The Australian big man offers elite spacing and offensive versatility, but his defensive limitations could leave Philadelphia vulnerable against the Eastern Conference’s most explosive perimeter attacks.
Jock Landale is an understandable name for the Philadelphia 76ers to monitor, but there are valid questions to ask about his fit.
According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, Landale, the journeyman center, is expected to have a strong free-agent market, with the Sixers among the teams expected to show interest. The Sixers need frontcourt depth. They need more reliable options behind Joel Embiid. They also need players who can keep the floor spaced for their star players.
At his best, he is a skilled offensive center who can do more than stand near the rim. He has touch, passing feel, and enough shooting ability to stretch defenses away from the basket. Last season, Landale averaged 10.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 38.3 percent from three.
The Sixers have had too many reserve frontcourt options who shrink the floor with players such as Adem Bona and Andre Drummond outside of the occasional three-pointer. Landale would not have the same problem. He can work in pick-and-pop actions, make quick reads, finish inside, and give Philadelphia another big man who does not clog driving lanes.
But the concern is on the other end of the floor.
Landale is not an immobile center, but he is not the kind of quick-footed defensive big who can impact a possession. His slower foot speed can be stressed when teams pull him away from the basket, attack him in space, or force him into repeated ball-screen actions. He can battle, rebound, and hold position, but asking him to cover significant ground defensively is a different discussion.
Embiid can still protect the rim and use his size in drop coverage, but he has not looked like the same defensive player he was at his peak. The Knicks exposed some of those issues by forcing him to defend movement, cover space, and handle repeated actions away from the paint. The Sixers need frontcourt pieces who can help cover for that.
Landale would not necessarily fix that issue.
He could give the Sixers more offensive firepower. He could help with spacing, rebounding, and skill in the second unit. But if Philadelphia is looking for a big man who can add mobility, switchability, and defensive range, Landale may not be the answer.
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Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected].
