How will Ben Simmons, Dario Saric, Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers do in 2016-17?
Here are our player scouting reports and analysis.
Projected starters
Jerryd Bayless
Position: Guard
Experience: 8 years
Age: 28
Scouting report
+ Veteran combo guard who doesn't need the ball in his hands
+ Capable outside shooter who likely peaked last season
+ Point guard-sized, but may struggle defending quicker players
Analysis
New 76ers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo made Bayless the team's first big splash in free agency since Nick Young in the summer of 2012. On the opening day of free agency, Philadelphia agreed to a three-year, $27 million deal with Bayless that had important symbolic value in showing the team's commitment to playing No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons as a point guard.
Playing off the ball next to a big point guard should seem familiar to Bayless, who filled a similar role in the second half of last season with the Milwaukee Bucks. That worked well because he shot a career-high 43.7 percent from 3-point range after entering the season a career 35.0 percent shooter beyond the arc. In his early days, Bayless excelled at getting in the paint off the dribble, but those days are long gone and he made just 40.8 percent of his 2-point attempts last season. Since Bayless isn't much of a playmaker either, spotting up is a better use of his skills at this point, though he can still relieve pressure on Simmons and keep him from having to initiate the offense every possession.
Alas, Bayless doesn't look like the kind of defender the Sixers would like at the point of attack. Despite being just 6-foot-3, he's probably somewhat better suited to defending bigger guards using strength and a low center of gravity. Jets can give Bayless trouble and his short arms (6-foot-3½ wingspan) make it tough for him to tip passes or create steals. Bayless ranked among the league's bottom 20 point guards in the defensive component of ESPN's real plus-minus (RPM).
Gerald Henderson
Position: Guard
Experience: 7 years
Age: 28
Scouting report
+ Experienced wing who's more D than 3
+ Did enjoy best season beyond arc in 2015-16
+ Tough defender who can guard bigger opponents
Analysis
Philadelphia dipped back into veteran free agency to sign Henderson, who played his high school ball in the City of Brotherly Love, to a two-year, $18 million deal with a non-guaranteed second season. That's an excellent price for Henderson, who provided valuable play off the bench and veteran presence to a young Portland Trail Blazers team last season. He's the favorite to start at shooting guard for the 76ers.
Henderson's preference for shooting just inside the 3-point line has always been frustrating for analysts. He made progress last season, cutting his ratio of 2-pointers beyond 16 feet to 3s from 2.07 in 2014-15 to 1.1 in 2015-16 according to Basketball-Reference.com. Henderson also shot a career-best 35.3 percent from downtown (including an excellent 44.4 percent from the corners), allowing him to post the second-best true shooting percentage of his career (.526). Part of the issue is Henderson prefers a rhythm dribble before shooting. He is also a legitimate threat inside the arc posting up smaller defenders. His 44 points on post-ups ranked second on the Blazers, according to Synergy Sports tracking on NBA.com/Stats.
At 6-foot-5, Henderson is capable of defending either wing spot and even matched up with Blake Griffin at times in the playoffs. He's strong and welcomes physical contact. Historically a good shot-blocker for a guard, Henderson also grabbed a career-high 13.7 percent of available defensive rebounds playing more small forward in Portland.
Robert Covington
Position: Forward
Experience: 3 years
Age: 25
Scouting report
+ Combo forward who swung between both spots last season
+ Volume 3-point shooter who made only average percentage
+ Aggressive, physical defender who can guard wings and bigs
Analysis
Covington stands as the shining monument to the so-called "Hinkie special," the four-year minimum contracts with little to no guaranteed money former Sixers president of basketball operations and GM Sam Hinkie handed out to young players. Technically, Covington got slightly more money his first year, but Philadelphia has a starting-caliber forward locked up for the minimum through 2017-18 -- one of the league's most tradable contracts.
