Philadelphia 76ers: What it means if the NBA season is canceled?

With each day that passes, the possibility the NBA season will be canceled seems to become more realistic. What would that mean for the Philadelphia 76ers?

The Philadelphia 76ers played their last basketball game just over three weeks ago. I know that is hard to believe, considering it feels like it’s been months since that March 11, 2019 home victory over the Detroit Pistons. Yet, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, it’s becoming a real possibility that the Sixers, and every NBA team, have played their last game this season.

Adam Silver, NBA commissioner, and the league owners are undoubtedly working around the clock to gather as much information as they can about COVID-19 and the possibility of resuming play for the 2019-2020 NBA season, whatever that looks like. The NBA, as well as the world, is in a much different place and has increased its knowledge immensely since Ruby Gobert first tested positive for the virus.

Every professional sports league is indefinitely postponed and the NBA season resuming is no longer a matter of when, but if. Any NBA analyst that appears on sports television has a different solution for finishing the season ranging from isolating NBA players from the public and their families (per Windhorst) to playing the remaining games on separate Conference cruise ships (per Jay Williams of ESPN).

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There are obvious flaws and concerns with the above suggestions, but I am more interested in what it would mean for the 76ers if the season did not resume.

Philadelphia entered this season as a presumptive favorite to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. Fast forward to April and the team is sixth in the Eastern Conference and has battled the injury bug all season. The team has greatly underperformed and inexplicably played like two different teams on the road versus at home.

If the season ended today, it would undoubtedly be a disappointment. Even with the team’s struggles this year, it was evident this roster was built for the playoffs. The drag of a full regular season following a heartbreaking loss in last year’s playoffs can lead to disinterest from a team overlooking the regular season and yearning for the playoffs again. There was hope they could flip a switch and make a deep playoff push when the lights were brightest.

With unfinished business, this year and many “what if’s”, there is reason to believe the Sixers roster will remain intact next year and that includes Brett Brown. I have defended Brown this year, not because I think he is blameless, rather I feel too much blame is put on him.

It’s easy to ignore the on-court and player issues that are outside of Brown’s control. With that said, I am indifferent on if Brown returns next season, but I see a greater likelihood he does if this season does not resume.

Next. Sixers roster today compared to start of the season. dark

We all want basketball again, regardless of how it happens or what it looks like. If someone wants to put these athletes on cruise ships or lock them away from society for a month, I will remain silent. This national quarantine would be much more bearable with live sports (mainly the Philadelphia 76ers), especially playoff basketball. In the meantime all we can do is “Trust the Process” and have faith in Adam Silver.

For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website or the website for your state’s Department of Health.