The new 76ers are going to have a hard time getting everyone the ball. Someone has to take the fall, and it may be the oldest person on the floor.
Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes have had their fair share of opinions when it comes to the current state of the NBA. For the Philadelphia 76ers, they posed a very interesting question that could test the selflessness of the team.
Who will sacrifice their shots this season?
On the All The Smoke Podcast, Barnes and Jackson ran through the usage rate of each player, and there was no one on the starting unit that was lower than 25 percent. The easiest answer for this would have to be LeBron James. James joined this team because they had so many guys with high usage rates. While it does mean they had the ball in their hand quite often, it also means they have played a part in team victories, because these guys can make the important play when the time comes.
Not only that, but for someone like James, it means he gets to do what he started with the Los Angeles Lakers and just get the ball in their hands. With the assumed role of facilitator, he won’t be the one who finishes the play. Instead, he’ll be the one who initiates the play, and that’s something that may be even better.
Guys like Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, and VJ Edgecombe will be big as the offensive threats on this team. Of course you have to worry about Joel Embiid and what he can do offensively. But this will be a game of streaky shooting and fast-paced offense. When you get into the halfcourt set, this will be the time that Embiid showcases what he’s been working on during the offseason. All of these guys may not have as high of a usage rate as they did last year, but it will be a more balanced offense.
Embiid being healthy matters, but if his usage rate goes down, then he can preserve his body like James and stay relatively healthy for the playoffs. Believe it or not, Edgecombe could see an increase in his usage rate because of how this team wants to utilize him in the offense. We know what we’re getting with Maxey and his offensive prowess. As for Edgecombe and Brown, both can feed off one another, with Edgecombe's explosiveness and Brown’s creativity with getting the ball in the basket.
No matter what the usage rate, someone’s numbers are going to take a dip. But with James possibly taking the brunt of it, it’ll benefit the entire team on the offensive end.
