The Philadelphia 76ers, like the Miami Heat, got a nice haul of players on draft night who have great potential. However, each rookie has questions they must answer for the coming season. Here are the questions that each of the rookies on the Philadelphia 76ers have to answer during the 2024-2025 NBA season.
One Question For Each Philadelphia 76ers Rookie
Jared McCain
Question: Can McCain improve defensively over the course of the season?
The Philadelphia 76ers selected Jared McCain with the 16th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. As a player, McCain‘s gifts lie in his ability to be a threat from beyond the arc. Additionally, McCain is an impressive rebounder despite his size at 6’3″. He is also a competent playmaker as well. Above all that,he competes on every play with good basketball IQ. While McCain didn’t have the greatest Summer League performance, his competitiveness and flashes of potential were clear to see. However, his deficiencies as a defender were also clear to see and will be something he needs to improve.
The question that McCain needs to answer is whether or not he can improve defensively over the course of the coming season. Answering that question will be a factor in determining the amount of playing time he will see next season. If McCain can improve as a defender throughout the season, then he will see more and more minutes as the season goes on. None of the veteran guards on the Sixers like Reggie Jackson or Eric Gordon are two-way players. McCain could add a new dimension to the guard rotation if he can develop as a defender, which will lead to more minutes. Regardless of whether McCain succeeds or not, he has the right attitude and motor to answer this question.
Adem Bona
Question: Can Bona improve as a free-throw shooter?
Adem Bona was selected with the 41st overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft by the Sixers. Bona is an extremely athletic center who is gifted on the defensive side of the court. He leverages his size, length, and athleticism to make an impact defensively, especially as a rim protector. Not only that, Bona is mobile enough to be placed in different defensive coverages and be successful in them. While the stats didn’t pop at Summer League, the impact on defense that Bona had was undeniable. Furthermore, Bona is always playing with a high motor, which only fuels his defensive impact on the game.
While he has highly intriguing defensive potential, the same cannot be said on the offensive end. The big question for Bona is whether or not he can improve as a free-throw shooter. While he isn’t as talented offensively, Bona can cut, roll, and be a lob threat, which is fine as a role player. The big knock for him is that Bona is a poor free-throw shooter. Teams will have no hesitations in fouling him in crutch-time situations. If Bona can improve as a free-throw shooter, it will make him much more viable to play. He may not get much playing time with Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond ahead of him, but he needs to stay ready. Improving on his weaknesses will only enhance his chances for playing time in the present and future.
Justin Edwards
Question: Can Edwards flash some of the potential that he had before he went to Kentucky?
The Sixers signed Justin Edwards to a two-way contract after he went undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft. Edwards was originally a top-three recruit going into college before having a disappointing season at Kentucky. Despite that, he has shown talent in several areas. Chiefly, Edwards is a good off-ball shooter, cutter, and finisher. He has potential on defense given his size and length. At Summer League, Edwards showed impressive flashes of his talents, especially as a finisher in transition. However, that pales in comparison to the hype that he had as a prospect.
The one question that Edwards needs to answer is whether or not he can tap into some of the potential he had before going to Kentucky. As valuable as being able to play off the ball is, the potential that Edwards had, especially more on-ball, would make him much more versatile as a player. If Edwards can answer that question, he will likely see more minutes or even a standard contract and be a versatile piece for the Sixers for years to come. Edwards had a much better second half of his lone college season and, with luck, he can continue that momentum into his development as a player going forward.
David Jones
Question: Can Jones improve his decision-making?
Despite going undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft, David Jones signed a two-way contract with the Sixers after Summer League. Jones is a versatile wing player who can do a little bit of everything. He can score on all three levels, rebound well for his size, and be a pesky defender. During Summer League, he showed off his versatility on the floor, especially in his final two performances at Las Vegas.
Jones has all the skills and talent to be a successful player at the NBA level. However, his decision-making is a major issue in his game that holds him back. Edwards can be turnover-prone, gambles too much on defense, and sometimes forces offense when it is not necessary. If he can improve his decision-making, there is no doubt that he can be a versatile and useful role player. Any team could use a player with a versatile skill set like Jones. It will be up to him to figure out how to answer that question.
