In a perfect world, the Philadelphia 76ers would flip a switch and have the calendar turn to 2016 or beyond.
By then presumably all their wounded would not only be walking, but running at full speed.
Dario Saric, the Croatian sensation, would be ready to show the NBA what made him such a hot draft commodity. Some of those other “assets’’ general manager Sam Hinkie has acquired since arriving in 2013 would have proven their value, justifying the moves that brought them here. And their considerable amount of cap space, which had essentially been used to broker deals by other clubs while Sixers received some future benefit in return, would finally be used to lure legit players – the kind you need to become a serious contender.
Alas, we all know the world is far from perfect.
The Sixers won’t be permitted to skip the next two or three seasons, much as many undoubtedly would prefer. Their growing pains will be there for all to see. Their successes—few as there will likely be—and expected considerable failures will be played out in the public eye.
So second-year coach Brett Brown and his overmatched troops will put on a brave front, say the right things and then cross their fingers no one else gets hurt by the time they enter Phase II of their rebuilding project. After going just 19-63 last season – low-lighted by a 26-game losing streak that matched the record for futility in any sport – many expect this season to be even worse.
Not so fast, insist the players, most of whom have had little or no NBA experience. “We’ll show you.’’
Don’t hold your breath. At least for a couple of years, if not longer.
For now, here’s five things to watch for as the 2014-15 season begins:
1. Culture Club. No, not the British rock group of the 1980s featuring Boy George, whose biggest hit was “Karma Chameleon.’’
We’re talking about the mindset Brown, Hinkie & Co. have instilled in their players. They say they want to create a culture that looks at the big picture as the only one that really matters and every step taken along the way is a means to that end.
To a man, they’re drinking the Kool-Aid, saying it’s all about building for the future, even though some of them likely won’t be around when it gets here. The bottom line of such a philosophy is that whatever happens today—be it practice or an actual game—will lead to a better tomorrow. As much as they’d like to win now, it’s more important to establish a culture that will keep them going moving forward.
2. The 220-pound power forward. Nearly 20 months since his last game – excluding summer league – Nerlens Noel says his goal is to be an effective jump shooter and eventually the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year. And the fact that he will start his long-awaited rookie season tipping the scales somewhere between 218 and 222 pounds doesn’t concern him a bit. Noel quickly scoffs at suggestions opponents will be able to push him all over the paint with his lean frame. “I’m not soft,’’ he insists, which really isn’t the point. You don’t have to be soft to be physically unable to matchup against power forwards like Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge or Zach Randolph.
While Noel’s athleticism and defensive instincts figure to make teams pay for attacking the rim, the rest of his game will likely take time. Aside from the obvious rust of being away so long, it’s hard to imagine him successfully banging the glass while giving up 30 or more pounds to opponents. While the 6-11 Noel figures to fill out a bit as he matures, you will never confuse him with Shaq, Al Jefferson or even LeBron James. The Sixers just hope he can physically hold his own enough to let his quickness, versatility and other skills matter.
3. Finders, keepers. Brown and Hinkie already know they’re hitching their red, white and blue wagon to Noel, reigning Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams and draft choices in waiting Joel Embiid and Dario Saric. Now they want to find out who else will be coming aboard for the long haul. Hinkie says finding those “keepers’’ is right up there with the franchise’s most immediate goals.
Whether it’s among second-round picks K.J. McDaniels, Jerami Grant or Jordan McRae; who’s currently off playing in Australia; roster holdovers Tony Wroten, Henry Sims, Hollis Thompson or Arnett Moultrie; or perhaps someone else, this entire season will be about development. At some point, virtually everyone will be given a chance to show they are part of the solution, not just an ongoing problem.
Brown will likely try all sorts of combinations trying to determine who can make it to the next step. Since the bottom line here is weaning rather than winning, the name of the game is survive and advance.
4. The “P” word. On media day, the word for the day for the Sixers was patience. Patience when it comes to winning. Patience with player development. Patience with fundamental mistakes, poor shot selection, defensive lapses and other traits associated with youth.
No, Brown won’t exactly smile and pat them on the back when they screw up. After all, he spent close to a decade working alongside Gregg Popovich. But he will calmly explain where they went wrong, so that the next time – or more likely several times after that – they don’t do it again. The hope is putting players in a less pressurized environment, where winning would be nice but learning the nuances of the game and avoiding those mistakes will pay off down the road. The hope is that if they’re patient, eventually their players’ true potential will come out. And then someday, once all the pieces are in place, they’ll truly be ready to win.
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5. The last tweet. Joel Embiid has already made a name for himself in the NBA without even setting foot on the court. Since he’s been sidelined by that stress fracture to the navicular bone in his left foot, he has turned to Twitter to keep himself busy. And according to the experts, Embiid’s tweets aren’t like those of your average 7-footer. Among those he has reached out to are Kim Kardashian, Rihanna and then free agent LeBron James, whom he tried to recruit to the Sixers. What’s a guy to do when there’s no hoops to be played? Just rehab and familiarize himself with his new teammates and the NBA game.
Now four months since the fracture was first diagnosed, Embiid remains in a walking boot. He’s been able to do only rudimentary basketball skills that don’t require foot movement. Since the Sixers didn’t hesitate sitting Noel last season – even though the kid said he was ready to play by the start of spring – it is likely they will do so again with their new prodigy. That means the tweets will go on for now. Embiid has said once he starts playing, he will stop tweeting. That’s a day Twitter fans will rue, but Sixers fans will surely embrace.
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Jon Marks has covered the Philadelphia 76ers from the days of Dr. J and his teammate, Joe Bryant (best known as Kobe’s dad). He has won awards from the Pro Basketball Writers Association and North Jersey Press Club. His other claim to fame is driving Rick Mahorn to a playoff game after missing the team bus. Follow him on Twitter.