Covington's 2015-16 shot chart is analytics-friendly. While his 3-point percentage slipped from the 37.4 percent he shot in his first season with the 76ers to 35.3 percent, right at league average, he made 2.5 per game, excellent volume. More than two-thirds of Covington's shots were 3s and another 19 percent came inside three feet, per Basketball-Reference.com. As a result, his overall 38.5 percent shooting dramatically understates his efficiency, which was right at league average (.543) while using plays at an above-average rate. Expect that to improve as he creates fewer of his own shots. Per SportVU tracking on NBA.com/Stats, Covington shot an effective 56.9 percent on catch-and-shoot opportunities, which dropped to 45.9 percent with one dribble and 29.7 percent on multiple dribbles..
At the defensive end, Covington is capable of guarding either forward spot. He likes to press up on ball handlers far from the basket, allowing him to generate frequent steals, but is also good at recovering to avoid getting beaten off the dribble. At 6-foot-9, Covington is big enough to defend power forwards and improved his defensive rebounding to league average for a 4-man last season. Overall, Covington's defensive RPM ranked third among small forwards.
Ben Simmons
Position: Forward
Experience: Rookie
Age: 20
Scouting report
+ No. 1 overall pick on strength of incredible ballhandling and playmaking for size
+ Unwilling outside shooter who also must improve ability to finish with left hand
+ Generates frequent steals and blocks but defensive effort is inconsistent at best
Analysis
It was an eventful few months at LSU for Simmons, who firmly established himself as the top prospect in the 2016 draft with dominant play during the nonconference schedule, put that spot in jeopardy when the Tigers collapsed late in the season and missed the NCAA tournament, and was ruled ineligible for the Wooden Award for reported academic reasons. Nonetheless, the Sixers never appeared to seriously consider anyone else with the No. 1 pick and will now build their rebuilding roster around Simmons' unique talents.
At 6-foot-10, Simmons might have the best court vision of any rookie in the league. He particularly excels at the crosscourt passes only LeBron James throws in the league currently and loves to drive and dish. Alas, that's partially because Simmons is such a poor finisher in traffic. The ambidextrous Simmons tends to drive left but shoots exclusively with his right hand around the basket, forcing him to switch hands before going up.
And then, of course, there's Simmons' shooting -- or lack thereof. He barely shot outside his entire freshman season, taking just 40 total shots from beyond 10 feet according to Synergy Sports tracking, including three 3-pointers. Opponents will surely go under screens and pack the paint, daring Simmons to beat them over the top. They have to because when Simmons gets a head of steam heading to the basket, he's virtually unstoppable.
Defense will also be a key factor in whether Simmons reaches his immense potential. His effort level was inadequate at LSU, as he took too many plays off and simply went for steals or blocks instead of making a play. During summer league play with Philadelphia, Simmons showed he can defend well when he gets in a stance and can comfortably switch out on guards and contain them one-on-one. His size and ability to read plays should make him an excellent help defender if properly engaged.
Nerlens Noel
Position: Center
Experience: 2 years
Age: 22
Scouting report
+ Mobile defensive center miscast at power forward
+ Poor shooter who's best used as a finisher around the rim
+ Good shot-blocker whose steal rate is elite for a big man
Analysis
In this space a year ago, I argued Noel playing alongside Jahlil Okafor wouldn't be such a big deal because he'd played with Henry Sims at times in 2014-15. Whoops. The Noel-Okafor pairing was outscored by an appalling 20 points per 100 possessions, according to NBA.com/Stats. With just Noel on the court, the Sixers were a more reasonable minus-6.2 points per 100 possessions, a better mark than three other teams (Brooklyn, the L.A. Lakers and Phoenix) posted last season. So expect Noel back at center this season, though Joel Embiid's potential debut means a crowd at the position. That's a concern for Noel, who will be a restricted free agent next summer if he isn't extended by Oct. 31.
Besides the Sixers' center depth, Noel's mobility is the impetus for trying him at power forward. He indeed has the mobility to defend on the perimeter, but not the instincts. Noel tended to over-help and leave shooters. Worse yet, guarding power forwards left Noel in worse position to block shots. His block rate went up from 1.3 per 36 minutes with Okafor to 2.1 as the primary center, similar to the 2.2 per 36 he blocked as a rookie. Add in Noel's incredible steal rate -- nearly three per 100 team plays, best of any NBA big man -- and he's a plus defender ... as a center.
Offensively, putting Noel at the high post cramped Philadelphia's spacing. Using a line-drive shot, he made just 24.3 percent of 2-point jumpers outside the paint, the second-lowest mark among players with at least 100 shot attempts per NBA.com/Stats. While Noel can occasionally find teammates throwing fastballs from the high post, he's far more valuable as a finisher. Noel shot an excellent 69.7 percent in the restricted area and particularly excels at lob finishes off the pick-and-roll.
Reserves
Jahlil Okafor
Position: Center
Experience: 1 year
Age: 20
Scouting report
+ Skilled offensive center whose production didn't translate into team success
+ High-percentage finisher who also demonstrated ability to play facing basket
+ Doesn't read plays quickly enough to provide adequate help defense
Analysis
Okafor's rookie season followed the darkest timeline. As the Sixers started a league-record 0-18, Okafor was suspended by the team for two games when he got into a fight outside a Boston nightclub after a loss to the Celtics. On the court, concerns about the No. 3 overall pick's defense proved well-founded and Philadelphia was still outscored by 14.0 points per 100 possessions when Okafor played without Noel. As a result, his minus-5.3 RPM ranked in the NBA's bottom 10. And Okafor's season ended early due to arthroscopic knee surgery. Okafor won't turn 21 until December, so he's got plenty of time to make the improvements necessary to rebuild his value, but it has plummeted over the 15 months since he was drafted.
Offensively, Okafor did prove more versatile than expected. In part because of the 76ers' poor floor spacing, his 0.85 points per post-up ranked 11th among the 13 players who scored at least 250 points in the post according to Synergy Sports tracking on NBA.com/Stats. But Okafor was more effective facing up slower defenders and beating them off the dribble using his quickness (0.87 points per isolation play). And he was surprisingly adept as a roll man in the pick-and-roll, averaging 1.02 points per play. One way or another, Okafor is going to get buckets with high-percentage shooting. The next steps for him are drawing more fouls -- especially after he improved to 68.6 percent at the free throw line -- and making plays as a passer. Okafor's 1.5 assists per 36 minutes were third lowest among regulars who averaged 20 points per 36 minutes.
There's far more work to be done on defense, where Okafor ranked last among centers in RPM. He's not a bad rim protector when in position, but is too often caught a step late to give help. And while part of Okafor's poor defensive rebounding can be traced to playing with Noel -- and cross-matching against power forwards at times as coach Brett Brown attempted to keep Noel near the basket -- he was still below average for a center with Noel on the bench. Using Okafor as a power forward defensively isn't workable because he's too slow-footed to defend pick-and-pops or one-on-one on the perimeter, so he's going to have to improve his help instincts to prove he's a starting center in the NBA.
Joel Embiid
Position: Center
Experience: Rookie
Age: 22
Scouting report
+ Talented 7-footer who missed first two seasons with fractured navicular
+ Post scorer in college who has flashed 3-point range in workout videos
+ Mobile big man pre-injury with excellent size and strength
Analysis
In the two-plus years since Embiid was drafted No. 3 overall by Philadelphia days after having surgery to repair a stress fracture of the navicular bone in his right foot, all fans have to go by are videos of Embiid working out. A recurrence of the injury forced a second surgery in the summer of 2015 that cost Embiid another year, but 15 months later all indications are that he'll finally be able to debut in preseason. Now the question becomes how much the inactivity has hampered Embiid's development.
