The Sixer Sense
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The Philadelphia 76ers Are Unknowns

By Bret Stuter

March 27, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown (right) instructs guard Isaiah Canaan (0) and guard Ish Smith (1) against the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the 76ers 117-105. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
March 27, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown (right) instructs guard Isaiah Canaan (0) and guard Ish Smith (1) against the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the 76ers 117-105. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 12, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) dribbles the ball in the first half against the Texas A&M Aggies during the SEC conference tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) dribbles the ball in the first half against the Texas A&M Aggies during the SEC conference tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /

Help is on the Way

With up to five rookies arriving to swell the Philadelphia 76ers roster and the loss to free agency, the team will find voids at the point guard position ( Ish Smith) and power forward position (Elton Brand).  But the team will be bringing in center Joel Embiid from rehabilitation, and power forward Dario Saric to the NBA following a very successful regular and post season with Anadolu Efes of the Turkish Basketball Super League.  And then, there is the top pick of the NBA draft.

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    • But unknowns means two things. You cannot predict what the Philadelphias 76ers’ players’ floors will be, but you are also just as limited in predicting players ceilings.  There’s the rub.  If we cannot know what the upside is of our players, we are assuredly risking surrendering too much value for too little in return.  Like any economic system, certainty comes at a premium, and a premium is one the Philadelphia 76ers can ill afford to pay now, or for the foreseeable future.

    And so, verbiage, statements, and even innuendos by the current executives may strive to bolster our experience and eliminate the uncertainty from this team, but that comes at the price of eliminating the potential.  That’s the premium the Philadelphia 76ers will pay to pursue veteran players on a wholesale strategy.  Potential trading partners need simply to wait, let the Sixers discount the players to a ridiculously low level, and then trade a known lower value for the potential for a much higher valued rookie or two-year player.   They’ve heard the same narrative as we have, and they’ve been licking their chops.  The Philadelphia 76ers won trades because they were the team that could wait for their return.  The new regime will not.

    That’s one sure way to undo all the positives that Sam Hinkie had bequeathed to the team after his resignation.  Trade it away.

    Next: Measure Twice, Trade Once