The Sixer Sense
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Did the Sixers miss significant opportunities this offseason?

By Christopher Croom

PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 22: Draft pick Mikal Bridges poses for a portrait at the Post NBA Draft press conference on June 22, 2018, at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 22: Draft pick Mikal Bridges poses for a portrait at the Post NBA Draft press conference on June 22, 2018, at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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What did the Philadelphia 76ers miss out on in free agency?

We have finally made it to the dog days of summer.

While the Philadelphia 76ers may not be on the brink of proverbial war, drought or even fever, they are only but a couple of months away from the regular season.

It is said that the one who is not cognizant of history, is doomed to repeat its mistakes—leading to the inevitable question: what mistakes befell the Sixers this off-season?

Yet, maybe this isn’t about mistakes, per se, but rather about missed opportunity.

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The current off-season witnessed LeBron James barely consider relocating to the City of Brotherly Love, Kawhi and co. shipped up north, and DeMarcus Cousins further ruin basketball with a decision that can only be described as “blah.”

What opportunity did the Philadelphia 76ers swing and miss on? Which did they forget to even take the lumber off their shoulders for?

Draft night

It is no surprise that the 76ers made moves on NBA draft night. What is surprising is that they made the move they did.

Many were left scratching their head or yelling in frustration once the announcement of the trade that sent tenth overall selection, Mikal Bridges, to the Phoenix Suns for Zhaire Smith and a first round pick was announced.

Bridges was touted and projected for weeks as the slam dunk pick for the Sixers, both filling a need and capping the feel-good story of the Villanova team who had just finished a championship run. Bridges was seen in many circles as a more robust version of Robert Covington, able to shoot from perimeter and play high level defense consistently, and with better athleticism.

Despite the elite athleticism Zhaire Smith brings to the table, there is still a sense of letdown in considering what could have been. Bridges was a surer thing. Should Smith meet his potential, the Philadelphia brain trust will look brilliant—but right now, this should be filed under missed opportunity.

 Adding a legitimate scorer

This isn’t another rant about LeBron James and how the Sixers should have done more to obtain him (this author never supported acquiring LeBron). This is about the fact that no serious scoring threat was acquired.

JJ Redick was brought back on a good contract, but despite whispers elsewise, there were really some senses in which that just felt inevitable—JJ was always coming back. The missed opportunity here is that players known for their scoring (if nothing else) were/are available and have not been netted yet.

Previously mentioned names like Michael Beasley, Dwayne Wade or Rodney Hood were never pursued. Subsequently, at this point in free agency, there is no one left that could step into a role of necessity for the 76ers. This is quite the disappointment.

Adding an elite defender

Defense wins championships.

If then, a team felt close enough to be in the hunt for a championship—as Philadelphia should—there should never be a bad time to add elite defense to an already great defense.

Cleaning the Glass shows Philadelphia with very good defensive numbers. Sixers rank high in defensive rebounds, effective field goal percentage (first place at 49.5 percent), and points per one hundred possessions played (third place at 104.4).

When a good defense has a chance to become an elite, strangling and stingy defense, they should pursue it with everything they have.

Half-hearted attempts at Kawhi Leonard were made, yes. However, players like Trevor Ariza don’t appear to have been considered. This partly is the frustration of trading Mikal Bridges. When defense falls in your lap, you gladly accept the providence gifted to you.

Overall

The Sixers had a quiet offseason, but not unproductive or even regressive. We can look at this off season’s free agency period with some disappointment, for the things that may have been. Nevertheless, there is no reason to hang one’s heads low—what may appear to be missed opportunity may end up proving to be great foresight.

Next. Is Simmons set to become the best PG in the East?. dark

Only time will tell for sure.