The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Inquirer Experts Share Philadelphia 76ers Priorities

By Bret Stuter

Apr 15, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers flight crew member waves a large 76ers flag at center court during a timeout against the Miami Heat at Wells Fargo Center. The Heat won 105-101. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 15, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers flight crew member waves a large 76ers flag at center court during a timeout against the Miami Heat at Wells Fargo Center. The Heat won 105-101. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Mark Narducci and Keith Pompey give their take on the Philadelphia 76ers priorities this off-season

At Sixers Insiders, The Inquirer’s Marc Narducci & Keith Pompey discuss the Philadelphia 76ers’ off-season plans and who they should target in the NBA Draft. We’ve talked about the off-season and this is a new take, with a seasoned view as to the needs of our beloved Sixers.

Keith Pompey believes that free agency veterans is the top priority, as a goal to balance the roster – where the team fielded the youngest roster in the NBA.  Of course, there are two ways to do that – trade and sign free agents.  Which avenue will the Sixers choose?

With so much cap space available, the consensus is that the team will target the free agency market – where Pompey points to the signing of Elton Brand as a calming influence to the erratic play of the rookie bigs.   That was the obvious position, but also the arrival of point guard Ish Smith seemed to settle the team at mid season- essentially triggering a mini-wining period in the team.  But the team is moving forward now, and it’s quite likely that neither Ish Smith nor Elton Brand will be part of the roster next season.

More from Draft

That means the team must identify and sign or trade for new veteran leadership for the team in this off-season.  That’s a very aggressive goal, particularly in light of the team revamping it’s scouting department on the fly now.   It could be quite a challenging off-season for this Sixers front office.   While we know that Hinkie always entered the draft prepared for not only who he wanted, but the needs of teams selecting afterwards.  It was that preparedness that allowed the team to exit the draft with not only the player on the Sixers radar, but draft picks from other teams who traded for the player of our selection, and were forced to surrender additional picks to obtain “their guy.”

Expect no such magical mystery tours in this year’s draft.

Next: Philadelphia 76ers May Get New Uniforms Again

What the experts from the Philadelphia Inquired expect is plenty of off-season action by the Sixers new front office.  Pompey expects the team to get as many free agents as they can.  If the team gets the first pick in the draft, he expects a tough decision between Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram.   Narducci chimed in with the need at point guard.   The team is also sitting on picks at 24 and 26.   Pompey suggests the team can use those picks to “trade up” for a better first round pick next year, or simply to exchange for a veteran who can come in and contribute right away.

It makes sense for the team to consider a move out of the late first into 2017 picks or veterans, particularly if they get the Lakers pick at either four or five, assuming the team has a bead on a veteran point guard and wing man, that is.  But to do so, the team is scrambling to assemble a “Colangelo Friendly” scouting department.  That type of restocking of an NBA front office will take some time to complete.   It may be in the current executive’s interest to adhere to the strategy of this off-season as closely as possible, and then branch out after assessing what the lineup can do against NBA caliber competition.