The Sixers signed veteran Jerryd Bayless this offseason, hoping he’d be a stopgap until the team has its point guard of the future.
But it looks like Philly will need a stopgap for their stopgap, as the guard is expected to miss at least two weeks rehabbing from a wrist injury.
This means one thing for the Sixers— they don’t have a starting point guard named with opening day Wednesday night.
By default, the job will likely fall to last year’s starter T.J. McConnell — but not if Joel Embiid has his way.
In practice and rehab over the last two years the big man has been flexing his agility, versitility and running the point. And boy can he run the fast break.
“I’ve been doing that in the games too, it’s something I’ve been working on,” Embiid said. “I’ve always thought I was a point guard. That’s something I wantto do.” McConnell himself, who has been fighting for a journeyman spot on the team admits that his teammate, the 22-year-old rookie who was drafted almost three years ago, has some game.
“Seeing a guy at his height being able to push the ball down the floor, its incredible,” McConnell said.
But head coach Brett Brown isn’t amused. He wants Embiid playing down low like a conventional big man.
“I want to grow him, I’m not going to just bucket him up,” the coach said.”Like I say to him ‘at the end of the day you’re a 7-foot-2 post player.'”
The Sixers host the Thunder at 8 p.m. Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.