Getty Matisse Thybulle #22 of the Philadelphia 76ers steals the ball from Caris LeVert #3 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center on February 12, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Philadelphia 76ers have not gotten off to the start of the season they had hoped. Their 5-7 record has them tied for 10th in the Eastern Conference and the on-court product of play has been even less inspiring. The team looks to be in need of a change and there are a variety of opinions on what this means. Whether it is a rotation change, style of play alteration, or switching head coach completely- fans want to see something.
James Piercey of the NBA Analysis Network had a different idea about what must be done. He recently proposed a trade idea has the Sixers and Mavericks swapping role players. This deal has Philadelphia landing Reggie Bullock and a pair of second-round picks in exchange for Matisse Thybulle and Georges Niang.
REGGIE BULLOCK IN THE CLUTCH
Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Sixers
Despite the effort to improve the role players on the Sixers roster, it is clear the roster is not complete enough. Guys like P.J. Tucker, De’Anthony Melton, and Danuel House Jr. were perceived to be upgraded two-way options within the rotation, but the Sixers roster is still lacking. The reliance on players like Niang and Thybulle, who are incredibly one-sided in their on-court abilities, is further evidence of this.
The Sixers’ biggest area of weakness right now is perimeter defense. As the roster currently stands, it is up to Tucker and Tobias Harris to guard the opposing teams’ best players. Reggie Bullock would be an upgrade in this area and is a true three-and-D player that the Sixers are missing. The 31-year-old is a career 38.4% three-point shooter who is capable of guarding opposing teams’ top perimeter options. He also would provide a splash of athleticism to the Sixers’ lineup which still has looked stiff and slow overall.
Georges Niang hit 7️⃣ three pointers in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 100-88 win over the Phoenix Suns tonight. #CyclonesInTheNBA
While Niang has been one of the bright spots on the Sixers this year, his defensive deficiencies are too large to cover up in the postseason. The Minivan is currently averaging 9.0 points per game and shooting 45.9% on three-pointers while attempting 5.1 per game. Doc Rivers has done him no favors on the defensive end by asking him to play small-ball center at times, which is a new role for him. His effort should never be questioned, but Niang’s lack of quickness and size leaves him vulnerable to being scored on at a regular rate.
There are similar complaints about Thybulle on the opposite side of the floor. His eye-popping defensive abilities have been necessary to the Sixers, but his inability to have any offensive role is a concern. Despite the growing hype surrounding his jump shot coming into the season, he is shooting a career-worst 18.2% on three-pointers to start the year. The lack of concern for him offensively has harmed the Sixers in the past and will continue to be the case if he remains in the postseason rotation.
The Sixers can’t play Matisse Thybulle in this series. His defense hasn’t come close to offsetting his offensive limitations.
They’re playing 4-on-5 offensively with him out there.
Why The Trade May Not Matter
Unfortunately, there are deeper issues than just adding an additional rotation player. The problems within the Sixers appear pretty deeply rooted this season. While James Harden’s injury will likely be used as a scapegoat, the team was not clicking when he was in the lineup.
Off a made FT, the Sixers:
-Don’t cross halfcourt until 17 on the clock
-Ball doesn’t break the 3-point line until 2 on the clock
-Tucker & asst. coach yelling that the play’s not being run right
-Maxey & House disappear off the broadcast
-Sixers still give up a transition dunk.
Through the opening 12 games, the Sixers have looked sluggish on both ends of the floor. The team ranks 27th in the NBA in points per game. They are 29th in pace, 13th in defensive rating, and 16th in offensive rating. The hustle stats have been especially discouraging as Philadelphia rank last in contested shots, 25th in transition points allowed, and 23rd in loose balls recovered.
While a trade to upgrade at wing is something the Sixers should jump on if it presents itself, there are internal issues that must be addressed. The Sixers’ offense has been stale and stagnant. Its isolation-based play call is a major reason for the slow pace but is troublesome when not producing at a high level.
There is still time to steer the season in the right direction, but the Sixers have plenty of work to do. Pressure is continuing to build as there were high expectations coming into the season. This can only happen one step at a time, but the Sixers must begin this process soon.