76ers Offseason
What are the options for the 76ers after a disappointing loss again in the Playoffs
The 76ers lost in 7 games to the Atlanta Hawks in the second round in 7 games. Once again the Sixers headlined by Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons failed to reach expectations and lost early in the playoffs. In 4 years playing together the pair have failed to get out of the second round in 3 of them, and the team was swept in the first round the year Ben was hurt in the playoffs. So far the duo have not lived up to the hype post process.
Now, the Sixers enter this offseason at faced with a major fork in the road. Ben Simmons, once again was a no show late in playoff games and Joel proved again that a center most likely cannot be the go to guy down the stretch and would benefit from playing with a scoring guard or wing player. So, what does the team do with the two now?
There are really three avenues they can take. Trade Ben. Trade Joel. or keep them together and try to build a better team around them. Let’s get one thing out the way, I don’t believe they will or should trade Joel, no matter how critical I am of him at times, he is a generational big man who could benefit by having the right players around him and take some of the work load off him. I will say that having an injury prone guy on the supermax (Joel is eligible this offseason) is a scary thing, but a talent of his caliber isn’t something to just give up on or trade in fear of overpaying contract wise. So, we will skip that option.
Trade Ben Simmons?
This may be the best avenue to go down for both parties. Ben probably had his worse year of his professional career. Not just on court but off. Trade rumors, family problems, and a constant barrage of criticisms from fans and media plus struggling with scoring and free throw shooting in the playoffs, essentially being taken out of the game, all added up and I am sure it hasn’t been easy on him. Ben is in the center of criticism, and is widely viewed as the main reason the 76ers lost to the Hawks. This can seriously weigh on a player, and given the short comings of the team the past few years it could be best for both parties to move on from each other.
I am not here to debate whether he was or wasn’t the biggest or main reason for losing. It’s clear there were limitations that held him and the team back. But that debate can be seen in Facebook groups, Twitter, and heard on the radio almost daily, there is no reason to rehash it now. Same with the argument of “he can get better” vs “he won’t improve, he never has”. While I don’t believe the circumstances of this offseason are exact same as before, and I do believe that Ben has never been this “low” in his NBA career and could just be the eye opening that he needs but we just don’t know how he will respond.
With all these questions surrounding Simmons, Morey and company need to figure out the next best step. If they don’t think Ben can improve, change, or adapt to fit Joel better in enough time to capitalize on a championship window, then he may just be the teams best trade chip to improve the roster. There has already been a rumor about a Ben Simmons for Malcom Brogdon and a first, but it’s rumored to believe the Sixers turned that down.
Simmons’ value should be higher than what fans and media may think it is right now. Fans have always kind of undervalued Ben I think. There is a reason why fans would not have voted Simmons on the All Star team but coaches have, so maybe that’s insight into how Ben is viewed in the league versus outside. I’m not going to sit here and post trade machine screen shots, you can go to Sixers twitter for that, but if a guy like Dame Lillard or Bradley Beal become available Simmons would be a very good piece in a package to land a star.
The Sixers’ do have some firepower to send out with Ben, so it wouldn’t be 1 for 1 swap. They have young players on cheap contracts like Matisse Thybulle and Tyrese Maxey and all their future first round picks, except 2025 which they used in the Al Horford to Oklahoma City trade.
I don’t know what the 76ers do when it comes to Ben, and I am not sure they know what they want to do. There are going to be option out there for a trade though, one that hopefully brings back a lead guard or facilitator to pair with Joel Embiid.
Continue to build around the two?
When Rivers and Morey both got to Philadelphia they talked about the percentage of games the two young stars have won together. They have won a lot, but come playoff time they haven’t gotten to where fans or the organization want them to be. Does this mean that they can’t work together or does it mean the right pieces aren’t around them?
For a long time now, I have wanted to the team to pair the two with a veteran point guard, allowing Ben to roam more off ball, using his rim gravity as a cutter and screener, but also pairing Joel with a guard who can shoot and penetrate out the pick and roll. I think it became clear the organization wanted to do the same with rumors around Chris Paul, Jrue Holiday, and Kyle Lowry coming out preseason and during the season.
Paul went to Phoenix and Holiday went to the Bucks. Both teams are in the NBA Finals right now, showing the value of what a veteran ball handler brings to the team. That leaves Kyle Lowry, who wasn’t dealt like everyone thought at the deadline, and may be available via a sign and trade this offseason. If they plan to keep the pair together this is one route I would 100% explore. It would take Lowry wanting to come to Philly, the city where he grew up, some salary filler, and whatever price, as far as picks or players, that the 76ers and Raptors can agree on. Adding Kyle Lowry to this core would be a huge step in the right direction.
That’s not the only way they can go and improve while trying to keep Joel and Ben together. I do believe that Tobias has more value than some of us think. Harris has 3 years left on his 180 million dollar deal, but this was clearly his best year for the 76ers. He should have been on the All Star team depending on who you ask, averaging just under 20 ppg and just missing the 50/40/90 club. In the playoffs he averaged 21 on 50% shooting and 37% from the three. There is value to a team that would be wanted to add a veteran wing scorer.
