Getty De'Anthony Melton #8 and Danuel House Jr. #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers reach for a rebound against Grant Williams #12 of the Boston Celtics during the first half at TD Garden on October 18, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts.
One of the most intriguing parts of the NBA season is seeing how the new additions fit in at their new locations. The offseason brings hope to each organization as teams add new talent in an attempt to take them over the top. This is no different for the Philadelphia 76ers who made several notable moves this summer. With the opening few games of the season now underway, Bleacher Report handed out their first grades for each team’s offseason additions. They handed Philadelphia a B+ for the moves and discussed P.J. Tucker, De’Anthony Melton, and Montrezl Harrell as the most notable additions.
As Greg Schwartz of Bleacher Report put it:
An 0-3 start to the season never deserved much panic, as these Sixers are too good overall and made too many strong offseason pickups to struggle for long. Their 4-1 record since has proven as much.
Tucker is playing the role we all expected as a starting forward who defends, screens and hits open three-pointers. He’s gone 9-of-18 to begin the season (50.0 percent) and still looks like a valuable role player at age 37.
Melton is settling in nicely as the team’s sixth man and spot starter and is once again near the league lead in steals (2.0 per game). He’s a defensive safety net when players like Tyrese Maxey and James Harden are getting torched on the perimeter.
Harrell is fighting for time as a backup big and is averaging just 10.0 minutes in his seven games. He’s a better offensive option than players like Tucker and Paul Reed behind Joel Embiid and will likely get time based on specific matchups.
Where is Danuel House Jr?
The most notable name missing from this list is Danuel House Jr. The Sixers handed the 29-year-old a two-year deal worth $8.4 million with the second year as a player option. He showed some intriguing flashes in the preseason but has struggled to start the year. Through the opening eight games, House is averaging just 2.6 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in his 15.5 minutes per game. He also has connected on just three of his 11 three-point attempts.
While the perception of House Jr. was he would be an improved two-way wing in the Sixers rotation, he has struggled on both sides of the ball. It is still far too early to count him out, but the lack of production on either side has been concerning. This has been a major reason for Matisse Thybulle making his return to the rotation.
🔒 @MatisseThybulle made his presence felt in the @sixers win over the Raptors.
📊 6 PTS | 3 REB | 3 AST | 2 BLK | 1 STL | 22 MINS
Montrezl Harrell’s Impact
Both De’Anthony Melton and P.J. Tucker have seen plenty of praise for their early impact. However, Montrezl Harrell also has not made his presence felt in the way it was hoped. The former Sixth Man of the Year has been in the mix for minutes, but Doc Rivers has leaned heavily toward Tucker in the small-ball center role rather than Harrell.
So far this season Harrell has not played more than 17:22 of game minutes and has been held to under five minutes of play twice. He is coming off his most impressive performance with the Sixers during the previous victory over the Wizards. In his 13:34 of play, Harrell scored seven points, four rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. He seems to be finding his stride playing alongside James Harden and the effort he brought defensively was especially noteworthy.
While role players are important for every team, the Sixers are especially reliant on these types of players. Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Harden each are ranking within the top 20 of most frequently double-teamed players in the NBA to start the season. Having guys capable of capitalizing on the open opportunities that these double teams create is essential to Philadelphia’s success.
Here’s who has been double teamed the most + efficiency on those possessions
What stands out??
It is still early in the season and a B+ rating is a solid indication of the impact of the Sixers’ new additions. The true test will be in the postseason where Philadelphia has not seen enough production in past years, but each of the new additions has played a key role in the Sixers’ three-game winning streak. Hopefully, this success can continue to be built on for each of these players individually and the team overall.
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