The Sixer Sense
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Philadelphia 76ers Fans Learned Healthy Does Not Mean Playing Time

By Bret Stuter

Mar 11, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (center) battles Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington (left) and forward Richaun Holmes (22) for positioning on a free throw during the fourth quarter at Staples Center. The Clippers won 112-110. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (center) battles Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington (left) and forward Richaun Holmes (22) for positioning on a free throw during the fourth quarter at Staples Center. The Clippers won 112-110. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo during an introduction press conference at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo during an introduction press conference at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Front Office Does No Favors

As if the issues are not confusing enough, the front office has not won many awards for transparency this season.  Bob Cooney from Philly.com wrote a blisteringly pointed article that exposes the gorey details magnificently.   His complaint? Joel Embiid’s bone bruise to a minor meniscus tear to shutting Embiid down and performing surgery did not do much to boost confidence that the narrative ever approached reality.

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If this is the service about the premier player on the team, imagine the casual nature of such players like Jahlil Okafor?  Here was a player with meniscus surgery to end his season at the end of the 2015-2016 season, and the soreness remained well into the 2016-2017 season.

Flagged!

Liberty Ballers Kyle Neubeck raised the flag early on the situation.  Unfortunately, the entire matter never gained enough traction.  But it was not due to a lack of coverage.  Keith Pompey of Philly.com birddogged the matter throughout the season, raising the issue in articles that seldom garnered official team responses.  But there was more than Philadelphia beat writers taking notice.

Oleh Kosel of TheBirdWrites.com, a SB Nation site for the New Orleans Pelicans, unloaded a host of “caveat emptors” upon the possible trade of Jahlil Okafor to any NBA team.  This was the type of situation the ownership wanted to remedy with the change to Bryan Colangelo. Instead, they have apparently doused the flames of distrust with barrels of Colangelo Kerosene.

Trade Needs Trust, To a Point

The trade situation for Philadelphia 76ers have been inhibited. So far, fans believed it was too high of an asking price. But what if the trading partners simply have next to zero confidence in the health of players.

COMING SOON: PART TWO of this series. Philadelphia 76ers Health Epidemic: Cause, Concern, Conspiracy?

Eventually, the team has to get a handle on this issue.  With 15 players for 82 games, carrying two players on injured status all season is simply unacceptable. Three players diagnosed with knee injuries in four days is another “flag”.

This issue does not just fade into the sunset. The Philadelphia 76ers front office needs to step up rapidly.  This is not just a public relations matter.  It’s advanced to the point of corporate effectiveness.  Philadelphia 76ers fans have learned that “healthy” does not mean playing time. Now the Philadelphia 76ers organization needs to learn that Honesty is the Best Policy.