The Sixer Sense
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Philadelphia 76ers Need Player Retention

By Bret Stuter

Dec 30, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Hollis Thompson (31) in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. The 76ers won 124-122. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Hollis Thompson (31) in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center. The 76ers won 124-122. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Philadelphia 76ers have not retained many players in the past several years. But this year was expected to be different. Is it? Philadelphia 76ers should focus on player retention.

The Philadelphia 76ers have undeservedly become a team run by turnstile mechanics. A bad game? A slump period? A bad season?  It seems that the fanbase was willing to accept that temporary loyalty phase as long as the strategy was long-term. Whether a player was given “hello/goodbye” on draft night, or in a series of ten-day contracts trying to stick with the Philadelphia 76ers, it ended the same way.

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In other words, Out you go!

Reason for the Season

For example, small forward/shooting guard Hollis Thompson may not have been the most productive player in the NBA. But his $1,015,696 salary was not going to bankrupt the team. In fact, he wasn’t even taking a lion’s share of playing time. He was waived by the team outright. In fact, even outside of the 15 man roster limit, the team had waived Carl Landry previously.

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    • The team needs flexibility to address positional needs, perhaps. Perhaps to play white-knight in a salary balancing role between NBA teams trading high priced assets.

    And it’s time for ten day contracts to flood the NBA once more. Does the team needed an open roster spot to give a trial to some D-league prospects who have caught their eye? In the end, we may not know that answer for some time.

    Loyalty Must Go Both Ways

    It seems that no matter where you look, all roads lead to the same path right now. As of today, the senior player on the team is Nerlens Noel. As a matter of fact, he has only played two seasons, is in his final contract year, and is on the trade block.

    Right now, that’s the message the team is sending to the roster. And that message is becoming deeply rooted. Unfortunately, this roster is built of young bucks, learning the rules of the NBA by what they see, hear, and touch around them.

    Hollis Thompson may have been a wise business decision for the team. But it’s less likely it’s adding to the winning culture we’ve heard so much about.

    I was not the only one to hear it.

    Times Changed To Winning Culture Now

    When someone arrives with derisive and unkind remarks about the “way things used to be done around here”, there is an expectation that the way things done will change for the better.

    So far things have changed. The Philadelphia 76ers no longer offer that chance to play in the NBA to the undrafted players.  In fact, even first round draft picks were drafted and stashed (Furkan Korkmaz) or simply being tossed back and forth to the D-League to get playing minutes (Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot).

    In Philadelphia now, the team is expecting much more from it’s players.  On one hand, that is clearly to be expected. On the other hand, it should result in rewards to some players who have stuck it out. Part of a winning culture is rewards. Give players who contribute at a higher level for longer duration some reward.

    In conclusion, Hollis Thompson was in Philadelphia longest. And he was waived.

    I don’t have the answers, but I know this is not it. Nobody plays their optimum when they keep their suitcases packed “just in case”.  With five players in their contract year for the team, er.. .four players in their contract year, now is as good of a time as any to step up and commit some security to the players on the roster.

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    In the meantime, setting the proper foundation means taking action now. As a matter of fact, the previous regime understood that. In the past, the team afforded opportunities and front loaded contracts to give players incentive to play well enough to earn a second contract.

    Someone needs to begin fulfilling that “second contract” obligation soon, before it’s too late.