After all, as tantalizing as Embiid's lone season at Kansas was, he was far from a finished product. As an athletic 7-footer, Embiid was able to beast against overmatched college opponents. He'll have to show more polish to score one-on-one in the post in the NBA. Of course, Embiid may have broadened his game in the past two years. Those workout videos have frequently shown Embiid making 3-pointers, something he did just once all season at Kansas. At the very least, he should be a pick-and-pop threat from the midrange.
Embiid blocked 11.7 percent of opponents' 2-point attempts in college, nearly as good as Noel's 13.2 percent block rate at Kentucky. So he should be able to protect the rim. The big concern is whether the time off has cost Embiid any of his impressive quickness for his size, which might make it more difficult for him to defend in the pick-and-roll. Still, any such issue would still be a lot better than seeing Embiid stuck on the sideline in a suit.
Sergio Rodriguez
Position: Guard
Experience: 4 years
Age: 30
Scouting report
+ Pick-and-roll point guard who has improved since last seen in NBA
+ Creative passer who's also a capable 3-point shooter
+ Poor defender who might be hidden against second units
Analysis
When last we saw Rodriguez, aka "Spanish Chocolate," he split his age-23 season between the Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks, averaging 6.6 points and 3.2 assists per game. Rodriguez returned to play with Real Madrid in Spain, where he quickly established himself as the best point guard in Europe. After flirting with the NBA last summer, Rodriguez is back on a one-year, $8 million deal.
Offensively, there's no question Rodriguez's game is NBA caliber. After a down 2014-15, he bounced back last season to average 17.2 points and 9.1 assists per 36 minutes between ACB and Euroleague play. Rodriguez drives primarily to dish and is good at finding teammates on the perimeter. But he's also dangerous as a scorer and made 55.4 percent of his 2-point attempts last season. Rodriguez is a good enough outside shooter (40.7 percent from 3-point range last season) to keep defenses honest and play off the ball, though he's more likely to run the second-unit offense when Simmons is on the bench.
Playing Rodriguez against second units would also help defensively. Never a good defender in his prime, Rodriguez has slowed further at age 30 and is too slight to deal with big, physical starting point guards. But he still may finish games at times to give the 76ers an additional creator if defenses are able to lock up Simmons.
Dario Saric
Position: Forward
Experience: Rookie
Age: 22
Scouting report
+ Big combo forward with ballhandling and playmaking ability
+ Best used as point forward but has improved outside shooting
+ Adequate rebounder for a power forward; may struggle defending wings
Analysis
Although he could have made more money by waiting another season, Saric honored his commitment to join the Sixers two years after they acquired him as the 12th pick of the 2014 draft. The Croatian forward signed a rookie-scale contract for this season's 12th pick worth a little less than $11 million over four years, a huge bargain with the salary cap increasing.
The bad news is that just as Saric came to the NBA, Philadelphia added a more talented prospect in Simmons who fits the same broad outline. Both are 6-foot-10 forwards who play well with the ball in their hands and neither is a great outside shooter. Though playing Saric off the bench might help maximize his skills, inevitably he's going to have to play some with Simmons if he's part of the rotation. In that role, Saric is likely to spot up since he at least has become a credible 3-point shooter, making 40.3 percent of his 72 attempts in Euroleague play last season. After considering three years' worth of data and adjusting for the shorter FIBA line, my SCHOENE projection system isn't quite so optimistic, pegging Saric for 34.6 percent 3-point accuracy in the NBA.
While Saric can defend both forward spots, he's likely to have trouble with the kind of athletic NBA wings he never had to face in Europe and is more likely to hold his own as a power forward. There, Saric's rebounding is below average but at least adequate, and he's big enough to pose some threat as a help defender. Given the defensive versatility of the Sixers' forwards, they may be able to hide Saric on the weaker opposing option.
