As frontcourt depth becomes critical, the Philadelphia 76ers must prioritize modern versatility and floor spacing over traditional forwards to find the perfect player to support their core.
Bleacher Report listed power forward as the Philadelphia 76ers’ biggest need in the 2026 NBA Draft, pointing to Arizona’s Koa Peat and Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson as possible options with the No. 22 pick.
The position makes sense. The player archetype matters more.
Philadelphia does need more size at forward. Paul George can play some minutes at the four, but he is more naturally a wing. The Sixers have also spent too many years trying to patch together frontcourt depth around Joel Embiid without consistently finding the right blend of athleticism, shooting, and defensive versatility. If Philadelphia keeps Embiid and tries to contend, that need remains. If the team eventually resets around Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, it still needs forwards who can grow with the duo.
But the Sixers cannot just draft a power forward because of the label next to his name. They need a frontcourt player who helps space the floor.
That is where Koa Peat becomes a complicated fit.
Peat is a strong, physical forward who can play through contact, rebound, attack the rim, and bring real size to a lineup. At 6-foot-8, he has an NBA-ready body and the production to justify first-round consideration. He averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists for Arizona while helping the Wildcats reach the Final Four.
The concern is the shooting. Peat’s three-point percentage is fine on the surface, sitting at 35 percent. However, he only shot 0.6 three-pointers per game and shot 62 percent from the three-point line. This brings up the question of how Peat would fit in the modern game, where spacing is king and players like Maxey, Edgecombe, and Embiid need room to operate.
Joshua Jefferson is a more interesting fit.
Jefferson is older, so his ceiling may be easier to question. He will not be viewed the same way as a younger, more physically explosive prospect. But his skill set is better suited to what Philadelphia needs. He averaged 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists at Iowa State while shooting 34.5 percent from three. That combination of passing, rebounding, and developing floor spacing makes him a more natural connective piece.
Jefferson may not have star upside, but the Sixers do not necessarily need to chase a star at No. 22. They need someone who can fit into a real rotation and make the game easier for their best players. A forward who can pass, rebound, hit enough open threes, and keep the ball moving has more practical value than a stronger interior player who can be disregarded on the perimeter by opposing defenses.
The Sixers need frontcourt depth, but they need modern frontcourt depth. Shooting has to be part of the equation. Spacing has to be part of the equation. They cannot afford to draft a player who sounds good positionally but creates the same offensive limitations they are trying to escape.
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Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected].
