The Sixer Sense
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There’s Plenty Of Reasons For Philadelphia 76ers Optimism Beyond The 2016 NBA Draft

By Bret Stuter

Apr 10, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard T.J. McConnell (12) drives toward the net during the fourth quarter of the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Wells Fargo Center. The Milwaukee Bucks won 109-108 in OT. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard T.J. McConnell (12) drives toward the net during the fourth quarter of the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Wells Fargo Center. The Milwaukee Bucks won 109-108 in OT. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 3, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; A view of the NBA Finals logo on the score board during practice prior to the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 3, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; A view of the NBA Finals logo on the score board during practice prior to the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

IV.  Future Moves

Eventually, the critics of the Philadelphia 76ers will tire of chiding the team’s direction and focus on other team which appear to be more catastrophic: the Brooklyn Nets with no draft picks, the Los Angles Lakers and their reluctance to commit to developing young players for the future, even such teams as the Phoenix Suns (who had experienced significant coaching changes this season) as well as the Sacramento Kings (who have suffered from no playoff appearances despite using “basketball minded” efforts to chase high dollar free agents and all but abandon the NBA draft).  When that happens, the Sixers will quietly improve in ways which do not depend upon NBA lottery balls.

We know that the 76ers would be active in NBA free agency, and now with Bryan Colangelo at the helm, I expect the shopping list budget to grow significantly.  If the team does not wish to relinquish the future production of their young triad at the center, they can adapt a strategy of signing free agents to the roster who can help improve and mentor the young talented players already on this roster.   That strategy, although would not be as an immediate impact as using trades to bolster the team immediately, would nonetheless prove to be less risky.  Much of the future keys on what Joel Embiid can deliver for the Sixers, and at what position he can deliver it at.  Despite rhetoric of his role anchoring the center spot, he continues to work heavily at the range shooting.  Ideally, his size and athleticism places him most akin to Ralph Sampson‘s selfless willingness to migrate to the power forward role to make room for Akeem Olajuwon to set up at center.  If the Philadelphia 76ers can pull off debuting Embiid at the four, swapping Okafor and Noel at the five, and sliding other players (Saric to three, Covington to two), the team will field an incredible large and athletic lineup that will truly tower over the smaller competition.

Next: Embiid and Okafor Will Dominate Together

I believe this was the direction that Sam Hinkie envisioned:  small ball movement and athleticism, biggy ball post game and fill the court with large wing spans to play havoc with passing lanes.  Whether the efforts of the new president and general manager will pick up on the same trail remains to be seen. But the rhetoric of the team left in shambles is simply sensationalism to drive a panic through the Sixers fan base. The team did not want Sam Hinkie to go, they merely wanted someone making the final decision on personnel transactions with a more traditional take.  It could be that with the team already fully stocked for the journey now, that who drives the decisions going forward is insignificant.

The Sixer vaults are filled.   The NBA draft is less important to the team going forward than it had been to this point.  Enough so that even in a doomsday scenario, the Sixers will be well off next season.  Perhaps in the grand scheme of things, that is why Sam Hinkie resigned.  Even he is confident that the next guy can’t screw it up .