Hollis Thompson
Position: Guard
Experience: 3 years
Age: 25
Scouting report
+ Low-usage 3-and-D role player on the wing
+ Good 3-point shooter from the corners
+ Solid individual defender on perimeter
Analysis
The 76ers picked up the team option on the final season of Thompson's four-year minimum contract but could still move on since his salary is non-guaranteed. Even if not in Philadelphia, there's a place for Thompson in the league. He has proved that he can contribute in a limited 3-and-D role.
Last season's 38.0 percent 3-point shooting was actually the worst of Thompson's career after he made precisely 40.1 percent in his first two NBA seasons. Much of Thompson's damage is done from the corners, where he has shot 44.5 percent in his career according to Basketball-Reference.com, as compared to 37.2 percent elsewhere. The more Thompson has to dribble, the less effective he is. Per SportVU tracking on NBA.com/Stats, he shot an effective 56.6 percent without any dribbles (mostly catch-and-shoot 3s). That dropped to 40.9 percent with one dribble, 33.8 percent with two and a ghastly 30.2 percent with additional dribbles.
At 6-foot-8, Thompson is big enough to defend either wing spot, though more physical players can give him trouble. In a better team context, Thompson's individual defense would probably look better, but with the Sixers his focus on locking up his man at the expense of offering help wasn't as useful. Thompson's steal rate plummeted last season and he's a weak defensive rebounder for a small forward.
Jerami Grant
Position: Forward
Experience: 2 years
Age: 22
Scouting report
+ Athletic tweener forward without a position
+ One of the league's worst outside shooters
+ Phenomenal shot-blocker for his size
Analysis
During his second season, Grant started 52 games and played more than 2,000 minutes, but he may find his role squeezed by the arrival of Simmons and Saric. While Grant has certainly shown some NBA-caliber skills during his first two years and is still just 22, his inability to make a shot figures to hamper his career.
After shooting a surprising 31.4 percent from 3-point range as a rookie, Grant saw that drop to 24.0 percent last season, second worst among players with at least 100 attempts, per Basketball-Reference.com. (The only player to shoot a worse percentage? His older brother Jerian.) Still, Grant should stay beyond the arc; he actually shot slightly worse (23.3 percent) on 2-point jumpers outside the paint, according to NBA.com/Stats. When he gets near the basket, Grant is a threat thanks to his impressive vertical. He averaged nearly a dunk per game, including several of the highlight variety.
Since Grant doesn't space the floor enough to play small forward, he's going to have to make it in the league as an undersized power forward. There, his shot-blocking is a plus. Grant led Philadelphia with 2.2 blocks per 36 minutes -- good for a center, let alone a power forward. However, his focus on challenging shots does tend to leave his man free for putbacks and Grant is a poor defensive rebounder for the position.
Nik Stauskas
Position: Guard
Experience: 2 years
Age: 22
Scouting report
+ Shooting specialist who's yet to make shots in NBA
+ Has struggled with confidence and athletic defenders
+ Targeted by opponents as an individual defender
Analysis
A change of scenery failed to boost Stauskas' performance after a poor rookie season with the Sacramento Kings, and there's no guarantee the 76ers will pick up their team option on the final year of Stauskas' rookie contract.
To stick in the league, Stauskas is going to have to start making shots like he did in college. Thrust into two challenging environments, Stauskas has seen his confidence waver and made just 32.5 percent of his 3-point attempts, not good enough for a shooter. On the plus side, Stauskas was effective inside the arc last season, shooting 47.3 percent by virtue of forgoing long 2-point attempts and shooting almost exclusively around the basket. But since nearly 60 percent of Stauskas' shot attempts were 3s, he must make them to score efficiently.
Since Stauskas' first NBA game, opponents have been singling him out as a weak defender they can beat one-on-one. He's also not particularly effective in the team context because he's too slight to offer help. So Stauskas ranked among the bottom 20 shooting guards in defensive RPM and as a bottom-20 player in RPM overall.
