Philadelphia 76ers: It’s Morey time

Last summer, when the Philadelphia 76ers fell to the Boston Celtics, bursting their playoff bubble, it was abundantly clear that their plan for the future had gone off the rails.  Big changes needed to be made if this team was to become a contender. It would have been considered a successful season if just a few of those changes had happened and the Sixers were able to point the needle back in the right direction. Stunningly, the team and new president of basketball operations Daryl Morey have smoothly and seamlessly addressed every single one of their issues and they are now on top of the East with a half game edge over the favored Nets.

They  needed to bring in a respected coach with a championship pedigree. Check. They needed to bring in an experienced front office veteran to help out Elton Brand. Check. They needed to move on from failed experiments Al Horford and Josh Richardson, hopefully while adding positive pieces. Check. They needed to convince Joel Embiid of the importance of diet and conditioning and Ben Simmons of the significance of becoming a more aggressive offensive threat.  The growth of Embiid and Simmons was the biggest change needed, but again — Check.  So what now?

Suddenly the timetable has shifted.  The Sixers are now staring at a completely rejuvenated Joel Embiid and can no longer afford the luxury of thinking long term.  The window is open right now, and considering how quickly the pendulum can swing in the world of professional sports, they can’t spend even one second longer worrying about their talented young players, what might happen in a few years, or future draft picks.  Hot irons cool quickly, and if a big move is not made now this city could miss out on the possibility of greatness that exists in that locker room.  In short, it is Daryl Morey time.

The Philadelphia 76ers are built to win now, and Daryl Morey must capitalize.

Morey was brought in specifically because he is a highly respected NBA mind with a history of being able to pull off big moves.  The team fanbase has been largely split between those who want to make a big deal and those who want to stand pat and see how the young players grow. The undeniable flashes of talent that we see in Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle, and Tyrese Maxey has added to the enjoyment of this team and yes, it is fun to dream about those players growing into future studs and leading us to the promised land.  But the NBA is about hard, cold reality and the truth is that it is highly unlikely that any of those players ever becomes an All-Star caliber player, and it’s at least possible that none of the three ever outgrow the current weaknesses in their games to become consistent NBA-level starters in this league.

Joel Embiid will not play at this level of excellence forever.  Big men have a shorter career span than little guys because of the constant pounding on their bodies, even in today’s NBA.  If the Sixers are ever going to shoot their shot, it has to be now.  It would be tragic to look back in twenty years and say, “If only they had been able to give Joel a little more help”.  He has turned a corner and become a seriously great player; he deserves to be treated better. They need more than just bench pieces like George Hill or Delon Wright.  It’s time to dream big and worry about the future tomorrow.

The Sixers are much better than anticipated this season, and it has been fun watching them but this team, as currently constructed, has an expiration date.  They are good on both sides of the ball, but not great, and not good enough to take four games in a playoff series from the Nets, Lakers, and possibly even the Bucks, just to name a few of the many challengers in the way. There are moves out there to make this team a legitimate contender but they need to be willing to part ways with their talented young bench.

Philadelphia has fallen in love with Maxey, Thybulle, and Shake but they are not going to be the difference this year.  Adding a top-tier talent, without losing Joel, Ben, or Tobias Harris, will make the possibility of rings this year a reality.  There are no guarantees in sports, but this team is currently not good enough.  Adding another star-level talent will give them a shot to win it all, right away, this year.

Please don’t misunderstand.  I don’t want to lose those young guys either.  Trading any one of them for a player who is simply another bench role player would be highly disappointing.  But sports is a business, and they are assets.  Assets are intended to be used to win a championship.  If there is a way to bring in Zach LaVine, Kyle Lowry, Victor Oladipo, or another stud player without losing any of their “big three” then they have to do it, regardless of the hit to the bench, loss of draft picks, and love for the young guys.  Daryl Morey will be able to find a few pieces to help the bench if they have to gut it to add a star, and if the price of a championship is a few draft picks and two or three young players who may or may not ever live up to their potential, then a move simply must be made.

Windows of opportunity are open for very brief times.  Only great teams take advantage of those chances and fortune favors the bold.  This is why the 76ers hired Daryl Morey.  He has earned his reputation after years of making huge moves to make the Houston Rockets legitimate contenders.  No, those teams never won (they were a Chris Paul sprained ankle away from beating the eventual champion Warriors in 2018) but they were never as talented as this Sixers team would be if they had four top level players, led by a center having a season that rivals those of the all-time greats.

This is not the time for one or two small deals to improve the second unit.  This is the time to swing for the cheap seats and go for it.  The Sixers might have the best GM in the league when it comes to taking a big shot and making a huge deal.  It’s time to let Morey do what he was brought here to do.  The rest of the league is going to be watching the Sixers closely over these next three weeks, mainly because they know what we all know deep down.  This team is too good to sit around and do nothing. This is Daryl Morey time.