Lineup if Ben holds out?

[Arsenal]

Assume the coward holds out. What is our lineup then? We NEED a PG in the starting lineup if he's not there.

I think we go with Maxey, so it's this:

PG Maxey | Milton
SG Curry | Thybulle
SF Green | Korkmaz
PF Harris | Niang
CE Embiid | Drummond

I don't like how small the starting lineup is, but the league is trending that way so it's not a huge problem. Defense will take a major hit, but the half-court offense could be better than ever.

Shake serves as the defacto backup "PG" and shares playmaking with Kork (and Maxey when he's in with the subs).

Even if the coward holds out all year, I think the team could push for a top 4 seed. What do you think? Time's yours...

[blargh]

To me, any team with a healthy Embiid is a top four seed in the East. The problems come with him holding up for a whole season under those heavier responsibilities.

[SixersSince82]

I would go:
Maxey/Seth
Green/Milton
Matisse/Kork
Harris/Niang
Embiid/Drummond

Doc will play all ten dudes in his stupid hockey lineup rotation style. But were it me, I'd stagger Harris with the bench and probably not play Korkmas (or Shake) at all.

[kuclas]

To me, any team with a healthy Embiid is a top four seed in the East. The problems come with him holding up for a whole season under those heavier responsibilities.

And this is why Morey isn’t in a rush. If Embiid does go down early. You could see a one year tank job and off loading Simmons for parts.

Embiid playing 70 games means Sixers top 4 seed. Maybe even a top 3 seed. But Embiid has never played 70 games in a regular season

[Tomjas]

5-6 seed

Bucks, Nets & Heat are all clearly better & then you have to factor in Joel’s usual absences

We will be scrapping with the Knicks etc

[Sephiroth]

PG Maxey | Beverly | Milton
SG Beasley | |Curry | Thybulle
SF Green | Thybulle | Korkmaz
PF Harris | Naz Reid | Niang
CE Embiid | Drummond

Deep bench with plenty of shooting and defense.

[Foshan]

PG Maxey | Beverly | Milton
SG Beasley | |Curry | Thybulle
SF Green | Thybulle | Korkmaz
PF Harris | Naz Reid | Niang
CE Embiid | Drummond

Deep bench with plenty of shooting and defense.

I am reading this with the best of intentions and good humour. But please lets not tempt this toward a trade thread. We literally have hundreds of pages invested in Simons trades.

[epfou1]

Assume the coward holds out. What is our lineup then? We NEED a PG in the starting lineup if he's not there.

I think we go with Maxey, so it's this:

PG Maxey | Milton
SG Curry | Thybulle
SF Green | Korkmaz
PF Harris | Niang
CE Embiid | Drummond

I don't like how small the starting lineup is, but the league is trending that way so it's not a huge problem. Defense will take a major hit, but the half-court offense could be better than ever.

Shake serves as the defacto backup "PG" and shares playmaking with Kork (and Maxey when he's in with the subs).

Even if the coward holds out all year, I think the team could push for a top 4 seed. What do you think? Time's yours...

That guard lineup is way too small. It would get beat up defensively.
With Simmons out Thybulle should start. If anything to replace the defense lost with Simmons not being in the lineup. I’ll move Curry to the bench. Maxey gets first crack at running point.

[Sportfan73]

Assume the coward holds out. What is our lineup then? We NEED a PG in the starting lineup if he's not there.

I think we go with Maxey, so it's this:

PG Maxey | Milton
SG Curry | Thybulle
SF Green | Korkmaz
PF Harris | Niang
CE Embiid | Drummond

I don't like how small the starting lineup is, but the league is trending that way so it's not a huge problem. Defense will take a major hit, but the half-court offense could be better than ever.

Shake serves as the defacto backup "PG" and shares playmaking with Kork (and Maxey when he's in with the subs).

Even if the coward holds out all year, I think the team could push for a top 4 seed. What do you think? Time's yours...

That guard lineup is way too small. It would get beat up defensively.
With Simmons out Thybulle should start. If anything to replace the defense lost with Simmons not being in the lineup. I’ll move Curry to the bench. Maxey gets first crack at running point.

Starters don’t have to play a bunch of minutes together or finish games

[TTP]

I would go:
Maxey/Seth
Green/Milton
Matisse/Kork
Harris/Niang
Embiid/Drummond

Doc will play all ten dudes in his stupid hockey lineup rotation style. But were it me, I'd stagger Harris with the bench and probably not play Korkmas (or Shake) at all.

I can't imagine we'd bench Seth. He's part of all of our best lineups, and he crushed it in the playoffs. If anything, I'd expect us to get him even more looks this year in the regular season after he ramped up his attempts and efficiency in the postseason. I'd rather see the team try to test his limits offensively in the regular season.

Whether it's Redick, Curry, Korkmaz, or whatever other bomber we've had in the role - we've seen how effective this archetype is in units with Embiid, especially with the 2 man game. It's been a staple of our offense for years, and your proposed lineup lacks the personnel for it. In theory, the Embiid 2 man game should be even more effective with a third shooter spacing the floor on the other side instead of Ben clogging space in the dunker spot. For this reason, I can't see your lineup happening.

[Foshan]

PG Milton | Maxey
SG Curry | Thybulle
SF Green | Korkmaz
PF Harris | Niang
CE Embiid | Reed| Drummond

I know this goes against the off season Maxey is awesome narrative (I love Maxey too). But I think Shake has thrived in the past in larger roles, and I don't like the midget line up. I think we give Shake a chance to score and facilitate (as well as Curry a bigger on the ball role like was mentioned earlier), and then have Maxey play big minutes off the bench as electric scoring 6th man.

My blind homerism says lets give Reed the first go off the bench for Embiid. We know what we have in Drummond, and I'm good with him as a big body to start when Embiid is out even. But I really think we need to give Reed some run early and see what we have in him.

I know Doc has a reputation of not playing young guys... but Morely has a reputation of not keeping draft picks... and we''ve been drafting! So i really feel like we are in a spot where we could give it a go.

In the past Doc has run Tobi units while Ben and Embiid are on the bench (lol who knows why). Assuming that continues I wonder if:

Maxey / Thybulle / Harris / Niang / Reed

Would work. I normally don't like Tobi at the 3, but Niang and Reed both could open up the floor for him to penetrate on a size mismatch.

[TTP]

I don't even understand why anyone would want to bench Curry at this point. He had a very good regular season last year and he addressed his biggest concern (whether he'd be able to stay on the floor in the postseason) by having an elite playoffs. He was our second best player in the Atlanta series, regardless of how he looked defensively at times - he more than made up for it on offense.

If anything, it makes you wonder why we weren't getting him more looks all year. I don't ever expect him to get shots off like Redick did, but you've got to think we can get more out of him. Maybe we will with a more functional half court offense.

What are people's arguments for benching him?

[Foshan]

I don't even understand why anyone would want to bench Curry at this point. He had a very good regular season last year and he addressed his biggest concern (whether he'd be able to stay on the floor in the postseason) by having an elite playoffs. He was our second best player in the Atlanta series, regardless of how he looked defensively at times - he more than made up for it on offense.

If anything, it makes you wonder why we weren't getting him more looks all year. I don't ever expect him to get shots off like Redick did, but you've got to think we can get more out of him. Maybe we will with a more functional half court offense.

What are people's arguments for benching him?

I agree with you. I think what we saw in the playoffs was incredibly promising. I think the main arguement for benching would be the need for a 6th man that could come in with that lou will mentality of instant points along with the need for a facilitator in the starting line up.

Again, to agree with my self... lol i think starting Milton (in the absense of Ben) might solve this problem letting Maxey cook off the bench.

[76ciology]

Start:
Milton
Seth
Green
Tobi
Biid

Bench 1:
Seth
Milton
Green
Niang
Biid

Bench 2:
Maxey
Korky
Thybulle
Tobi
Biid

End games:
Maxey
Milton
Green
Tobi
Biid

Stagger Milton and Maxey, to have atleast one PG.
Milton pairs with Biid, because Milton is inferior creator.
Maxey possibly runs unit w/o Biid, because he can create.

End games with Milton-Maxey backcourt. Possibly Seth, in the place of Milton, if defense isnt an issue.

Green and Thybulle would play a lot of SF, they’d both be interchangeable.

[Kobblehead]

I would say Milton would get the nod, but I have no idea what Glen actually thinks of him anymore. He went from our 6th man to not even being in the playoff rotation so who knows. Whoever shoots better in camp between Milton/Maxey.

[SixthStreet]

I think this exercise is pretty instructive that Ben’s optimal value to the Sixers is not as a trade asset but as a holdout to pair with a stealth one year tank while Maxey and Thybulle get pushed and develop.

[the_process]

PG Maxey | Milton
SG Green | Curry
SF Korkmaz | Thybulle
PF Harris | Niang
CE Embiid | Drummond

Need more size in the starting lineup. And Glenn used this lineup (with Ben subbed in for Maxey) multiple times last year.

Curry is the 6th man, will get a chance to close games. He is going to be playing 32 minutes a night either way (if this roster stays the same) because I imagine he is going to end up as the backup PG too. I do not expect very much from Milton.

But looking at this roster... Morey's job is not done.

[the_process]

I think this exercise is pretty instructive that Ben’s optimal value to the Sixers is not as a trade asset but as a holdout to pair with a stealth one year tank while Maxey and Thybulle get pushed and develop.

If they really can't find anything acceptable for Ben... it wouldn't be the end of the world if Ben and Jo just "came down with" season ending injuries.

Morey then has to realize the price tag on Ben is going to drop significantly next summer. You can get away with this one time and that's it.

[spikeslovechild]

I think this exercise is pretty instructive that Ben’s optimal value to the Sixers is not as a trade asset but as a holdout to pair with a stealth one year tank while Maxey and Thybulle get pushed and develop.

If they really can't find anything acceptable for Ben... it wouldn't be the end of the world if Ben and Jo just "came down with" season ending injuries.

Morey then has to realize the price tag on Ben is going to drop significantly next summer. You can get away with this one time and that's it.

Why would that be true? Even if his contract doesn't toll he'd still have two years left on his deal

[the_process]

I think this exercise is pretty instructive that Ben’s optimal value to the Sixers is not as a trade asset but as a holdout to pair with a stealth one year tank while Maxey and Thybulle get pushed and develop.

If they really can't find anything acceptable for Ben... it wouldn't be the end of the world if Ben and Jo just "came down with" season ending injuries.

Morey then has to realize the price tag on Ben is going to drop significantly next summer. You can get away with this one time and that's it.

Why would that be true? Even if his contract doesn't toll he'd still have two years left on his deal

I meant to say Morey is going to have to have a more reasonable ask next summer should they just hold onto him all year and he doesn’t play “due to injury”. No more waiting for All-Stars or 4 1sts and 3 swaps plus young guys.