Richaun Holmes
Position: Center
Experience: 1 year
Age: 22
Scouting report
+ Athletic big man stuck behind more promising centers
+ Good finisher who was ineffective from outside
+ Terrific shot-blocker whose pursuit costs defensive rebounds
Analysis
After an intriguing rookie season, Holmes finds himself fourth on the Sixers' depth chart at center when everyone's healthy. That's too bad because Holmes has enough NBA skills to play spot minutes right now and maybe contribute more down the road.
Holmes' best NBA skill is shot-blocking. He blocked shots at more or less the same rate as Noel as a rookie and showed even more potential this year in summer league, swatting an impressive 2.5 shots per game. Holmes jumps well for a big man and can track down shooters from behind on the drive. Alas, his aggressive pursuit of blocks does tend to leave the glass open. Holmes grabbed just 11.7 percent of available defensive rebounds, less than 6-foot point guard Ish Smith did in Philadelphia. Because of the crowd at center, the Sixers tried Holmes some at power forward, but he doesn't move quite well enough laterally to defend on the perimeter.
Playing on the perimeter was also a bit of a stretch for Holmes offensively. While he looks comfortable shooting the midrange jumper, Holmes shot just 28.6 percent on 2-point attempts beyond 16 feet according to Basketball-Reference.com. He was even worse from 3-point range, going 8-of-44. Instead, Holmes should be in the paint. A pogo stick around the basket, Holmes averaged an impressive 2.36 dunks per 36 minutes.
T.J. McConnell
Position: Guard
Experience: 1 year
Age: 24
Scouting report
+ Undrafted rookie who more than held own as backup point guard
+ Pass-first player who's capable of making open 3-pointers
+ Aggravating, physical defender with high steal rate
Analysis
After going undrafted, McConnell made the Sixers out of training camp on a four-year minimum contract and played 81 games mostly as a backup point guard. While newcomers Bayless and Rodriguez will likely push him out of the rotation, McConnell's team-friendly contract should make him a keeper as a third point guard.
In order to keep defenses honest, McConnell had to shoot enough to use 17 percent of Philadelphia's plays, but his first instinct is always to set up teammates. He handed out an impressive 8.2 assists per 36 minutes and the Sixers averaged 3.8 more points per 100 possessions with him on the court, per NBA.com/Stats. As a shooter, McConnell made nearly league average from 3-point range (34.8 percent). He had more trouble dealing with shot-blockers in the paint and studiously avoided contact early in the season, going nearly the first month without a free throw attempt.
Along with his playmaking, McConnell will stick in the NBA because of his defense. He pressured opponents full court and has quick feet to go along with a low center of gravity. McConnell averaged nearly three steals per 100 team plays and was an excellent defensive rebounder, grabbing 14.5 percent of available misses -- slightly better than the average small forward (14.2 percent).
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot
Position: Forward
Experience: Rookie
Age: 21
Scouting report
+ Athletic, long-limbed French wing
+ Improving outside shooter
+ Has potential to become a stopper
Analysis
Via Hinkie trades, Philadelphia had a pair of extra picks late in the first round and went overseas with both of them. No. 26 pick Furkan Korkmaz will continue to play in Europe, but Luwawu-Cabarrot (the No. 24 pick) joined the 76ers for summer league and will be on the roster this season. Just 21, expect Luwawu-Cabarrot to spend much of the year in the D-League as he adjusts to the American game.
After his progress stalled in his native France, Luwawu-Cabarrot jump-started his career playing with development-minded KK Mega Leks in Serbia. The up-tempo attack suited Luwawu-Cabarrot's ability to play in transition well, and he shot 35.8 percent from 3-point range after being under 30 percent the previous season. Luwawu-Cabarrot has smooth form, though he starts his shot around his waist and may want to shorten the motion for a quicker release. While Luwawu-Cabarrot can handle the ball a bit, at the NBA level most of his offense will come off spot-up situations, transition and as a cutter. He quickly developed good chemistry with Simmons.
