Paul Reed or Mo Bamba: Who Should Back Up Joel Embiid?

Over the previous two seasons, the Philadelphia 76ers have acquired several key talents to back up their defending NBA MVP, Joel Embiid.

In the past, it has been Andre Drummond, Paul Millsap, DeAndre Jordan, Montrezl Harrell, and most recently, Mo Bamba.

While the previous Sixers' head coaches have used their newly brought-in talents, they've also allowed Paul Reed to display his talents and case for deserving a roster spot.

Given this much depth, at the beginning of every season, there is always a debate to be had regarding the backup spot for Embiid, this season is no different with Bamba and Reed being at the front of the line.

Paul Reed

The case for Reed is a tricky one, as it goes beyond the work rate that he was more than credited for towards the tail end of last season, with James Harden going as far as to call him a "talented" player.

While his four points and four rebounds per game average from last season may not look all that impressive, Reed had several stand out performances last season, dropping 16 points against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

If his preseason stats from this year are anything to go by, the 24-year-old is more than ready for the challenge, dropping an average of ten points and six rebounds per game.

The biggest thing that makes Reed's case difficult is his 6'9" height, which sounds tall, but given the fact that you'll have to be going up against the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo (7'0"), and the aforementioned Jokic (6'11"), the difference can start to play a bigger impact.

Granted, this hasn't stopped the Sixers in the past, as former head coach Doc Rivers was quick to slot P.J. Tucker in at the center a few times last season, despite the 38-year-old only standing at 6'6".

Mo Bamba

While Bamba's name might be a bit more of a household name, given that he was the sixth round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, it doesn't hold any weight when you look at the stats.

Last season, Bamba averaged seven points and five rebounds across his 49 game season, playing with both the Magic and the Lakers.

While this may not sound like a lot, it means that he received more than enough experience playing under a big name in Anthony Davis, while also receiving valuable experience being in a playoff setting.

His biggest strength is where Reed's biggest potential detractor would lie, in his 7'0" height, that aligns closer to Embiid's frame, which would make it easier to switch him out and not have to worry about a potential size differential in matchups.

However, in his preseason outings, Bamba floundered, only managing to score seven points through 37 minutes on the court.

It'll be a topic to look out for throughout the season, which is set to start on Thursday, when the Sixers travel to visit the Milwaukee Bucks, with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST.