Philadelphia 76ers: 2017-18 NBA season preview

Storyline 3: Starting 4-man

There are two clear candidates for this role entering the season in Dario Saric and Robert Covington. A member of the NBA All-Rookie First Team last season, Saric played in 81 games overall, including 36 starts. After struggling in early starting appearances, Saric flourished down the stretch of the season, starting in his final 25 games of the season.

Meanwhile, Covington started all 67 games at the small forward slot. A modern-day “3-and-D” perimeter player, Covington established himself as one of the elite defenders in the league at his position and a great complement to coach Brown’s “defense, pace and space” mantra.

Covington’s defense was his notable contribution, with the Sixers posting a 103.3 defensive rating when he was on the court, but 109.9 when he was resting. While he hasn’t played the 4-spot for any discernible length of time throughout his career, it could very well be the best fit for the Sixers to commence the season.

While Embiid at center excelled defensively last season, Simmons and Fultz are unknown commodities at this stage, while newcomer J.J. Redick has never be known for defensive prowess. So although Covington at 215 pounds won’t be able to match the size of many stretch-4’s, he does stand 6’9″ with a 7’2″ wingspan, meaning his defensive versatility should be utilized as much as possible moving forward.