A lanky 6-foot-6, Luwawu-Cabarrot has drawn comparisons to Thabo Sefolosha. That paints an accurate picture of his defensive potential. Sefolosha is much stronger than Luwawu-Cabarrot, who should benefit from an NBA strength and conditioning program, but no more athletic.
Elton Brand
Position: Center
Experience: 17 years
Age: 37
Scouting report
+ Veteran All-Star most valuable for leadership
+ Almost exclusively a midrange jump shooter now
+ Still a solid shot-blocker before last season
Analysis
Brand is in danger of becoming the NBA's answer to Brett Favre because of the Sixers' interest in his veteran leadership. He came out of retirement last January to join Philadelphia for the remainder of the season, which again figured to be his last. Instead, Brand re-signed with the 76ers for one year at the veteran's minimum in September. Though his salary is non-guaranteed, Brand could stick if Philadelphia clears a roster spot via trade or decides to waive another player on a non-guaranteed contract.
While the 76ers primarily valued Brand for his presence in the locker room, he showed he's still got some game left at age 37. No longer a low-post threat, Brand operated almost exclusively in the high post, taking 51.4 percent of his shot attempts between 10 and 15 feet according to Basketball-Reference.com. Alas, he hit just 27.0 percent of them, though Brand was effective from that spot as a playmaker. His 2.9 assists per 36 minutes were his most in more than a decade. Strictly a center defensively at this stage of his career, Brand had blocked shots at an above-average rate before slipping last season.
Anthony Barber
Position: Guard
Experience: Rookie
Age: 22
Scouting report
+ High-scoring point guard who thinks pass second
+ Undersized and rarely generates steals or blocks
Better known as "Cat," Barber declared for the draft after averaging an ACC-leading 23.5 points per game as a junior but went unselected. After playing for the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA summer league, he joined Philadelphia for training camp and is likely headed to the D-League. Barber's challenge is to show more playmaking skills; he averaged just 5.0 assists per 40 minutes during his college career despite having the ball in his hands nearly all the time. Barber's defensive stats are also a red flag; he had just 21 steals and two blocks in 1,278 minutes as a junior.
Shawn Long
Position: Forward
Experience: Rookie
Age: 23
Scouting report
+ Nightly double-double threat in college
+ Can play around the basket but also has perimeter skills
Analysis
Long went undrafted despite averaging a double-double all four years at Louisiana Lafayette. His rebounding wasn't quite so dominant once you adjust for playing time and pace, but Long does show some NBA skills. He was comfortable shooting or driving from the perimeter in the NBA summer league and will get a chance to develop that potential playing for the 76ers' D-League team in Delaware after joining Philadelphia for training camp.
Brandon Paul
Position: Guard
Experience: Rookie
Age: 25
Scouting report
+ High-scoring shooting guard
+ Has spent time in D-League and overseas
Analysis
Since going undrafted in 2013, Paul has played in the D-League, Russia and most recently for Joventut in the Spanish ACB. The common denominator is Paul getting buckets. He averaged 12.2 points for the Sixers' summer league team, including five games with at least 16 points. Paul may not have enough role-player skills to stick in the NBA. For now, he's surely ticketed for a return to the D-League.
James Webb
Position: Forward
Experience: Rookie
Age: 23
Scouting report
+ Athletic combo forward
+ Transitioning to perimeter as a pro
Analysis
A power forward at Boise State, Webb led the Mountain West in rebounding as a senior. Most likely, he'll have to play on the perimeter if he's to reach the NBA. There's reason to believe he can do it -- Webb hit 40.9 percent of his 3s as a junior and has enough foot speed to defend wings -- but he slipped to 24.8 percent beyond the arc last season and shot 2-of-10 in two summer league appearances, so he'll need to continue developing in the D-League.