The Philadelphia 76ers have to win. Now.

The Philadelphia 76ers’ time is now.

If anyone is paying attention to the changing landscape of the NBA, one thing is very clear: The East is no longer a pushover conference. Steadily over the last few years, Eastern Conference teams are on the rise and getting better. Toronto, Boston, Milwaukee, Indiana, Philadelphia, Miami, and Brooklyn all have become capable challengers to the reign of the West. Not surprising considering that in the Jordan era, the East was the dominant conference before giving way to the Western Conference in the 2000s.

The sun is rising in the East again. Yes, there are still some horrendous teams in the conference, but even they are getting better. Chicago is considered a sleeper team with the incoming Billy Donovan now on the sidelines and a primed Zach LaVine who has proven to be a certified threat offensively. Atlanta’s future is bright with Trae Young, who no one saw coming as Steph Curry 2.0. And Orlando is better than the viewing audience realizes. They are a few pieces away from really making real noise around basketball circles.

Let us all have a moment of silence for Detroit and New York.

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What does this mean for our beloved Philadelphia 76ers? It means that the Process is over. The days in which we were anticipating the future, is now our present. We have to see fruit bearing from the tree. This is the season where we will know the truth of Sam Hinkie’s scheme to bring talent through tanking for years, which brought the Sixers Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.

Philadelphia has to win. Now. Not next year. Now.

The emergency in this article should be applicable to every Sixer fan with the reports circulating of James Harden desiring a trade to either Philadelphia or, a few hours up north to the hometown of the late, great Christopher Wallace, where Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant currently reside.

A Harden trade to Brooklyn would almost certainly guarantee a trip to the NBA Finals. And a certified breakup to the Simmons-Embiid era in Philadelphia. Nothing is for sure, however. The season still has to play out. But it wouldn’t be a good thing for a Sixers squad who have not fared well against the top tier teams in the East (Toronto, Boston, Milwaukee, & Miami) to now have to contend with two of the best scorers the league has ever seen, and a guy who many believe bailed LeBron out of possibly going 0-for-4 against the Warriors during their five-year reign.

For the Sixers, they are entering into a season of a real-life Hunger Games: the odds are truly not in their favor. The time is now to show and prove that they belong in the conversation of elite teams in the league. We’ve given this group more than enough time to get it done. Two second round exits, and a first-round embarrassment in the Bubble has put the Sixers franchise on high alert from the fanbase. One more season of mediocrity will not be tolerated. Even a difficult beginning to the season will cause an uproar.

Philadelphia, you have to get it right. The Process must now produce what its intention was for: a championship. Sixer fans, don’t be surprised if we are watching the beginning of a new era and the end of another at the same time.

The 76ers have to win. Now.