The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Philadelphia 76ers rebuilding process won’t be replicated in NBA

By Bret Stuter

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 16: The lottery drawing begins inside the lottery room during the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery at the New York Hilton in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 16: The lottery drawing begins inside the lottery room during the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery at the New York Hilton in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – DECEMBER 7: Gilberto Hernandez, President of the Mexican Basketball Federation, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver along with Alfredo Castillo, Director of the National Finance and Sports and Culture during a press conference prior to of the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Brooklyn Nets as part of the NBA Mexico Games 2017 on December 7, 2017 at the Arena Ciudad de México in Mexico City, Mexico. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – DECEMBER 7: Gilberto Hernandez, President of the Mexican Basketball Federation, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver along with Alfredo Castillo, Director of the National Finance and Sports and Culture during a press conference prior to of the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Brooklyn Nets as part of the NBA Mexico Games 2017 on December 7, 2017 at the Arena Ciudad de México in Mexico City, Mexico. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Rebuilding rules changed

And three of the four still play for the 76ers. In fact, they continue to play on a team which is still improving. But if the rebuild “worked” and if the players who were signed panned out, why is there no risk of some other team merely following suit?

Well to start off, some teams do not believe that the rebuild has worked at all. Some point to the injury prone Philadelphia 76ers roster, the sub-.500 record, and rationalize that this team is not good at all. Others look at the roster as unfinished, and simply play the “jury is still out” rationalization.

You can build for tomorrow, but you won’t get to enjoy it

The biggest roadblock to any team electing a longer term view to rebuild springs from the outcome of Sam Hinkie with the Philadelphia 76ers. Doing the right thing for a team’s long term future is a sure-fire way of not being in charge when that long term future arrives. Owners want profits. Profits means revenue. Revenue means fan support.   The cost of looking ahead means nobody focuses on today. Ticket sales and merchandising tumbles means somebody gets fired.

Still, even if a team wanted to walk the trail blazed by the Philadelphia 76ers organization, there are significant hurdles in their way. Let’s look at three significant detriments for some modern NBA team to entrust their future to “The Process”: