Furkan Korkmaz

After three years of improvement, Korkmaz took a small step backward in 2020-21. Last year, the Turkish wing had a small decrease in minutes, points, three-pointers, and rebounds as he battled second-year player Matisse Thybulle for a role on Philadelphia's bench. This summer, it appeared that both Korkmaz and Thybulle had a chance to see extra minutes in 2021-22. But then Philadelphia decided to bring back veteran Danny Green on a two-year contract. Green will probably start at small forward, with Korkmaz and Thybulle again backing up Green. Also of concern is Korkmaz's shooting accuracy. After shooting 43.0 percent in 2019-20, Korkmaz returned to 40.1 percent last season. He also drained 37.5 percent of his three-point attempts, which is serviceable, but a decline from 2019-20's 40.2 percent. Considering Green is 34 years old and starting shooting guard Seth Curry is 31, Korkmaz's best chance for a boost in playing time is an injury to either aging veteran. Otherwise, expect modest reserve-level production from Korkmaz this season while keeping an eye on his shooting percentages.

The Turkish guard took another step forward in his third season as a key contributor in Philly's rotation throughout the year. Korkmaz logged 21.7 minutes across 72 contests - both the most of his career. The increase in minutes led to a boost in production, and he averaged 9.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.0 triples, and 1.1 assists - all career highs. Korkmaz provided six games with at least 20 points, including two 30-point performances. He drained at least three triples in 27 games. Despite the solid season, it will be difficult for him to build on the performance this season. The additions of Danny Green, Seth Curry and Terrance Ferguson will likely cut into Korkmaz's playing time in 2020-21, and while he's proven to be a valuable contributor in the past, his limited time on the court will keep him off the fantasy radar in all but the deepest of leagues.

The 76ers picked Korkmaz as a late-first-round draft-and-stash prospect in 2016. Korkmaz is a 19-year-old shooting guard from Turkey – a country that has been a major source of international NBA talent for years. Korkmaz is 6-foot-8, but only weighs 185 pounds. He is a good rebounder for a shooting guard, but most of his potential comes from his jumpshot – he shot 46.6 percent from behind the international three-point line last season. He still needs to add strength and ball-handling skills, but he has potential to develop into an average or low-end NBA starter. Given the current state of his development, along with the deep talent pool ahead of him, he is unlikely to see much court time, and could be a candidate to spend some time in the G-League.

With their third pick of the first round in the 2016 NBA Draft, the 76ers decided to go the draft-and-stash route by selecting the 18-year-old Korkmaz, a shooting guard from Turkey. The nation has been a wellspring of international NBA talent for over a decade, but Korkmaz is one of the few guards from Turkey to emerge as a first-round talent. Though he had an up-and-down 2015-16 season with Anadolu Efes of the Turkish Basketball League, with whom he averaged 4.3 points over 11.5 minutes per game, the 6-foot-7 shooting guard still carries some promise, almost entirely due to his proficiency from downtown. At this point in his development, Korkmaz remains more of a catch-and-shoot threat than a player who can create his own shot, so his skills aren't likely to be optimized unless he's playing alongside a capable point guard. Korkmaz will need to add more strength and develop his handle in order to remain a long-term fixture in the league, but due to his lack of explosive athletic ability and defensive shortcomings, it doesn't appear the 6-foot-7 wing has much of a ceiling beyond that of an average NBA starter. Even so, his advanced shooting skills relative to most players his age at least provides him with a good foundation to work with, and that skill might ultimately be enough for him to carve out an Anthony Morrow-type career as sniper off the bench once he eventually arrives in North America.