Sixers Analysis Changes Upon Changes
By Bret Stuter
Apr 15, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard
Hollis Thompson(31) and forward
Robert Covington(33) bring the ball up court against the Miami Heat during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Heat won 105-101. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Sixers Analysis Changes Upon Changes
The lyrics to a once very popular David Bowie song proclaimed “Turn and Face the strange”.
It’s been the challenge of the Philadelphia 76ers to do just that. From players to process, the system has demolished the old way of doing things in the old places with the old mindset. The team was on a decline, and the choice facing the team was to patch and duct tape the team and keep them bouncing between not good enough and not bad enough. Not good enough to win in post season, not bad enough to fall to the top draft picks, cut salaries, and start over.
So the team chose the path less traveled. It blew up the team and reset the calendar to the 2016 season. That has allowed the team to take a longer term approach to building their roster. Rather than hit “NBA ready” players, they have been able to assimilate players of higher upside who need some polish, work, rounding out, testing that they are fully healthy or have matured to handle the pressures of the NBA. They were able to send some players to international leagues while setting their domestic roster on “experiment” mode. For two seasons, the team dared to fail with youth and risky moves to create a scenario where the developing players come into their own as the team selects up to four first round lottery picks, welcomes back Dario Saric, and witnesses the return to full health of Joel Embiid.
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I cannot say whether things will get better if we change; what I can say is they must change if they are to get better. -Georg C. Lichtenberg
If the rules of chance remain, and the Sixers only hit home runs with a fraction of their players, the team will still be fine. In theory, two players achieving greatness on an NBA roster can be significant for the team. The Sixers have possibilities for up to 8-10 players to achieve greatness.
The upcoming season is filled with question marks. That’s the turf of rolling so many dice. Players with potential must now begin to apply that talent, their genetics, their basketball knowledge, on the court. The best will earn more playing time. From that field, the team will look to set up their roster for next year, with an entirely new group of highly talented individuals.
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The team is changing their practice facility. The team is changing how they practice. The team is changing how they eat and drink and sleep and work out. The team is changing how it looks at shots and plays. But the team is not changing the head coach nor the general manager.
They orchestrate this symphony. Act I and Act II are history. Act III is the apex… when all the moving parts move simultaneously to reach the point of the 2016-17 season being the finale.
Change.
It’s not always for the better. But, it is the only route to a better place.