25 games. His ability to slash and play above the rim put the Sixers in the driver's seat to sign him off waivers. Philadelphia could end up benefiting down the road as Robinson III fits its style of play.
13. Joel Embiid
This gem of a clip is for those who believe Embiid doesn't deserve to be anywhere but last on this list. There was a recent scare in his recovery after he was seen in a walking boot, but it appears as though he is still on track. He should probably avoid showing off before games, but it's good to see how anxious he is to return.
12. JaKarr Sampson
Sampson has gone from competing for best hair on the team, to becoming a role player who is prone to small bursts of scoring. His February consisted of averaging 8.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 19.2 minutes per game.
His play is inconsistent at best, but it's good to see Sampson begin to improve.
11. Tony Wroten
Wroten hasn't fallen to No. 11 because of a lack of talent, but rather due to a lack of time on the floor.
He played in his last game of the season on January 13 before partially tearing his right ACL. The injury can definitely be seen as a setback, but it's important to remember he was the team's leading scorer and will only be turning 22 years old in April.
There's no reason to think he can't get back into form once his recovery is complete.
10. Jason Richardson
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First of all, it's great to see Jason Richardson playing again.
There was a serious concern about his career coming to an end after a long and delayed rehabilitation from knee surgery. Witnessing his return to the floor has been fantastic thus far. It looks like he'll get the option to choose when he hangs up his shoes, instead of his body deciding for him.
When it comes to his game, we could talk about his problems on the defensive end due to a lack of his once-great athleticism, but it's not worth more than one sentence.
Richardson's value comes from being one of two players on the roster over the age of 28. His veteran status and experience in general is similar to having a coach on the floor. He just knows what's going on, and he is able to point the younger players in the right direction.
Richardson being a valuable three-point threat shooting 41.6 percent from out deep before a recent 0-of-14 stretch is just a bonus.
He might be far from the top of Philadelphia's power rankings, but at least he is on the list. That's a step in the right direction.
9. Hollis Thompson
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Hollis Thompson is a hard one to figure out.
There are times when he looks like he has no business being on an NBA floor—moments when he is consistently out of position on defense, forces everything known to man on offense and flat-out doesn't play hard.
There are also periods of time when the Earth stops rotating, dinosaurs begin to roar from the grave and he looks like an above-average player.
If only he could figure it out.
Even with all of the negatives, Thompson is still managing to hit 38.6 percent of his three-pointers on the season. This is coming from a guy who takes 3.9 per game. His value lies purely on the offensive end, as he struggles with a consistent effort level that is crucial to playing defense.
The brief flashes of real basketball give hope to Thompson, but it wouldn't be surprising to see his future in Philadelphia possibly nearing an end.
8. Henry Sims
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Henry Sims doesn't lead the Sixers in any statistical categories. His play won't even stand out as being overly good or bad. He is a pretty neutral player.
There isn't a better or more professional teammate on the team, though.
Sims recently had an eight-point, four-rebound performance in a win against the Sacramento Kings after having sat the three games prior. Philly.com's Bob Cooney reported on head coach Brett Brown saying this about the backup center.
"Henry Sims sat there and sat there for the past three games," Brown said. "To be able to then put him in a game and be able to perform the way he did, I think it just speaks volumes about him, and I think it's a really great example for our young guys to see what Henry still does, and is ready when he's called upon."
It's wild to look at other NBA teams and see how few have reliable big men in their second units.
The Sixers have one in Sims. It might be frustrating to not play in a game or two, but you wouldn't know it by watching him on the bench. He is always engaged and ready to go.
His game against the Kings was more proof.
7. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
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Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is another one of the Sixers' most low-key players. He is an undersized 6'8", 230-pound power forward who simply finds a way of getting it done.
He is almost always guarding people significantly bigger than himself, yet he uses his crazy strength to neutralize the size mismatch. Add in the fact of him being quicker than most of his taller opponents, and he begins to play a defensive role similar to Thaddeus Young's last season.
Mbah a Moute never makes it look pretty, but he almost always accomplishes his task.
Potentially keeping him around for Embiid's development could be something to keep an eye on as well. They are both from Cameroon in Africa and have already bonded over that fact in the past.
Their connection could lead Mbah a Moute toward being a great mentor for the young center as time goes by.
6. Thomas Robinson
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Thomas Robinson must wake up in the morning and imagine he's a professional pingpong or tennis player. One day he's on a team, and the next he's on another.
The former No. 5 selection in the 2012 draft is on his fourth squad in three years. He managed to stick with the Portland Trail Blazers for the entire 2013-14 season, but he has never played more than 15.9 minutes per game for any team he's been on.
That is until he joined the Sixers.
Robinson's playing time is up to 17.5, and the rest of his numbers have drastically increased because of it. He's pulled in at least nine rebounds in seven of the 10 contests he's played in thus far, topping out at an impressive 15 boards.
