As the Philadelphia 76ers trend towards competitiveness, Jonathan Isaac could give their rotation an entirely new wrinkle.

Frontcourt depth isn’t something the Philadelphia 76ers need. With Ben Simmons set to return to the rotation next season and Dario Saric already proving his worth as a versatile offensive four, the Sixers are as set at the four spot as they are at the five spot. And, while many signs — and team needs — point towards them targeting a guard in this year’s draft, ping pong balls could place them into a situation where that’s no longer the ideal.

Whether it’s by virtue of two lottery picks or a later draw than expected, Jonathan Isaac’s versatility is something the Sixers should be thoroughly interested in come June.

First and foremost, this has to coincide with a cease in labeling Isaac a small forward. At 6-11, Isaac has the physical tools to defend the four spot, as well as the versatility needed to exploit the resulting mismatches offensively. Even with Saric and, at times, Simmons projected to carry a heavy workload in the frontcourt, Isaac’s ability to impact the game in a variety of ways on both ends of the floor is enough to warrant a gamble on draft night.

That also, in part, debunks the “he doesn’t fit” argument. Even in a rotation laden with young talent at Isaac’s (assumed) position, fit remains a temporary issue. We saw it first hand with the Sixers this season. After the Nerlens Noel trade, Philadelphia struggled to maintain their depth in the frontcourt. Injuries sidelined Embiid and Jahlil Okafor, while the only viable replacements were found in the form of D-League rookies who had previously gone undrafted.

Free agency, trades and injuries can be a vicious cycle, and they more often than not have an impact on a team’s future outlook — which is consistently in flux. Even if Isaac is strapped for minutes early on, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be relegated to a marginalized role in year three.

That also feeds into the Best Player Available narrative on draft night, as strategy that, even for a team looking to take the next step like Philadelphia, is the safest route to take. Isaac’s role is something Brett Brown and company would have the figure out on the fly. It also differs entirely from their frontcourt logjam, as Isaac — in stark contrast to Okafor — can play defense, switch between positions, space the floor and is projected as more of a long term project than a day one contributor.

While the later part of that may be a turnoff to some, Isaac does have the basic tools needed to carry a legitimate role in some capacity early on — and it’s one that could provide an entirely new dynamic for a Sixers offense that seems primed for massive improvements next season.