Doc Rivers explains why he plans to use PJ Tucker at the center spot
CHARLESTON, S.C.–The Philadelphia 76ers have a deeper and more talented roster heading into the 2022-23 season than they have in the past as the front office went out and they added some solid players to the roster.
One of the additions the Sixers made is 37-year-old PJ Tucker who joins the team after leaving the Miami Heat in free agency. Tucker brings a lot of attributes the Sixers need at the moment such as toughness, two-way ability, and he can also play multiple positions.
Despite standing at just 6-foot-5, the Sixers will be using Tucker as a backup center at some point during the season. He has played the center position at different times in his career, most notably with the Houston Rockets, and despite the small stature, the Sixers see it as an advantage to use him as a center.
“Depending on the right matchup, he can be very, very good,” said Rivers. “First off, he’s the spacer. You can have, let’s say, Matisse (Thybulle) on the floor as a roller. You can really just play unorthodox basketball with that. PJ gets in the corner, he’s gonna make the shot. Dragging the 5 out to the corners. Play Minnesota, you know? Making their 5 stand out in the corner, it’s good for us.”
Tucker did shoot 41.5% from deep in the 2021-22 season with the Heat and he shot 39% on corner triples, specifically. That type of production is going to be hugely important for the Sixers as they continue to move forward with their championship quest.
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