Philadelphia 76ers: 3 things to ponder during NBA’s hiatus

1. What if… Jimmy and J.J. had stayed?

"You may say I’m a dreamer But I’m not the only one I hope some day you’ll join us And the Sixers will win as one"

Hope you enjoyed my little poem — totally original and definitely not a slightly altered John Lennon verse (it’s a slightly altered John Lennon verse). The Sixers once had Jimmy Butler and J.J. Redick on the roster. A long, long time ago. What if they were still in South Philly?

The Sixers decided to move on from Butler and Redick last summer, with Al Horford and Josh Richardson brought in to fill the starting five. That decision looks bad in hindsight, and even at the time, many clamored for Philadelphia to run it back. Why didn’t they?

If we’re to believe the accounts of Redick and Butler in a recent episode of The J.J. Redick Podcast, it was the Sixers who decided to move on. Redick said he felt like the Sixers’ last resort. Butler said the Sixers wanted to “control” him, which makes the Sixers sound incredibly lame. Whether you believe them or not, it’s becoming increasingly clear Philadelphia was not comfortable running it back.

What. A. Mistake.

Even amid a strange and wonky season, Butler contributed immensely to Philadelphia’s near-victory over Toronto in the second round. Redick’s slingshot mentality was a key element to Brown’s offense for two seasons. As in, Brown built countless sets around Redick. He was perhaps more integrated on offense than Butler and Tobias Harris for much of last season.

The Sixers struggled to figure it out last season, which is common when two stars are added before the trade deadline. It’s difficult to throw Butler and Harris into an already-established offense and make it work the first time ’round.

Unfortunately for the Sixers, there is no second go-around. At this point, it’s clear the front office should have been more committed to retaining Butler (a top-10 or 15 talent himself) and Redick, who remains a deadeye shooter. The issues surrounding Butler seem tethered more to the coach and the front office than the players in the locker room. Feelings, in this instance, should not have driven the front office to treat Butler as dismissively as he claimed they did.

If the Sixers had truly run it back, my gut feeling is this: they would have a higher seed, be more functional on offense, and have a much clearer sense of direction. The Sixers are lost right now, and there’s no reason to believe Elton Brand‘s current iteration of the roster can truthfully claim the title of “contender.”

The Sixers figured a lot out toward the end of last season. Butler become more prominent as a ball-handler, Simmons did serious damage rolling to the rim, and Redick was a genuine positive in the postseason. Philadelphia was on the cusp of contending for a championship, and another year of perfecting the formula could have gotten them there.

So, as you marinate in the strange cocktail of a cancelled season and a worldwide pandemic, think back on the Sixers, some of the mistakes made, and what could have been.