Sixers' Furkan Korkmaz is Thrilled to Return vs. Celtics
Furkan Korkmaz's breakout year in 2019-2020 earned him immediate attention from new Sixers head coach Doc Rivers this season. Riding off of the momentum he built up from last season, Korkmaz impressed Rivers throughout training camp.
By the time the regular season rolled around, Rivers had Korkmaz checking in as one of the key players off the bench in the 76ers' rotation. Korkmaz didn't flash brilliance in his first three games as he averaged six points-per-game while draining just 25-percent of his three-point shots.
But his early struggles didn't have him in danger of losing his spot in the rotation. However, a lower-body injury forced Korkmaz off the floor during the third game of the season against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
For the next 11 games, Korkmaz rooted for the Sixers from the bench while wearing street clothes. As he was diagnosed with a left adductor strain, the veteran guard knew it would take a few weeks before he was able to hit the court again.
"It's not really fun, to be honest," Korkmaz said in regards to his forced time off. "Of course, it's good to be with [the team], but I don't compete with them on the court, you know, when you don't fight together, it's not the same thing."
Finally, after missing multiple weeks' worth of games, Korkmaz is cleared for action. Although he was expected to get the green light to go on Sunday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the game was postponed due to health and safety protocol related to COVID-19.
So, the veteran reserve has to wait until Wednesday's matchup against the Boston Celtics. "It feels really good -- super good," Korkmaz said after Tuesday's practice after joining his teammates on the court for the first time in a while. "Like, finally, I'm going to be back on the court playing with the team."
Korkmaz's role on the Sixers is undefined at this point. While he was out, other reserves such as Matisse Thybulle and Isaiah Joe proved they could be valuable in the rotation as well. Then, there's also Shake Milton and Tyrese Maxey, who surely aren't going to lose any minutes moving forward.
Last week, Rivers mentioned he wouldn't be stubborn on having a set number of players included in the rotation. As long as guys are playing well, "there's room" for them in the rotation. Korkmaz will get playing time when he returns this week, but the veteran guard will have to prove he can be valuable early on to keep his role.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_