One team that sticks out in my mind is the Cavs. Kevin Love’s time in Cleveland should really be over, and adding Harris to the young core could really boost them in the standings. But, a Love for Harris swap would be a bad deal for the 76ers, and with Colin Sexton rumored to be on the block, could a deal be worked out in some way that both teams are happy? Sixers get a lead guard in Sexton and the Cavs get off the dead money of Love and add a guy like Tobias to an already up and coming young team. Is that enough for the Cavs or do the 76ers have to add more? It’s an idea defiantly worth exploring though.
If the 76ers do try to keep Joel and Ben together I think it’s clear the route they need to go, and I think the team knows. It’s adding a ball handling scoring guard or wing to pair with the young superstars. Something the team has failed to do since drafting Markell Fultz.
How does this all shape up?
The way the season ended was miserable, high expectations all went up in smoke when losing again in the second round, this time as the favorite and again in 7 games. But, that does not mean all hope is lost. In fact there is plenty of hope for this team going forward.
First off, they have an MVP caliber player in Joel Embiid who has shown to improve every year. Working on his game with trainer Drew Hanlen, Joel was able to expand his game and operate more on the nail and facing the basket, enabling him to see and read the double team easier. His midrange shot is money, with no sign that he will regress in either area. The turnover bug ended up biting Joel and the team in the end, but with an addition of a veteran ball handler or scorer (if they can add one) to take the load off Joel, could prove to be huge in that area. And knowing Embiid, he will work to improve this.
Ben Simmons now becomes your way of getting another big time scorer or he just simply improves. I do believe that they gave a good enough shot for the two to figure it out together. And while being a fan of Simmons, I can say with conviction that if they were to move on from Ben I would be ok with it. New coach, new players, new system, and the same problems. If a split is what is needed for both to be at their best then so be it. I would also be ok with keeping him. It’s hard to project because we haven’t seen a massive leap in his offensive game since he became pro, but I am a big believer that rock bottom can really bring the best out of someone. The talent is there, he just needs the mindset and to work on some things. If they choose to bring him back and this playoffs are an eye opener, with a few moves around him and Joel I still think it could work. But there is a ton of unknown there and there may not be much time left.
What the Sixers have now that they haven’t in a while is options. The Horfrod to OKC deal could be huge for the Sixers, even now. Danny Green can be brought back as a championship piece, used in a sign and trade, or a contract to be dealt at the deadline which would keep their options open. Seth Curry for Josh Richardson trade is another building block that this team has done. Seth has proven to be the shooter the Sixers needed after losing JJ and would be a great player and fit next to any team they decide to field next season. And don’t kill me, but Curry has some trade value too. Good player on a incredibly friendly team deal should have a ton of value for another team. I am not saying to give him away for free, but if Portland values him in a trade package for Dame, Morey would be hard pressed to say no.
They also have George Hill, who has a team option for next season. Hill, while under performed in the playoffs this season is still a veteran, championship winning guard who will be on an expiring contract should the team pick it up. That money can come in handy when trying to match contracts in trades, but also Hill could come around and play better with more practice and playing time with the team. Either way, they have options with the player and contract that will potentially open up more options.
The Sixers still have all their future first except 2025, something a lot of contenders don’t have as of now, and some young players who can really be beneficial, whether in trades or taking leaps to help the team. Maxey, Thybulle, Reed, and Joe all have NBA potential and should, in theory, continue to get better. Having young players with potential on cheap contracts is huge when it comes to trades or team building. Sixers are in good shape in that department.
Tyrese Maxey is a huge what if this offseason. The young guard, picked 21 over all, had an up and down rookie season. Dropping 39 versus the Nuggets when the Sixers could barely field a team, to being out of the rotation, to practically winning a playoff game for them, Maxey has huge upside. And we all heard about the work ethic and willingness to learn, the signs are there that Tyrese can become a legit NBA player. maybe even a star. The decision on what to do with Tyrese will be huge and probably very hard this offseason. His upside should be very intriguing to other teams, but can Maxey become a win now player for the 76ers at a young age, or is his most value in a trade to a team who has a few years to allow him to continue to grow. As a fan, I don’t want to see Tyrese go, but knowing the business and the value in young guards around the league, he could be the piece that helps get you the player that puts you over the top.
The ending sucked and the offseason may also suck. There will be rumors and arguments galore on what the team should do going forward, most of which I’d guess will mostly be about Ben Simmons. But they have ways to fix what is broken, and a bunch of different ways to go about it. Most importantly they have Daryl Morey. I was actually skeptical about the hire at first. I was not sold that Morey was as great of a GM as people thought. I think I was wrong. He didn’t win in Houston but always made moves to keep the team in contention, and obviously isn’t afraid to make a bold move. I put faith in him to make the right moves for what is best for the team in order to win a championship, and that’s not something the team has had in past years. I think Elton did a better job than most fans, but he didn’t have the experience yet to be the sole decisions maker. The combination of the two basketball minds puts me at ease that they can right the ship.
End of the day they have Joel Embiid, who should continue to be an MVP type player given his health doesn’t get in the way. They have a top GM in the league, young and hungry players, Tobias Harris who has thrived under Doc Rivers, a few solid role players, draft picks, and a ton of options going forward. Optionality and how they use it will be key for this offseason. It may not look like it right now, but they are not in as bad of a position as some would think. Time for Daryl, Doc, and Brand to figure out the direction they want to take this, find out what is available to fix it, and make the deals that need to be made to make this team a championship contender.
I have faith they can do it. Just got to Trust the Process.