:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61648399/usa_today_11369541.0.jpg)
As the 2018-2019 campaign nears, we’re getting a more clear picture of what the Sixers roster will look like to start the season. NBA teams can have 15 players on their roster (12 active, three inactive) and two two-way players. We already know who the Sixers utilized their two-way contracts on: Demetrius Jackson and Shake Milton. We can assume that three players currently on the preseason roster will likely be cut: Emeka Okafor, Norvel Pelle and Anthony Brown. So we can conclude the Sixers’ Opening Night roster will probably look like this:
Sixers Opening Night Roster
| Player | Role | Roster Status |
|---|---|---|
| Player | Role | Roster Status |
| Jerryd Bayless | Gaurd | Inactive* |
| Jonah Bolden | Forward | Active |
| Wilson Chandler | Forward | Inactive* |
| Robert Covington | Forward | Active |
| Joel Embiid | Center | Active |
| Markelle Fultz | Guard | Active |
| Demetrius Jackson | Guard | Two-way |
| Amir Johnson | Center/Forward | Active |
| Furkan Korkmaz | Guard/Forward | Active |
| TJ McConnell | Guard | Active |
| Shake Milton | Guard | Two-way |
| Mike Muscala | Forward/Center | Active |
| JJ Redick | Guard | Active |
| Dario Saric | Forward | Active |
| Landry Shamet | Guard | Active |
| Ben Simmons | Guard/Forward | Active |
| Zhaire Smith | Guard | Inactive* |
*Zhaire Smith (Jones fracture) and Wilson Chandler (strained left hamstring) are likely to be inactives on Opening Night due to injury. When they return, my guess would be that they’ll replace Jonah Bolden and Furkan Korkmaz as active players. Jerryd Bayless is assumed, for now, to be inactive as he fell out of the rotation last season.
So now that we have an assumed Sixers roster in place, let’s value the players, shall we? Over the next two weeks leading up to the NBA season’s tip-off, Liberty Ballers will be asking for your help in ranking Sixers players according to the projected value they’ll bring on the court this season. So while, say, Zhaire Smith is a more valuable trade piece than Wilson Chandler, that shouldn’t factor into your vote. What matters here is who will bring the most production to the Sixers on the court in 2018-2019; that is to say we’re voting on who will contribute to winning, starting with who will do so the least and ascending to the most.
Today, we’ll start with contributors 17 and 16. Now while it initially seems easy to put Demetrius Jackson and Shake Milton here due to their two-way status, maybe you see them giving the Sixers a few solid games in place of an injured player this season. Meanwhile, you expect Jerryd Bayless to be inactive until the Sixers find a way to part with his contract, meaning he won’t bring any on-court value. Or maybe Jonah Bolden struggles mightily in adjusting to the NBA in his rookie campaign, and so he’s an outright negative. Or possibly you’re still skeptical of the way this team handles recovery, and you see the Sixers redshirting Zhaire Smith!?
Let’s get to the voting.
Poll
Who is the 17th most valuable player on the Sixers’ roster for the upcoming season?
This poll is closed
-
40%
Demetrius Jackson
(467 votes) -
8%
Shake Milton
(100 votes) -
5%
Jonah Bolden
(59 votes) -
28%
Jerryd Bayless
(327 votes) -
9%
Furkan Korkmaz
(111 votes) -
6%
Zhaire Smith
(80 votes)
Poll
Who is the 16th most valuable player on the Sixers’ roster for the upcoming season?
This poll is closed
-
32%
Demetrius Jackson
(335 votes) -
22%
Shake Milton
(231 votes) -
5%
Jonah Bolden
(57 votes) -
28%
Jerryd Bayless
(298 votes) -
5%
Furkan Korkmaz
(59 votes) -
5%
Zhaire Smith
(58 votes)