As usual this time of year, Sixers have more questions than answers

We've certainly been in this position before when it comes to the Sixers. 

Here they are, 44 games in and currently sitting in the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference, within striking distance of a top-three seed, with a possibility of falling to the bottom of the top 10. 

Maybe the numbers aren't the same, but the feeling surrounding the team is, and that is the uncertainty of just who they are. It's been the same story for years, the injury status of star Joel Embiid, the uncertainty of a couple of point guards in James Harden and Ben Simmons, additions and subtractions at the trade deadline, and so on and so forth.

Fast forward to where the team is now, and more questions probably surround than answers over halfway through the season. Coach Nick Nurse, yet again, has to deal with the availability of Embiid and now Paul George, also. He has thrown out close to 20 different starting lineups and still seems to be pondering who the fifth starter is among Kelly Oubre Jr., Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker. Add to that the Feb. 5 trade deadline and, well, who knows.

There have been glimpses of good, like how well a starting five with Oubre looks offensively. But at the same time, the group including him has been somewhat tortured when it comes to giving up offensive rebounds. When asked about wanting to fall into some kind of a solidified rotation, Nurse says he'd like to be able to settle into something, but the reasons he hasn't been able to mostly surround Embiid's availability.

And when the big man has been ready to go, he's been awfully good. He has scored 30 or more points in each of his last four games and has averaged 28.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists in his last 12 games. His movement seems so much better than at the beginning of the season, and his want to drive the lane probably higher than its been in a couple of seasons. In his past four games, Oubre is going for 19.8 points, four rebounds and three assists, while shooting 54.6% from the floor.

So what now? With or without Embiid and/or George, Nurse needs to get his other players in the rotation in which they will be when all are healthy. If Oubre isn't going to be a starter, bring him off the bench no matter the circumstances. If he is among the first group, shell out his rotation and minutes as such. There has to be some kind of comfort level for the team moving forward. That's tough to do when Nurse is in this situation, but it needs to be done.

SIGNING

The team has signed Charles Bassey to a 10-day contract. This appears to be more about reaching the 15-player limit and how it affects the two-way contracts of Barlow and Walker. The team doesn't have any games left for two-way players if the roster is under 15. If full, Barlow has 15 games left and Walker five before the team would need to make a move.

HELP?

The team has gotten crushed on the glass recently, and it has come at a time when Nurse has settled on Adem Bona being the backup to Embiid, rendering veteran Andre Drummond mostly a non-participant. Drummond is one of the best rebounders in the league, but doesn't come close to the athleticism of Bona. However, Nurse is going to have to decide what is more important to the club moving forward. While trade rumors concerning Drummond have floated, if he is still on the roster for the rest of the season, the coach is going to have to figure this one out.