He secured them in only 18 minutes of play.
The level of intensity on the court is raised each time he checks into the game. He's one of a handful of players who is able to single-handedly accomplish that feat.
Philadelphia could have struck gold yet again by claiming Robinson off waivers when he became available. There's no reason to think that he can't end up having a solid career in Philadelphia if he continues to play as hard as he currently does.
5. Ish Smith
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Ish Smith might be in the midst of one of the craziest young careers of all time.
He has gone from being undrafted to competing in his fifth NBA season. He has also played on nearly one-third of the league's total franchises, as the Sixers are his ninth team.
It couldn't be happening to a fiercer player, either.
Smith is only 6'0" if he's standing on his toes, but he drives to the basket like he has another five inches of height. He's listed at 175 pounds, yet he always gets up from a hard foul as if there's another 25 pounds of weight on him. Smith is the type of guy whose eyes can be read to determine their level of ferocity.
It's a rare trait to have.
The bottom line is that the Sixers and Smith are a match made in heaven. Each is fighting for a better and more stable future—but unsure if it will ever come to fruition.
For now, though, both take it one game at a time and give it everything they've got.
It's all they know how to do.
4. Jerami Grant
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It's a special recognition when Brett Brown addresses the media and has this to say about Jerami Grant's defensive skill set, per the Sixers' Twitter: "When you look at his defense, where he can stalk balls down and go for blocks, he's really just special."
Grant has been a pretty consistent presence on the floor during his rookie season, as he's averaging 19.6 minutes per game. Being a force on the defensive end of the court is what has and will continue to earn him his playing time going forward.
He's a 6'8" small forward who can defend anyone from point guards to his own position. Brown has a weapon at his disposal in Grant who is often tasked with guarding the opposition's best scorer.
Grant does make rookie mistakes, such as not fully knowing his opponent's tendencies, but his pure athleticism and instincts make up for nearly any issues he may fall into.
The NBA is full of long and physically gifted wings, but very few of them have the ability and willingness to play defense like Grant does.
He will be an asset to Philly and the team moving forward.
3. Isaiah Canaan
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Isaiah Canaan went from averaging 14.2 minutes per game with the Houston Rockets, to becoming the Sixers' third-best player in a matter of 12 games.
His breakout moment came in an overtime loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Canaan scored a career-high 31 points, and he was able to rattle off eight three-pointers. It was such a crucial moment because it showed how different he is from former point guard Michael Carter-Williams.
Canaan is clearly a smaller—but well-built—guy at only 6'0", but his ability to shoot from anywhere on the floor completely contradicts Carter-Williams' inability to do so. He is shooting 36.2 percent from beyond the arc since joining Philadelphia. The fact that he takes 7.8 threes on average makes his percentage look even better.
Compare it to Carter-Williams, who shot 25.6 percent from out deep with the Sixers, and the difference appears more substantial.
Canaan is a great offensive threat, and he has proven to be a solid replacement at the point guard position.
2. Robert Covington
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Robert Covington is everything you can ask for in a small forward. He has great length at 6'9", can make the three-ball at an exceptional 37.7 percent rate and manages to get his hands in passing lanes leading to 1.5 steals per game.
This has all come from a man who only played in seven career NBA games before finishing last year in the NBA Development League.
Don't be surprised if he's awarded with the NBA's Most Valuable Steal trophy, as Philadelphia found an absolute diamond before any other team really recognized it.
It's more than just the fact of Covington being the Sixers' second-leading scorer among active players, though.
The Sixers might not have known it before the season began, but they ended up finding a player with a chance of sticking in Philadelphia for a number of years.
It's a rare find for a franchise that is known for cycling through talent at an alarming rate.
1. Nerlens Noel
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Nerlens Noel spent the months of February and March solidifying himself as the best and most promising member of the Philadelphia 76ers. His March numbers have consisted of 12.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 1.9 blocks per game.
Truly fantastic.
The decision to keep him out for the entire 2013-14 season was a test of patience. He was projected as a potential No. 1 draft pick, and the Sixers were able to get him in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans at No. 6. This was all after he tore his left ACL just four months earlier.
The results of his season-long absence have been about as great as any fan could ask for.
He's gone on to play in 62 of the team's 66 games, and he is making a late push for the league's Rookie of the Year award.
His 9.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game are above-average numbers at best, but his 1.9 blocks and 1.7 steals are good enough to label him as an elite defender—especially when you consider that he is in the NBA's top 10 for those defensive categories.
He's also doing all of this before turning 21 years old in April.
His future with the team is still uncertain with general manager Sam Hinkie at the helm, but he should be considered as one player who needs to remain on the Sixers. Moving him to another team would be a major mistake.
Zachary Arthur is a Featured Columnist for the Sixers on Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @Zach_ArthurSLC for more thoughts on the team and other random debates.
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