Philadelphia 76ers: Biggest strengths and weaknesses for 2017-18

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 08: Markelle Fultz #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers stands on the court during a 2017 Summer League game against the Golden State Warriors at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 8, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Philadelphia won 95-93. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

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Weakness No. 2: Lack of gritty defenders

The Philadelphia 76ers got youth and athleticism and some savvy veterans this offseason. However, they didn’t address their need for a gritty or lockdown defender.

The Sixers have come a long way from the days of having a guy like Andre Igoudala or Larry Hughes locking down the team’s opposing best player. One guy who isn’t a terrible defender has been center Joel Embiid.

Embiid has shown he can protect the paint and hold down the interior with relative ease, but his perimeter defense is still up for debate.

On the bright side, Philadelphia has the potential to develop a solid defender out of wing players Justin Anderson, Robert Covington and Furkan Korkmaz. Anderson is a 6’6″ player who can play the off-guard or forward position, but he’d be much more valuable if he could defend.

So far, he’s still searching for his niche on his second NBA team in the Sixers. Covington has the frame at 6’9″ and the ability to guard the 1-3 spots on the floor and in some cases, the 4-spot. He averaged 1.9 steals and 1.0 blocks per game last year.

Adding Korkmaz gives the team a player whose hungry on both ends of the floor. He’s shown ability to guard the ball, get out in transition and finish on the break.

With a gritty defender on the floor, the Sixers very well could tie up some loose ends. There’s also been a push to make Markelle Fultz an elite defender, which could improve their overall record too.