It’s not easy rooting for the Sixers these days. The team has lost three in a row, including blown opportunities against the very short-handed Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets. Every day fans wake up hoping for news of a Ben Simmons trade only to learn that superstars Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal are never asking out.
Sixers fans have to “Trust the Process” again.
However, this is always how we thought this season would go. A team built around an oft-injured superstar like Joel Embiid cannot expect to win many games when the team’s second-best player is sitting out. Sure, the 8-2 start to the season made us think we may not even need to trade Simmons, but that was unsustainable, especially in this COVID-plagued season.
After the end of last season, everyone criticized coach Doc Rivers for not emulating the Milwaukee Bucks and experimenting with different lineups. Yes, Milwaukee may have lost more games during the regular season, but they were more prepared for the playoffs.
Other than avoiding the play-in, the regular season is basically meaningless. The absence of Simmons and COVID’s toll on the team has forced Doc to try lots of different lineups. The Sixers will be stronger for it come playoff time.
The Sixers may be sitting at .500, well below their number one in the East finish last season, but they are taking a longer-term view. Developing emerging star Tyrese Maxey and figuring out how to integrate him with Embiid should be the season’s priorities. Their ability to co-exist on the court will have a much larger impact on their playoff success than a few extra wins during the regular season.
Sixers’ president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has a plan. It may not look pretty right now, but all that matters is the end result. Fans endured through numerous seasons where the team struggled to win a game because they trusted in “The Process”. We can wait a couple of months longer until Morey trades Simmons. Keep the faith, “Trust the Process”.