Brandon Apter, Sports Talk Philly editor 
The Philadelphia 76ers are sporting a 21-34 record for the 2016-17 season and they are a few days away from playing their first game since the All-Star break. To the common fan, that might not look good, but to fans that have watched this team over the past few years, it's a large improvement from where things have been, despite the questionable front office decisions that have happened lately.
During the All-Star break, we've be giving each Sixers player a grade for their performance so far, and we close it out with the centers.
Joel Embiid
Stats: 20.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.5 bpg, 46.6% fg, 36.7% 3pt fg
Although he's missed a large chunk of the recent schedule with a bone bruise/minor meniscus tear, Joel Embiid remains the favorite to win Rookie of the Year. 853 days after being drafted third overall in 2014, Embiid made his highly-anticipated debut for the Sixers this season and he hasn't disappointed. Not only is he an offensive force in the post, but can shoot the three, drive into the lane from the three-point line with ease and can hit the triple pretty consistently for a guy of his size. Embiid played in nine games during the month of January and missed the rest with an injury, but he was keeping the pedal on the medal until he couldn't play. In those nine games, Joel averaged 23.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.5 blocks per game. Ideally, he returns from injury in the first game the Sixers have after the break on Friday, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him sit for a few more. The only issue with Embiid is that his somewhat reckless style of play doesn't fit too well with his injury history. I don't expect him to play more conservatively upon return, but he seems to make himself more prone to injury with some of the things he does especially if it involves jumping into the stands.
Grade: A
Richaun Holmes
Stats: 6.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 52.2% fg, 36.4% 3pt fg
For a guy who is pretty much the fourth center on the roster, Holmes never really skips a beat when he hits the floor. He always carries a lot of energy and has really improved his rim protection since last year. There's no true spot for him until the big man logjam is figured out, but some believe that Holmes could serve as the best backup option to Joel Embiid. He hustles on offense, plays good defense and his style of play just fits with the Sixers pace. Because of the amount of big men the Sixers have on their roster, Holmes took a trip to the D-League in stride, using minutes their to improve in many aspects of his game. One of his best games of the season came earlier in February against the Heat, scoring 12 points to go along with nine rebounds, two assists and a steal. Holmes has improved in his long-range shooting as well this season, hitting 36.4 percent of three's, well above his career average of 24.2 percent. If he gets more minutes, I think fans would start to believe that he could be a steady back-up to Embiid if the team starts next season without Noel and Okafor
Grade: B
Nerlens Noel
Stats: 8.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.4 spg, 61.1% fg
For a guy who seemed like he wanted nothing to do with this team or the center situation at the beginning of the year, oh how things have changed. Since returning the the Sixers after injury, Noel has slowly eased himself into the back-up center role behind Joel Embiid (when he's playing). His offensive game has developed a bit, as Noel has shown the ability to knock down mid-range jumpers while also having the same speed we've come to see, scoring frequently in transition via the alley-oop. The primary reason Noel has gotten that second center role is because of his ability to play defense, something Jahlil Okafor has struggled with since entering the NBA. He's active at the rim and is pesky while defending on the perimeter as well. While his future in Philadelphia remains a question mark, there's no doubting that he would fit here over Okafor with the Sixers pace and style of play. Since getting back into regular playing time on the court, Noel's attitude has shifted to what he can control, rather than worrying about how the team plans to reconsile their surplus of centers. It goes without saying that his change in attitude not only helps his team on the court, but off it as well.
Grade: B+
Jahlil Okafor
Stats: 11.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 51.1% fg
Jahlil Okafor has handled everything thrown at him this season. He started the year as Embiid's primary back-up, started when he was unable to play, but slowly began to lose playing time when Nerlens Noel returned and now rarely even plays when both Embiid and Noel are healthy. In addition to that, Okafor has sat out due to ongoing trade rumors, all while just making sure he handles everything with the utmost professionalism day in and day out. He's done an A+ job with all of that stuff. All that aside though, it's tough to imagine Okafor fitting with the Sixers long term. He's a strictly offensive center with very little defensive ability and his lack of pace really doesn't fit what the team is trying to do. Okafor has trouble picking up simple pick-and-roll defenses and simply doesn't have the defensive presence of Embiid, Noel or Holmes, making him less valuable than all three. I do believe Okafor could excel with a change of scenery, but his defense will need to improve if he wants to become a regular NBA player. He's matured so much since last year with all of the off-court issues, but with his role as the third/fourth center on the court, his solid rookie year is becoming more and more of a memory every day.
Grade: C-
