As the Philadelphia 76ers slip into the offseason following a season marked by sheer disappointment, the front office will tackle a lot of pressure in the offseason head-on. After all, the team now finds itself in a state of flux, and their window to contend is slowly coming to a premature close given that Joel Embiid and Paul George have both drastically declined.
The ball is now on the 76ers front office's court, and they have no other choice but to make this offseason count. Otherwise, the team's freefall could very well continue in the following years, especially with their stars still dealing with a lot of uncertainty.
Unlike last year, when Philly had sufficient ammo to just keep on spending, the front office will not enjoy the same financial legroom. Hence, it is imperative that the team's brass employ more caution and be more selective when it comes to signing new players or retaining their impending free agents..
And for one player, that could very well spell the end of his stay with the franchise.
The 76ers have very little reason to keep Ricky Council IV after his abysmal play this season
Ricky Council IV had a lot of expectations attached to him entering the season. Unfortunately, he has undeniably fallen short of every one of them.
With just a single game left on the team's schedule, Council has appeared in 72 outings thus far and has averaged 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per contest on a putrid 38.5 percent shooting from the field, which includes a terrible 25.8 percent conversion rate from rainbow country.
Council has been a constant lane-clogger for Philly this season. His lack of growth as an off-ball threat has become too detrimental for the team and only hurts his case to remain on the roster, especially in light of the fact that the 76ers already have a slew of talented shooting guards who present better-fitting skill sets, such as Jared McCain and Quentin Grimes.
He flashed some glimpses of being a two-way asset for the 76ers in his rookie year, and while he has not seen a drastic drop defensively, his lack of acuity on the offensive end can no longer be ignored.
At this rate, the front office will most likely be amenable to moving on from him. While he still has a full year guaranteed on his current deal, he could simply be tossed aside as a trade additive when the 76ers need to match salaries or sweeten the pot.
It was not too long ago when Ricky Council IV looked like the defensive guard the Philadelphia 76ers badly needed. But now, all signs point to him being the odd man out in a crowded backcourt loop.