3 players who could break into 76ers starting lineup

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Paul Reed (Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports) /

Philadelphia 76ers player who could break into starting lineup: Paul Reed

Let’s get weird. Again, there’s the P.J. Tucker factor. He’s old and there’s a very real chance he regresses to the point of being unplayable (or at least unstartable) before his three-year contract runs its course. The Sixers are thin on options in that case, especially options that profile as genuine frontcourt players.

There is also, however, the Nick Nurse factor. Nurse famously played several bigs all the time in Toronto. The Raptors would regularly have three or four 6-foot-8 dudes on the floor. Philadelphia is a different personnel situation with a different front office, but Reed has already talked about Nurse comparing him to Pascal Siakam. Mo Bamba also talked about potential two-big lineups in his first Sixers presser. There’s something brewing.

The Sixers have six centers (!!!!) on the roster. Montrezl Harrell’s injury sucks, but the Sixers still have an overabundance of talent at the position. Embiid will eat up 35 minutes a night when he’s healthy, if not more given Nurse’s reputation. Reed can handle the other 10-15 minutes — he’s the best option on the roster — but he could earn even more playing time with a coach like Nurse, who embraces defensive functionality above all else.

Reed’s mistake-prone nature could clash with Nurse’s complex defensive scheming, at least early on, but Reed is genuinely one of the best defenders on the Sixers’ roster. He’s 6-foot-9 with light feet and a ferocious competitive spirit. He can muscle up bigs in the post and compete for rebounds, or he can roam the perimeter while Embiid supplies clean-up efforts in the paint. Reed has long been a more natural power forward on defense (if not on offense) and Nurse might be the coach who really explores the possibilities.

That said, the offense is a real concern. Reed once shot 42.4 percent from 3-point range in his G-League MVP season, but that 3-point success has not translated to the NBA. He’s essentially a non-shooter right now. The Sixers have survived non-shooters next to Embiid before, but it’s not always the best setup.