{"id":51746,"date":"2023-07-14T10:51:05","date_gmt":"2023-07-14T14:51:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=51746"},"modified":"2023-07-14T10:51:05","modified_gmt":"2023-07-14T14:51:05","slug":"what-to-make-of-the-76ers-center-position-circus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2023\/07\/14\/what-to-make-of-the-76ers-center-position-circus\/","title":{"rendered":"What to Make of the 76ers’ Center Position Circus"},"content":{"rendered":"

When news broke that the Utah Jazz<\/a> offered restricted free agent Paul Reed<\/strong><\/a> a three-year, $23 million deal, many people thought he and the Philadelphia 76ers<\/a> would be parting ways. This seemed evident, considering Philly had just signed Mo Bamba<\/strong><\/a> and Montrezl Harrell<\/strong><\/a> to one-year deals early in free agency. To many’s surprise, the 76ers matched the Jazz’s offer sheet<\/a>. While the fanbase is primarily excited to have Reed in the long run, Philadelphia now has four centers on their roster. The question remains, how will they utilize each of their four centers?<\/p>\n

What to Make of the 76ers’ Center Position Circus<\/h2>\n

Mo Bamba<\/h3>\n

Bamba signing with the 76ers<\/a> came as a surprise to many. His most recent stint with the Los Angeles Lakers<\/a> was not a promising one, as he only appeared in nine games for them. It is not clear whether he will be able to crack Philadelphia’s rotation with the other big men on the roster. If he does happen to check in, though, it will be because of his rim protection.<\/p>\n

When Joel Embiid<\/strong><\/a> was off the court, the 76ers struggled with protecting the rim. In Game 1 of the Boston Celtics-Sixers second-round series, the Celtics<\/a> scored 66 points in the paint. When Embiid returned the next game, that number dropped to 36.<\/p>\n

At seven feet tall, Bamba is more than capable of protecting the rim when Embiid is out. Between his time with the Orlando Magic<\/a> and Lakers last season, he averaged two blocks and 7.8 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes. Over his career, those averages are 2.7 for blocks and 8.4 for defensive boards. While his game is deficient offensively, his rim protection could earn him some minutes at certain spots throughout this upcoming season.<\/p>\n

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Sixers' Mo Bamba: \u201cThe next step for me is just consistency. Barring any injuries, just being out there and, you know, doing what I do best, protecting the rim, touching the floor and being so much more of a lob threat…. "https:\/\/t.co\/G9luDK5CDH<\/a> via @phillyinquirer<\/a><\/p>\n

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) July 12, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n