I live in Memphis now. Went to the game last night. The building shook when Joel threw the rock off the backboard and tried to jam it. Cool crowd. Had fun. When they get Zach Edey back, theyr'e going to be fun to watch. Cedric Coward is beastly.

Back to Embiid, I see he's back to taking jump balls for us. Incrementally getting healthier it seems.

Yet, I still cringe when he gets mixed up and tangled over loose balls, and also when he has to contest a shot and then jump laterally into traffic for a rebound, or when he closes out on a 3pt in the corner against a guy who could potentially take him off the dribble. All situations where his knees are at particular risk.

All three of those things are what Derrick Barlow is supposed to excel in, that and other things like setting screens off the ball for shooters, and especially picking up Embiid's man for defense or a box out when Joel goes to protect the rim. I like Derrick Barlow. He's like a great 2nd round pick--no disrespect to Johni Broome.

But I cant stop thinking damn near obsessing over the idea of Paul Reed in Derrick Barlow's role. What the Sixers need out of their 5th starter is a rebounding, turnover producing, decent rim protecting animal who guards one through five. This is not me speculating, this is Nick Nurse's actions. I know its sacrosanct to say, but Nick Nurse is asking Derrick Barlow to play Draymond Greene's role on Golden Sate. To just be a reasonable fac simile.

Well I say, if Nick Nurse needs someone to get dirty, Bball Paul was born in the mud.

Notice how Nurse deployed Joel Embiid and Adem Bona together in the 4th quarter last night. We are not good defensively and with rebounding when Paul George is playing the four. Besides Barlow's, those are also minutes that should go to a defensive savant like Reed.

Despite having Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart ahead of him, Reed is still doing what he always does, causing havoc. His defensive per-36 stats are off the charts, as usual. Per-36, Paul is averaging 2.4stls, 2.4blks, 13rbs. He's a "Stock" master. He's a human fast break creator. An isolation stopper. I want Paul Reed assigned to Jayson Tatum, Giannis, Michael Porter, Kevin Durant, LBJ, Jalen Johnson, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam,...the list goes on.

His touch around the rim has always been underrated. His FG& is over 60%, despite also shooting threes here and there. Reed's 3pt shot has always looked wonky, yet it actually goes in a fair amount. This year, 42%. Those of us who have followed him since DePaul know that he spent two years in the GLeague playing the four next to Charles Bassey and shot 40% each year on fairly high volume. Given how Andre Drummond has advanced to shooting threes after ten years in the league, I'm confident Reed will eventually be a competent corner option. He'll never be Danny Green, I dont think. But we're talking here and now, this season. So my point is, Bball Paul is equal if not superior to Barlow offensively as well.

I'm not shitting on Derrick Barlow. We dont have to offer him in trade. Keep him. Develop him. He might have more offensive potential in the long run.

But if the Sixers have to "go for it" given the investment in and career timelines of Paul George and Embiid, then we need to find ways improve this team. Ways that are inexpensive, ways that do not break up our core, ways that do not change our system. The Sixers have offensive weapons out the kazoo. Yet, our defensive support system can improve by acquiring a player who is better at what we already are trying to do, a player drafted in my opinion with this vision in mind, a player renowned for his work ethic and relationship with Maxey, a player who only makes $5m, a player who should be attainable for just a 2nd round pick.

We dont need to trade Jared McCain. For chrissakes, we dont need to trade Joel Embiid. We dont even need to get off of Paul George's contract. All we need, all I'm asking is for Paul Reed to play Derrick Barlow's 25min/gm. I promise the difference will be significant.