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) /
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CAMDEN, NJ- DECEMBER 14: Brett Brown of the Philadelphia 76ers during practice at the Sixers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey on December 14, 2017. 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
CAMDEN, NJ- DECEMBER 14: Brett Brown of the Philadelphia 76ers during practice at the Sixers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey on December 14, 2017. 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Reason III – No other NBA team is set up to “mass mentor” young players for the foreseeable future.

Rebuilding a competitive NBA team from scratch is more than adding multiple top talents via the draft. Once they arrive, rookies must be coached-up, mentored, and developed. Since no two NBA players are the same, that means different techniques must be used for different players. It also means that different coaches must be included in developing young talent.

Most NBA teams do not focus on that aspect of the team. Some do. The Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens has a reputation for coaching up young talent. But team president Danny Ainge is quite careful in limiting the number and roles of young players on the team.  Even that being said, Celtics rookies are as hot and cold as any rookies in the league.  They simply have plenty of veteran support to mask the impact.

Rebuilding teams must trust rookies

But a rebuilding team must take chances on young players. Right now, that translates into the Atlanta Hawks, the Dallas Mavericks, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Chicago Bulls.  Some teams have already initiated a youth movement. Some are stuck between veterans and youth. Still others are still heavily invested in veterans.

The trouble with rebuilding in the NBA is the trust factor. Young players must learn through experience. That is both the good and the bad experience. And the frequency of bad experiences takes a special type of head coach. A head coach too focused on winning gives young teams doubts.  On the other hand, a head coach too focused on development gives young teams too little emphasis on the ultimate goal.  In the end, there are only a handful of NBA coaches who can walk that fine line between good coach/bad coach for a young team. And right now, they are all on the Philadelphia 76ers coaching staff.

Next: Sixers should consider trading for Malik Beasley

In the end, I simply cannot see any NBA team investing heavily in the second round and undrafted ranks over multiple seasons. And for the 2018 NBA Draft, only the Phoenix Suns have six picks (the same number as the Philadelphia 76ers). NBA parity is  a key concept to the NBA’s future. But much like the teams making up the 30 franchise league, their focus is on the optics for today.