It is obvious that the Philadelphia 76ers became title contenders this offseason after making big moves. The Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown and signed LeBron James to make themselves NBA Finals contenders. That leaves one question: did they improve the bench enough to reach their full potential? In the NBA, it is so important to have a good bench that you can trust to come in and bring energy, score, or be a really good defender.
The New York Knicks proved just how much a bench matters as they won the 2026 NBA Finals, and great shooting off the bench was a big part of that. The Sixers made some moves this offseason to improve their bench, and now we take a look at who they brought in and if their bench can be good enough or if they lack some pieces.
Is the Sixers Bench Good Enough?
Key Additions to the Sixers Bench This Season
While this does not list every member on the Sixers bench, these are the main bench pieces expected to play a big role. The Sixers started by drafting guard Labaron Philon Jr. out of Alabama. Philon is a good ball handler and is expected to see rotational minutes and have a key role, according to Sixers head coach Nick Nurse.
They also signed Dean Wade, who was originally going to be a starter until they signed James. They signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Anfernee Simons, and Ariel Hukporti at the peak of NBA Free Agency. There is no doubt that the Sixers got more scoring and more size after also signing Tacko Fall, who is 7 feet, 6 inches tall, which helps with size and rebounding if they decide to keep Fall on the roster as a backup center to Joel Embiid.
Why the Sixers Bench Could be Good Enough to get the Sixers Far
There are plenty of things to be excited about with the Sixers bench. They are now overloaded at guards, meaning they do not lack guard depth, which they did when they traded Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
As mentioned before, they also got size to help on the defensive side of things, which is where they have struggled for some time. Wade is a big body who will come off the bench and play defense. They now have a lot of veteran experience; Caldwell-Pope has been a part of championship teams and made long playoff runs, and that experience will help the Sixers when the starters need a break or if there are any injuries.
Why the Sixers Bench Might Not Help the Sixers Reach Their Full Potential
While the Sixers did improve their bench, there are also some concerns. For starters, they lost Andre Drummond to the Knicks in free agency, and Drummond was one of the better rebounders, and the Sixers did not necessarily get a high-quality backup center. Hukporti is big, but he lacks the experience that Drummond had, and when Embiid is on the bench or not playing, the Sixers could get outrebounded by nearly everyone they play.
The next concern is the egos. Like the starters, they have a lot of bench scorers now who will constantly want the ball in their hands, and if they let the egos get to them, sloppy basketball will be played, and other teams will find ways to win.
Philadelphia has a lot of potential this season, as both their starting lineup and their bench are loaded, but they still need to put the puzzle together. Do you think the bench can help the Sixers live up to their potential without an experienced backup center?
Main Image: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
