Sixers mailbag: Will Joel Embiid ever embrace playing in the paint?

What’s up, peeps? I’m always up to chat about the 76ers. And there’s a lot to talk about with the somewhat new-look Sixers (0-2) in the midst of the early stages of their 2022-23 season.

After games against the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks, they’ll have two winnable home games against the San Antonio Spurs (Saturday) and Indiana Pacers (Monday) at the Wells Fargo Center. Afterward, the Sixers will embark on a four-game road trip with the first stop in Toronto for a two-game series against the Raptors next Wednesday and Friday. Then they’ll face the Chicago Bulls on Oct. 29 before hitting the road against the Washington Wizards on Oct. 31.

I’m pretty sure we’ll have more to talk about midway through this stretch. But for now, big questions center on the Sixers’ bench, team leadership, Joel Embiid’s positioning on the floor, and Doc Rivers being held accountable.

Missed out on the party? No worries. Submit questions for next time by following me on Twitter @PompeyOnSixers and tweeting your inquiry with the hashtag #PompeysMailbagFlow.

Answer: Thanks for asking a question about this polarizing topic.

It’s easy for us to say Embiid, at 7-foot-2 and 280 pounds, needs to stop shooting three-pointers and roaming the perimeter and start feasting in the paint for 48 minutes.

Basketball traditionalists remind us that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, and Hakeem Olajuwon became Hall of Famers by dominating in the paint.

» READ MORE: After early letdown, Sixers intend to reestablish defensive principles as early-season priority

That’s not Embiid’s only style of play, nor does it match the game of today’s skilled big men. For example, look at Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić and Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns. Jokić, two-time reigning league MVP, plays a point-center role instead of being a back-to-the-basket center. Karl Anthony-Towns, an All-Star, is a stretch five who’s a career 39.7% three-point shooter. Three seasons ago, he attempted 7.9 threes per game.

Embiid averaged 6.0 three-point attempts last season, making a career-low 16.7%. So I can understand why some would say that’s a bad shot for an imposing player who routinely demands double and triple teams in the post.

But Embiid and the Sixers will tell you he’s not a traditional player, and they want him to take perimeter shots, especially when wide open.

Answer: Thanks for the solid question, John. I would say that this is becoming James Harden’s team.

As I wrote last week, that’s not meant as a knock toward Embiid, who is the longest-tenured Sixer and franchise player. Embiid is more of a quiet person who prefers to spend time with his family and leads by his level of play.

Harden, also an elite player who’s averaging 33 points, isn’t afraid to speak his mind, and has command of certain situations. He organizes, and often pays for, off-court team functions. In addition to that, Harden has taken Tyrese Maxey under his wing and shares encouraging words to everyone on the roster.

P.J. Tucker is also a vocal leader. But I’d have to say that this is trending toward being Harden’s team from a leadership standpoint.

Answer: Great question, Zaid. I think that’s to be determined, because two games isn’t a big enough sample size to give an accurate estimate. However, I will say the lineup of Harden, De’Anthony Melton, Danuel House Jr., Georges Niang, and Montrezl Harrell should provide Harden a lot of opportunities to get buckets. He can play a two-man game with Harrell while stretch-four Niang and three-and-D wings Melton and House extend the floor. The thing is, guys are going to get open because of the attention Harden receives. So it’s just a matter of them hitting shots when given the opportunity to score.

The bench didn’t do that Tuesday against the Celtics, shooting just 30.7% from the field.

So while they may get fewer scoring opportunities in that lineup, they need to produce when called upon.

Answer: I appreciate the question. I think Rivers is in a tough position. He has several new pieces that he needs to blend in with last season’s squad. On top of that, Rivers needs to find a way to get Embiid and Harden, two future Hall of Famers, to meet in the middle with their playing styles. And they have to do that during the season, which is far from a perfect time.

Despite all that, Rivers will be held accountable if the Sixers fail to go deep in the postseason. Unfortunately for him, that’s part of coaching a team that expects to win an NBA championship. People are going to continue to criticize the bad rotations, lack of ball movement, and defensive lapses under his charge.

I think this is a make-or-break season for Rivers. With all the hype surrounding the Sixers, I don’t expect him to be back next season without a deep postseason run.

Answer: What’s up, Nancy? Thanks for the question. I was told the Sixers had “brief” discussions about a rookie-scale extension with Matisse Thybulle leading up to the deadline.

With that said, I’m not surprised that the deadline passed without Thybulle getting a contract extension and he will now become a restricted free agent on June 30.

He can sign an offer sheet with any team beginning July 6. The Sixers can retain him by matching the terms of that offer.

Morey was known not to extend certain rookie-scale contracts while serving as the general manager of the Houston Rockets. He would let the free-agent market determine some players’ value before deciding if he wanted to match the offer sheet.