Piece By Daniel I. Outerbridge
The 76ers will have to wait and see if they will continue to trust the process after they were swept in the 1st round of the NBA playoffs. Shortly after their early exit, head coach Brett Brown was fired as expected and rumors have begun to swirl about possibly trading either Joel Embiid or Ben Simmons.
The reality of breaking up this dynamic duo is a possibility as the 76ers begin to explore what options they have in order to improve the team and prevent another embarrassing playoff exit. Brown coached the 76ers for 7 seasons and while the team did improve during his tenure, he failed to achieve playoff success and never advanced past the Eastern Conference semifinals while compiling an overall playoff record of 12-14.
Whose to Blame?
It’s not fair for Brown to shoulder the entire blame for the 76ers playoff failure. If Ben Simmons would have been healthy, the series might have just played out differently. General manager Elton Brand failed to re-sign Jimmy Butler and JJ Redick during the off season, as they were viewed as key pieces moving forward. While Butler’s presence might not have compensated for the absence of Simmons, he has valuable playoff experience and has thrived under pressure. He is an elite-level defender with versatility and is capable of being a vocal leader when needed. Butler could have guarded Jayson Tatum during the series as well. Tatum torched the 76ers defenders as he averaged 27 points per game in the series. Redick was a valuable spot up shooter when he was a member of the 76ers and they sorely missed his production as they collectively shot a dismal 26.4% from downtown against Boston.
Despite failing to sign Butler and Redick, Brand signed Tobias Harris to a 5 year $180 million deal and gave Al Horford a 4 year $109 million contract making them 2 of the highest paid players on the roster. They 76ers expected major things out of them and were expected to help the 76ers advance but both of them had disappointing performances. Harris and Horford averaged a combined 22.8 points, 16.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists. Their numbers should have reflected the fact that Simmons didn’t play due to the fact that his shot attempts he would have taken had to go to somebody.
The rest of the team failed to take the pressure off Embiid. After halftime of all 4 games, he appeared to be extremely exhausted and couldn’t carry the 76ers to the end and his numbers prove it. In the 1st half of the 4 games, Embiid averaged 17 points, but in the 2nd half he only averaged 11 points.
Should the 76ers trade Embiid and keep Simmons?
During a 9 game absence of Embiid due to a dislocated finger, Simmons exhibited the ability to put the team on his back and elevated his level of play when they needed him to. Simmons numbers increased all across the board without Embiid in the lineup, averaging 19.2 ppg, 59.1 FG%, and 14.7 FG attempts compared to his usual 16.4 ppg, 58 FG%, and 11.4 FG attempts with Embiid on the floor. The 76ers defeated the Celtics 3 times during the regular season, and one of those wins came during that 9 game stretch when Embiid was injured. Simmons is also an excellent defender and lead the NBA in steals at 2.1 per game. He has the size and athleticism to guard the opposing team’s best offensive player at any position, making him worth keeping in Philadelphia. It has also been debated whether Embiid hinders Simmons by clogging the paint making it difficult for him to attack the basket. The 76ers offense is built around and runs through Embiid, but it’s Simmons who gets him the ball and sets him up to score.
Should the 76ers trade Simmons and Keep Embiid?
Embiid is such a talented big man who thrives in the post and is an excellent rebounder and also is a dominant presence on the defensive end. Unless they are offered a deal for another superstar attached with draft capital that they absolutely can’t refuse, I wouldn’t trade Embiid. He is a franchise cornerstone with a rare and unique skill set who hasn’t even reached his prime yet. His only issue is staying healthy, and if he can do that, he should be the face of the franchise in Philadelphia for the forseeable future.
Should the 76ers Continue to Trust the Process?
The 76ers should strongly consider keeping both Embiid and Simmons, hope that they both will remain healthy and allow the process to play out. In observation of the entire situation, their current predicament is not as bleak as it seems. Both Embiid and Simmons style of play compliment one another, both are great defensive players and most of all, they get along. And the fact that they play in the Eastern Conference is encouraging due to only a hand full of teams standing in their path to the Finals.
The first priority is to find a coach who can get the most out of the talent on this roster and turn them into a championship-caliber team. Nate McMillian, Tyronn Lue and Nark Jackson would be perfect candidates who could transcend this team to the next level. If Embiid can get into better shape and continues to work on his low post game, the sky is the limit for him and the 76ers. If ben Simmons can miraculously develop a consistent jump shot, he would basically be unguardable because that’s his only flaw offensively. If Harris can get it together, he makes this team dangerous because he has the skills to be an all-star caliber player.
Hopefully, the front office will decide to keep this group of players together instead of blowing it up and start rebuilding. All they have to do is be patient and trust the process.
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