A year ago at this time, the Philadelphia 76ers were filled with optimism.
Coming off a postseason run that left them four minutes short of the Eastern Conference finals, front office personnel were still slapping each other’s backs about the way they had not only landed big man Andrew Bynum, but at the same time unloaded Andre Iguodala and Nikola Vucevic.
With Bynum in the paint, an array of 3-point shooters on the wings and emerging guards Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner running the offense, they were convinced the team had the size, athleticism and versatility to compete with anyone in the East. Yes, even LeBron and the Heat.
A year later, well, let’s say those expectations have slightly changed.
Sparing you the gory details, it didn’t quite work out as planned (we can debate whether it was the worst trade in NBA history), which is why the 2013-14 Sixers will resemble their predecessors in name and uniform only.
Just seven players—only four of whom saw regular playing time– remain from the 34-48 sinking ship Doug Collins decided wasn’t worth really salvaging once it got past Christmas and he realized Bynum was never coming to the rescue.
That means successor Brett Brown, who has spent the last decade getting spoiled watching Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and the rest of Gregg Popovich’s always fundamentally sound Spurs do their thing, has essentially been entrusted with the job of building this thing from the ground up.
And make no mistake, he’s starting at the foundation with the blessing of the new GM Sam Hinkie and owner Josh Harris. They have made no secret of their desire is to be so rotten (not to be confused with guard Tony Wroten) so they will be assured of having a good shot at one of the top picks of what promises to be the most loaded draft in a decade.
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In fact, with two first-round picks (the Sixers picked up the Pelicans’ pick in the Nerlens Noel-Jrue Holiday trade), a handful of second-rounders and a load of potential cap space available, getting through the upcoming season is merely an unpleasant means to that end.
So perhaps a year from now, the rebuilt and re-energized Sixers might be ready – unlike this season – to once again be taken seriously.
In the meantime, they will be a joke.
1. Beware of Falling Bricks. This is a gang that clearly can’t shoot straight. Other than forward and leading returning scorer Thaddeus Young, no one on this team figures to be able to make a shot on a regular basis. (Yes, that includes Evan Turner, who will have to make a few to change our opinion.)
Center Spencer Hawes actually is more effective from long range than in the paint, and there’s seems nobody among the newcomers – rookie point guard Michael Carter-Williams, James Anderson, Wroten and/or Darius Morris – who has been a consistent shot-maker either in college or the pros.
Among those returning, neither unproven second-year man Arnett Moultrie or LaVoy Allen has shown much consistency in limited minutes. While that does leave the possibility of someone stepping up and cracking the lineup, there just aren’t many viable candidates to knock down shots.
2. When is it Noel time? Will Nerlens Noel, consensus top player on the draft board had he not blown out his knee midway through his freshman season at Kentucky, provide any more help on the court for the Sixers than Andrew Bynum? No one’s quite sure what to think.
The difference is there’s no urgency to rush Noel back. Getting a healthy Noel, a shot-blocking demon with solid rebounding skills and a nice touch around the basket, is the only thing that matters. It also wouldn’t hurt if he fills out that alleged 228-pound string bean frame with some muscle, enabling him to endure the kind of pounding big men must.
Most projections say Noel won’t be ready until January at the earliest. If he faces any roadblocks, the Sixers will be extra cautious. Of course, Hinkie and Brown would like to see what they got for Holiday, but not at the cost of hurting the long-term development of Noel and the team.
3. Can Evan Turner ever turn it around? Many thought No. 2 pick Evan Turner was the cream of the 2010 draft crop rather than John Wall. Turns out No. 9 Paul George is better than all of them. As for Turner, he had a rocky time with the demanding Collins, who basically took him off the ball for the first time in his life. The only consistency with the enigmatic Turner has been his inconsistency. One night he dominates, the next he virtually disappears.
But now that Holiday is gone, Turner should find himself in a more comfortable environment.