The Philadelphia 76ers’ chemistry has been out of whack all season. Orlando is a chance to start anew.
As the NBA gears up for its return later this month, Tobias Harris stopped by ESPN’s First Take to discuss the Philadelphia 76ers. This has been an eventful season for the Sixers, for reasons not entirely good. He helped clear the air.
Harris deserves immense credit for the leadership role he has taken on this season — something we talked about at length in our most recent episode of The Sixer Sense Podcast. He has been vocal in the locker room and to the media, not shying away from frank and honest conversation about the state of the Sixers.
This was not a deflective interview from Harris. He didn’t dance around questions or throw PR filler at Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman, two hosts who are often provocative in their questioning. He addressed the Sixers’ status as a sleeper, and their failure to meet expectations up to this point.
Harris noted the Sixers’ poor chemistry this season. This shouldn’t be interpreted as infighting in the locker room, or some grand conflict among players. This is simply in reference to Philadelphia’s on-court chemistry, which has looked wonky to even the untrained eye.
The Sixers haven’t been healthy all season, which Harris was quick to mention. This hiatus has afforded Ben Simmons the opportunity to get better, and at this point, no player on the active roster — aside from Zhaire Smith, who wasn’t going to play anyway — is hurt.
For the first time all season, the Sixers are truly healthy, even if Simmons will still receive a delicate treatment upon his return. Harris roots his optimism in this fact. The Sixers will finally have everyone on the court and eight “seeding” games to work out any further kinks.
Kellerman made sure to call the Sixers his “sleeper” for this postseason, a label Harris doesn’t seem to care much about. He knows the Sixers have failed to meet expectations, but by that same token, he knows the talent and the personalities in his locker room. For Harris, those calling the Sixers “sleepers” are voicers of an inconsequential opinion. If the Sixers are sleepers, so be it.
Harris expressed confidence in the Sixers’ title pursuit. For reasons relating to both health and talent, his optimism is not misplaced. The Sixers have a real shot, even if I’m more pessimistic than he is — and naturally so.
It was also good to see Harris avoid the bait. Kellerman and Smith made several incendiary asides, to which Harris simply didn’t respond. He didn’t take the bait when Smith brought up the departure of Jimmy Butler and J.J. Redick. He didn’t take the bait when Kellerman mentioned a need for “more minutes.” He simply stuck to the main points and adequately outlined his current disposition.
When the season resumes, the Sixers will have a lot to prove. While Harris hears the criticism, he’s not personally invested in it. He views the Sixers as title contenders — as a talented group that is finally healthy enough to make progress. Starting August 1, we’ll see if he’s right.