With Sixers newcomers taking rotation minutes, some well-known returners are waiting for meaningful playing time

Matisse Thybulle, Shake Milton, and Paul Reed are among those squeezed out of the Sixers' rotation, even as that new-look second unit has not been the instant upgrade promised during their 1-3 start.

Matisse Thybulle (left) is among familiar Sixers not seeing much playing time.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer

by Gina Mizell

Published Oct. 23, 2022, 5:00 a.m. ET

The sweat had turned Paul Reed’s shirt from light gray to dark, the result of a rigorous pregame workout with 76ers teammate Jaden Springer.

Those types of early sessions — this one in Boston about two hours ahead of the Sixers’ season opener last Tuesday — generally are reserved for non-rotation players who know those on-court drills will serve as their primary basketball activities for the day. It was a clue that Reed would not see the floor against the Celtics, a hypothesis that proved correct despite his ascension to backup center during the Sixers’ playoff run in the spring.

Bolstering bench production with the additions of De’Anthony Melton, Danuel House Jr., and Montrezl Harrell was one of the Sixers’ offseason priorities. Yet that has left some returners used to getting steady playing time in previous seasons squeezed out of the rotation — even as that new-look second unit has not been the instant upgrade promised during their disappointing 1-3 start.

“Everybody knows that there’s no guaranteed minutes here,” said sixth-year swingman Furkan Korkmaz, who has played only once through the Sixers’ first four games. “It doesn’t matter if you come in new, if you stay here for, like, six years, nothing really matters on the team.

“What matters right now is whoever makes the shot, whoever plays better defense, that guy’s staying on the court. We all know that.”

The returning Sixers reserves have said all the right things about watching the summer unfold and how that affected their approach to the start of this season.

When asked for his reaction to Harrell’s September signing, Reed said it “doesn’t change anything about my mentality” and called Harrell “a great addition to the team.” Korkmaz said he “understood” why the Sixers looked for upgrades after he shot a career-worst 28.9% from three-point range while dealing with nerve damage in his hand last season. Guard Shake Milton called the newcomers “exciting” because it increased the Sixers’ chances of contending for a championship. Players and coach Doc Rivers talked throughout the preseason about the uptick in competitiveness during practices.

“Obviously, early on in my career, I would have been like, ‘Oh, what’s going on?’ ” said Georges Niang, a stretch forward who is in his second season with the Sixers. “But I’m comfortable in what I do and what I bring to the table. I’ve been doing it for a long time.

“It’s going to take an overall sacrifice from everybody — maybe sacrifice a couple things that you do, or a couple minutes here and there — so that we have more depth throughout an 82-game season and then into the playoffs.”

So far, though, Niang is the only reserve from last season who has gotten meaningful action in each of the Sixers’ first three games.

Reed has played only 14 minutes so far this season.. Milton, like Korkmaz, only played spot minutes against the Pacers on Monday — though both players were out of the rotation at points last season because of injury and performance.

Yet the shift has been most drastic for defensive wing Matisse Thybulle. After starting 50 games last season, his role has abruptly dwindled since he could not travel to Canada to play the Toronto Raptors during the playoffs because he chose not to get vaccinated against COVID-19. He played less than a minute combined in this season’s first two games, only entering for defensive possessions at the end of quarters. He then played three first-half minutes against the Spurs, but did not return after the break. He played another two minutes against the Pacers on Monday.

When asked about Thybulle, Rivers said, “He’s working his butt off and he’ll play. … But right now, Danuel House and De’Anthony are in front of him.”

“So far, he’s been pretty positive about it,” Rivers added. “… As a coach, you’ve got to always make whatever you think is the right decision for the team, but you still have to take care of the individual players as well. You’ve got to try to keep their mental [state] right.”

The Sixers who have come off the bench, however, have played inconsistently at best.

That unit has been outscored, 141-70, through four games, including 40-10 against the lowly San Antonio Spurs in their 114-105 upset Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Rivers has not demonstrated much trust in Reed or Harrell as the backup center, leading to small-ball lineups with 6-foot-5 P.J. Tucker at that position. The perimeter defense, which was supposed to be one of that group’s strengths, has struggled with staying in front of ball handlers and allowing open three-pointers.

More subtle hiccups, such as a play during Thursday’s loss against the Milwaukee Bucks when House incorrectly ran the baseline and crowded star center Joel Embiid with the ball, also have emerged with those newcomers.

Yet when asked about potential rotation shake-ups after Saturday’s flop against the Spurs, Rivers said, “No, it’s a matter of playing better.”

Although Rivers may not be ready to make sweeping personnel changes, he has said the substitution patterns will be fluid as he identifies which combinations work best with specific starters. The grind of the season means injuries — or perhaps another winter COVID wave — could temporarily deplete the Sixers’ roster and make depth even more vital. While practice reps are also limited for non-rotation players, Thybulle remains cognizant that “everyone’s in the gym when you’re working out.”

“When they see you working, they see what you’re capable of doing,” Thybulle said. “It’s just a reminder of your presence and commitment to the team. There really hasn’t been much [communication from the coaching staff about my situation]. For me, it’s just been staying ready and doing what I can on my end.

“I don’t know what’s happening on their end and what decisions are being made, but [I’m] waiting for my name to be called. I can’t sub myself in. I can try, but it probably wouldn’t go over too well.”

With Daryl Morey running the Sixers’ front office, it’s also possible that those Sixers will not all remain on the roster through the end of the season.

Niang, Reed, and Milton are in the final year of their contracts, while Thybulle will be a restricted free agent this summer after not reaching an agreement on a rookie extension by last week’s deadline. Multiple players could be packaged in a trade to address a more immediate need that reveals itself in-season, such as instant-offense scoring. The Sixers also have a roster spot open after waiving Isaiah Joe and Charles Bassey last week, meaning another capable player could be signed at any time.

For now, though, the Sixers who have been surpassed on the depth chart must wait for their opportunity.

“If you’re as confident as you say you are and you believe in your ability, then it doesn’t really matter [who has been added to the roster],” Milton said. “Everything’s going to shake out the way it shakes out. For me, my mindset was, ‘Shoot, I see the type of team we’re building, and hopefully I can put my impact on it and help the team however I can.’

“I feel like, from top to bottom, everybody’s having the same mentality.”