Joel Embiid would like Sixers to add P.J. Tucker types of players to roster
PHILADELPHIA — For as long as Joel Embiid has been a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, they haven’t had that “dawg”. They haven’t had a guy who is tough and does all of the little things that don’t show up in a box score in order to win a game.
They did have Mike Scott briefly, but he began to decline in the 2019-20 season and the Sixers moved on from him in 2021. They did not replace his impact on the team in terms of being that “dawg” and it showed in this series with the Miami Heat.
The Heat possess so many players who fit that description, but none more than P.J. Tucker who is not the biggest guy, but he does all of the little things in order to get it done. Embiid wants more guys like that.
“For sure,” said Embiid. “We had a few tough guys since I’ve been here. I can recall whether it’s Mike Scott. He didn’t play a lot of minutes, but when you have size and toughness, you look at someone like P.J. Tucker. A great player, but it’s not about him knocking down shots. It’s about what he does whether it’s on the defensive end or rebounding the ball.”
The Heat roster is littered with P.J. Tucker types of players. Led by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, Miami’s roster has guys who fit the “dawg” category and the Sixers need somebody like that on their roster.
“You look at, obviously, defensively,” Embiid continued on Tucker. “He plays with so much energy. He believes that he can get from point A to point B and he believes that no one can beat him and he’s tough. He’s physical and he’s tough. They have a few of those guys whether it’s Bam and all those guys and since I’ve been here, I’d be lying if I said that we’ve had those types of guys.”
The big fella then gave the truth about the current roster.
“Nothing against what we have,” he added. “It’s just the truth. We never have P.J. Tucker. That’s really what I’m trying to say. I think physicality, once you get to the playoffs in the later rounds, you need that. You need those guys that are really tough.”
With that being said, it’s not up to Embiid right now to make the roster moves. That will be on coach Doc Rivers and president Daryl Morey to figure it all out.
“I’m not the GM,” said the big fella. “They can trade me any time they want, but to give you an answer, I don’t know. I got home two days ago and I got the best award to get and it was Most Valuable Father so that’s what I’m focused on this summer. Enjoying my family, my son, my fiancé, just my family, my parents, my sister, my people, just being around them. Some positive energy and mix in some good work and try to get better.”
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