Philadelphia 76ers: Taking an early look at the 2019-20 rotation

After a monumental first few days of free agency, it looks like the earliest edition of the Philadelphia 76ers’ roster is set.

What a ride it’s been. After years of tanking, constant roster turnover and three different front office regimes, the Philadelphia 76ers have truly arrived.

For the first time in nearly a decade, the Sixers have a full lineup of contracts that go past the upcoming season. The flurry of swings they took on Jimmy Butler, J.J. Redick and Tobias Harris allowed them to maintain flexibility heading into the last year of Ben Simmons‘ rookie deal.

Using that flexibility, general manager Elton Brand pivoted nicely from losing the former two, using the cap space to add Al Horford and absorb Josh Richardson. Choosing between Butler and Harris was going to be tough until Butler made the choice himself, as he will spend the twilight of his career with the Miami Heat.

As for the bench, Mike Scott and James Ennis took discounts to Run It Back, which is a sign of a good organization that players want to flock to. Snagging Kyle O’Quinn and Raul Neto for the veteran’s minimum were both shrewd moves as well, as they are much better fits than T.J. McConnell and Boban Marjanovic.

Barring some unforeseen injury or sickness, some young role players will join the fun too.

Shake Milton, fresh off leading the Sixers’ G League affiliate in scoring (24.9 points per game), has the body and I.Q. to step in as a shooter and ball-mover who doesn’t stink on defense.

Foul-prone Jonah Bolden won’t have to be the lone rim protector at the 5 anymore, thanks to the aforementioned signings. He can switch onto perimeter players too, so there may be a role for him if an injury occurs. His 3-point shot looks clunky, but it goes in and he’s willing to fire.

The man who cheated death, Zhaire Smith, should be ready to contribute regularly now. With a compact shooting stroke and high-level defensive tools, a healthy Smith can be effective from day one.

You’ll recognize rookie Matisse Thybulle right away. Though not a stout on-ball defender like Smith, he’s a ball hawk disrupting passing lanes. A large sample indicates he’s an okay shooter too, so his impact should be felt rather quickly.

Now that all the pieces are in place, let’s peek into how head coach Brett Brown will distribute the minutes.