Report: Furkan Korkmaz out for 2 weeks with strained left adductor

News broke on Monday evening that Furkan Korkmaz suffered a left adductor strain against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

This is some unfortunate news for the Sixers, as they’re coming off of a bad loss against Cleveland. Korkmaz has been a large part of the Sixers’ successful bench unit, averaging 18.3 minutes per game in their first three games. He’s been the first Sixers’ wing off the bench alongside Shake Milton.

Korkmaz has been a vital part to the team as he’s a no-hesitation shooter. He knows what his job is and does well at spacing the floor for the likes of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.

This likely means that Matisse Thybulle will soak up the majority of Korkmaz’s minutes. While Thybulle will certainly offer the Sixers an upgrade on defense, the Sixers will miss Korkmaz’s shooting. There’s also an outside chance that the Sixers could experiment with rookie Isaiah Joe, though it’s unlikely as Doc Rivers’ seems to favor veterans.

I’ll be interested to see which Matisse Thybulle the Sixers get in Korkmaz’s absence; the 3-and-D knockdown shooter that we saw in the first half of his rookie season, or the lockdown defender that was pretty much a zero on the offensive end during the second half of his rookie campaign.

While this news is definitely unfortunate, this is Matisse Thybulle’s chance to earn a spot in the Sixers’ regular rotation. The added perimeter defense will be a welcomed sight if Thybulle can provide disciplined defense and hit the three-ball at a somewhat reliable rate. It’s entirely possible he can overtake the struggling Mike Scott if he plays well.

Hopefully Furkan Korkmaz can return after the predicted two-week timeline and there aren’t any setbacks of any kind. We’ll keep you updated on his progress.