How deep of a playoff run the Sixers make this year will have major implication on the team’s construction. Espeically, in regards to the duo of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. It’s clear that Embiid is in his prime and the franchise player on this team.
That means if the team struggles in the postseason on the offensive end, Simmons, fairly or unfairly, will be blamed due to his unwillingness to be an agressive scorer. Justified or not, most fans will probably point to that being the reason for if they have an unsuccess playoff run.
If that ends up being the case, the Philadelphia 76ers’ front office will have a tough decision to make regarding the future of the All-Star due, but more specifically Simmons.
Do the Sixers need to make the Eastern Conference finals in order to not trade Simmons?
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Let’s look at who could be the 76ers’ likely opponents in the first two rounds of the playoffs. In the first round of the playoffs, it appears that it will be either Indiana Pacers or the Washington Wizards.
As I wrote in a previous article, the Wizards don’t have much outside of Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal. However, Beal is playing injured and Westbrook didn’t look good in Washington’s first play-in tournament game against the Boston Celtics where they lost.
The Pacers aren’t healthy either. They are missing three starting in Caris LeVert, T.J. Warran, and Myles Turner. While they still have All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis, they are depleted of talent and don’t look like much of a threat.
It’s safe to say on paper, Philly should able to defeat whichever team comes out of that matchup between Indiana and Washington. In the second round the Sixers would face the winner of the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks.
The Knicks are well coached and are a gritty defensive team, however, against the Philadelphia 76ers, they don’t have enough offensive fire power to outscore the 76ers for a seven game series. The Hawks have enough offense with Trae Young running the show, but their defense isn’t good enough and that is also a series in which Philly should be favored in as well.
With the Sixers being favored in both the first and second round of the playoff, there should be no reason, outside of injuries, that they don’t make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, for some reason they are upsetted prior to that round, the front office led by Daryl Morey and Elton Brand may have to look at shaking up the core of this team. Embiid is in his prime now it would be a waste not to maximize it.
With Embiid playing like an MVP and Tobias Harris’ contract being untradeable, Simmons is the odd man out. It shouldn’t be surprising considering he was rumored to be a part of James Harden trade rumors.
Trading Simmons would probably get the Sixers a bonafied star to pair alongside Embiid. For those worried about who will be the point guard in Simmons’ place, don’t. If the player they trade for isn’t a point guard, the team has Tyrese Maxey waiting on the bench to take the starting job. If a star becomes available and the 76ers don’t make the Eastern Conference finals, then a big trade involving Simmons should be strongly considered.
There’s no why the Sixers shouldn’t make the Eastern Conference finals. They’re healthy and they have favorable matchups in the first two rounds. If for some reason they don’t advance deep in the postseason, then they need to considering trading Simmons this offseason.