Sixers: Furkan Korkmaz isn’t NBA ready, but his jump shot is

The Sixers were knocked out of Las Vegas Summer League last night, but there were positive signs from their project rookie.

Furkan Korkmaz was an interesting offseason situation for the Sixers. At one point, it seemed like the roster would be to cluttered for Korkmaz to come over, but those days are long gone. The waiving of Gerald Henderson, among others, paved the way to seeing the Turkish prospect in a Sixers uniform this season.

The main facet of his game, and the only one that made him a viable first-round option, is his jump shot. And Philadelphia was able to awe about it in what was his best game all summer. The loss to the Lakers was headlined by the star performance of second-overall pick Lonzo Ball, but Korkmaz shined for the Sixers.

Korkmaz shot just 2-8 from three-point range, but found a way to do his damage from inside the arc, finishing the game with a summer-high 19 points on 57.1% shooting. His pure shooting form was on display, and foreshadows his success as a nice scoring threat off the bench.

His release was unsurprisingly quick, but what makes it special is his ability to quickly line up his body to the basket on catch-and-shoot opportunities. It’s the type of release that could be deadly in a lineup next to either Ben Simmons or Markelle Fultz.

The Sixers were in a tightly contested game where Korkmaz took on the scoring load. He seemed more comfortable with the ball in his hands, and was able to blow by defenders more than his debut game. Granted Summer League is littered with lesser talent, but it’s a positive sign seeing he can get to the rim on his own accord.

That won’t play a huge factor moving forward in his role with the Sixers. But his cutting ability will be key. Korkmaz found open lanes to the basket that lead to multiple easy lay-ins. It was a performance to remember for the young prospect, but the fact of the matter is he’s not NBA ready.

And that was the expectation coming into this season. At just 20 years of age, Korkmaz displays one of the prettiest shooting strokes from the 2016 draft class. This bodes well for both him in the Sixers. I’d expect him to split time in Delaware and Philadelphia, much like draft mate Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot did last season.

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This will allow him to tune-up his off-ball activity and, hopefully, develop some better instincts along the perimeter defensively. Not that Korkmaz is an unwilling defender, but positionally he’s going to be matched up against skilled offensive players even in second or third NBA units. It would also allow him to shoot more freely, allowing him to build confidence as he prepares for NBA minutes.

He has decent vision, and if that can translate into the regular season he’ll be a big asset as a wing player for the Sixers. His usage with Philadelphia will of course be dependent on a variety of situations. A weak Eastern Conference could push the Sixers into a playoff-run, and that could work both ways for Korkmaz depending on Brett Brown’s confidence in him.

Another factor will be the play of Luwawu-Cabarrot, who had himself a disappointing summer after being a bright spot in the last half of the season for the Sixers in 2016-17. As any young rookie, Korkmaz will have to put on weight and get used to the physicality an NBA season entails.

He’s not NBA-ready, yet. But he obtains this promising feature in his jump shot that will allow him to see some surprising performances. If coach Brown stays committed to his “pace and space” style of offense, then Korkmaz will find a role quickly with the team.

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Furkan Korkmaz is another asset inside the Sixers’ arsenal. Patience will have to be in place to see long-term success. But in today’s NBA, I see no reason why Korkmaz can at the least become an effective scorer off the bench.