The Philadelphia 76ers was impressed with the start of the 2020-21 season. Even after a difficult loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, the Sixers are still in first place at the Eastern Conference on 18-8. One area that the Sixers could benefit from, however, is its three-point volume. They only reached 28th place in attempts at three points per game, with 29.5 points.
This is where Nemanja Bjelica, who supposedly caught the attention of the Sixers, would help. Athletic’s Sam Amick reported that the Sixers are one of the teams that are “considering” the Sacramento Kings striker:
Nemanja Bjelica who was out of [Luke] Walton’s rotation since 9 January and seems to be in motion. The Sixers, who have long been linked to [Buddy] Hield in terms of interest, are known to be among the teams considering the 32-year-old striker, who has hit 39 percent on the three-point line in his six seasons.
As Amick noted, Bjelica has been out of the Kings’ rotation for a while – they have a lot of strikers / giants in their squad, and he hasn’t played since January 9th. Although he is the type of sniper who can help many teams around the league, his current position with the Kings should at least ensure that his value is not too high. It would not be difficult for the Sixers to pool some of their lower wages to make money work in a business. Bjelica has a $ 7.15 million contract expiring.
First, Bjelica would be a quality shot addition to give the Bank of Six some extra three-point firepower. He hit 41.2 percent in three in the previous three seasons with good volume, trying 5.3 times for 36 minutes. In addition to its efficiency and quick trigger, it adds value as more than just a capture and shooting threat. Bjelica has a range that extends beyond the arc and he feels comfortable shooting in motion. He’s a solid passer too.
The Sixers could improve their attack / attack rotation, and Bjelica’s floor spacing and moving shots would add new dynamics to her second unit. Of course, the main offensive need for the Six at the moment is even more perimeter creation. But the more spacing and high-level snipers they have around Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, the better. If Philly can add Bjelica without giving up too much, it makes sense to do so.
As the negotiation deadline approaches and rumors increase in the coming weeks, Bjelica looks like someone to keep an eye on.