What Are The Philadelphia 76ers Doing?
The Philadelphia 76ers are a team that has tortured their fanbase over the past decade. With multiple top-five draft selections going awry, team management being utterly abysmal, and giving up on young talent nearly immediately as they stumble, I have yet to learn what they have done. But that is the past, not the new 76ers, who consistently make the second round of the playoffs. But that is it. The second round, and nothing more. Whether it was a spectacular shot by Kawhi, Jayson Tatum asserting dominance, or Ben Simmons passing a wide-open dunk, the 76ers have accomplished nothing, which begs the question.
What are they doing?
The 76ers Are In A Weird Spot
We know the 76ers have struggled in the playoffs beyond the first round; that is a fact. But this also means they typically can easily get through the first round, a feat only eight NBA teams do every season. But in the modern-day NBA, this is the worst spot to be in. Teams at the bottom of the standings do everything in their power to stay at the bottom and earn the odds at the top draft selections, a phenomenon dubbed "Tanking."
This is the second-best alternative to winning the NBA championship to most NBA teams. If you can't win it all, why not get the best up-and-coming player out of the draft? This effectively makes it worthless to not only not win a championship but also to not make it to at least the conference finals, the exact area the 76ers are stuck in. They can't lose enough to have any value in their picks, but they need to be better to contend.
Why Are They In This Spot?
This keeps with the theme of being very solid but could be better. They are led by Joel Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP, and now Tobias Harris. This team has gone through a lot of temporary superstars and changes. This includes Ben Simmons before his meltdown when he looked like the future, Jimmy Butler before they opted to keep Tobias Harris over him, and most recently, James Harden. They are all excellent players, but while they were with the 76ers, they were never good enough to help get them there. Harden has done it alone, but he is too old now; Butler has gone to the finals twice since joining Miami, and Ben Simmons sucks. The point is they get these fellow superstars right after they are incredible or give up as they get going.
This can also be attributed to awful drafting, including Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor, Markelle Fultz, Ben Simmons, and many more. Outside of Embiid, and maybe Tyrese Maxey, this 76ers team has struggled to draft any real talent, and it has shown. In the new NBA, it is oddly enough the drafted teams, or the drafted teams who are one player away, who win it all. Denver just did it, and Golden State built a dynasty. Philadelphia has been unable to do this, which has helped trap them in an eternal bubble of mediocrity.
They also ruined their path. Years ago, they created tanking and effectively killed it with the new draft lottery system. They know that even if they lost all the games, there is still a chance they won't get the first overall pick. For a team who can be good, it isn't a risk worth taking. The 76ers have locked themselves in a box, repeating the same cycle and unable to break it, and they can't turn back because they destroyed their path. If Philadelphia wants something good to come, something needs to happen.
How Does Philadelphia Get Out Of This Spot?
Trade Joel Embiid. I said it. Joel Embiid cannot be the first man on a championship roster, and he proved that this year. He had the opportunity to knock out Boston, and the night after being crowned MVP, he dropped 15 points and effectively lost the series. Embiid is an elite NBA player, without a doubt, but you either need to give up the house to get another true superstar, not one entering or leaving his prime, or trade Embiid and rebuild. One alternative is Damian Lillard. You'd have to give up Tobias Harris, multiple picks, and other compensation, but if you want to win, that is the price. It isn't worth this mediocrity.
Only when a true superstar is brought in to assist Embiid or the 76ers tear it down can I see them doing very little. They have forbidden themselves from enhancing. All due to "The Process," their attempt at the drafted team, but then they realized they suck at drafting. The ball is in Philadelphia's court. It is up to them to determine whether they are satisfied with consistent second-round losses, are willing to tear it down, or push all the chips in and go for the title. But this needs to be fixed, and I need to know what the 76ers are thinking.
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