What’s so different this year?
The difference is already night and day. For all the detractors of new President Bryan Colangelo, there are some very admirable qualities that will immediately change the team’s situation going into the 2016-2017 NBA season.
I. He Will Deliver Players For Specific Roles To Head Coach Brett Brown –
For All Sam Hinkie’s brilliance, he could not resist the pure talent aspect of a prospect. He shopped the bargain basement of the NBA, and then delivered the pieces to Brown – with full expectations for Brown to use each piece for the improvement of the roster. Some pieces didn’t gel, while some roles where not filled effectively. Point guard was never addressed effectively until the team traded for point guard Ish Smith. Power Forward was never addressed effectively until Carl Landry returned to the team about mid season. And while the reclamation projects of Nik Stauskas and Isaiah Canaan were well intentioned, it left Brown with “on the job training” projects at the shooting guard position. Even Robert Covington, who shows signs of taking it to the next level, has a mid season slump that crippled the team.
II. He Appears to be More Aligned with Brett Brown’s Vision –
Brett Brown is optimistic when it comes to his players, but he’s very honest when he discusses the dynamics of the the Philadelphia 76ers. His initial response to Bryan Colangelo’s arrival has been incredibly upbeat so far. While the events have yet to play out, the initial assessment is that Brown trusts Colangelo to do the right thing when the time comes – not to raid the cupboards of young talent and simply dump all “Hinkie guys” out to the NBA.
That being said, the stress level of Brown should be reduced from this fact alone, which should give Brown a better opportunity to be more strategic and less reactionary to the roster delivered to him for the season.
III. The 2015-2016 Talent is Off The Charts by Comparison –
The best the 2015-2016 roster could boast was 14 healthy players. The 2015 roster has the equivalent of five first round prospects added to that 14 player roster. Joel Embiid, Dario Saric, and three first round draft picks are added to this team – while the team will risk losing Ish Smith, Elton Brand and potentially Isaiah Canaan to free agency. Oh. One of the draft picks is the first draft pick from the 2016 NBA draft. In the past that has translated into Doug Collins or Allen Iverson for this franchise.
That is simply a huge surge in raw talent level for this team.
The other factor is that, until roster changes happen, this roster is one year more experienced in the NBA and as teammates. That is a very positive factor as well.
Next: Every Team Has Things To Work Out