The 76ers played well in their last four games despite the loss against the decimated Portland squad on Thursday night. Here are some of my quick observations:

• The Sixers actually won a game without Joel Embiid! The Sixers had a great comeback win against the Indiana Pacers. The Sixers were down as much as 20 points and down 18 in the 4^th quarter. The Sixers came out of a timeout with a 2-3 zone defense, which changed the remainder of the 4^th quarter. With Matisse Thybulle and Ben Simmons at the top of the suffocating zone, they disrupted the Pacers and completely halted their offensive attack. Furkan Korkmaz and Tobias Harris lead the comeback from the offensive end scoring 17 points and 27 points respectively.
• The Sixers closed out their 3-game road trip with a win over the Charlotte Hornets 118-111. The Sixers dominated this game for 3 quarters but took their foot off the gas in the 4^th. Embiid was his usual dominate self.
• If you have watched the Sixers and know our players, you would have known the game against the Blazers was a trap game. The Sixers weren’t focused! They were too busy looking ahead to their game against the Brooklyn Nets. Even without Damian Lillard or CJ McCollum, the Sixers just didn’t show any energy this game. They were blown out at home against a 9-man Blazers squad.
• The anticipated match-up with the Brooklyn Nets turned out to be a dud. With Kevin Durant out due to health and safety protocols and Kyrie Irving out with a sprained finger, it wasn’t the blockbuster we thought it would be. James Harden kept the Nets in the game matching Embiid’s first half numbers. Then the third quarter arrived, and Doc Rivers put Ben Simmons on James Harden. That took the wind out of the Nets’ sails. The Sixers went on to blow the Nets out with 7 players scoring in double figures.
• Joel Embiid is still the MVP front-runner in my opinion. He’s averaging 29.3 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 2.7 apg, and 1.2 bpg. His PER (Player Efficiency Rating) is the highest in the league at 31.38. Just looking at how the team performs when he doesn’t play, you can see his value.
• It seems like Ben Simmons is turning the corner. His scoring average has been down all season, but it looks like he’s starting to be more aggressive. The first 3-4 weeks of the season, he just wasn’t attacking the rim. Looks like Doc has incorporated some wrinkles in the offense to make him feel more comfortable. He’s also such a difference maker on defense that his value can’t be determined just by his averages.
• TOBIAS HARRIS IS AN ALL-STAR #THATISALL
• Sixers need to make a move for another big that can shoot and play the PF position since Mike Scott has been out for weeks. Simmons and Harris have played way too many minutes while having Scott out.
• Seth Curry seemed to start to get back on track during Saturday’s game against the Nets. We all hope he continues to get his game back and heal from any lasting affects of his battle with COVID-19.

The 76ers start a 4- game west coast trip on 2/9 against the Sacramento Kings. This west coast trip could help define who the Sixers are on the road against some tough competition.

A few days after the Brooklyn Nets beat the Sixers out for NBA Superstar James Harden, the Sixers lost on the road to the Memphis Grizzilies to fall to (9-5). The Sixers were sloppy with 22 turnovers and lost their third game of the season without Joel Embiid. The debate since Wednesday has been if the Sixers made the right decision to not trade for Harden. James Harden was traded in a four-team deal that included the Rockets, Cavs, Pacers and Nets. The Nets traded Caris Lavert, Jarett Allen, 4 first round draft picks, and 4 pick swaps to get James Harden. Although Allen was traded to Cleveland and Lavert was flipped from Houston to Indiana for Victor Oladipo, the Nets sold the farm to get the 2018 NBA MVP. Since Harden requested a trade to the Nets or the 76ers, the Sixers were the “favorites” to obtain him due to them having the best trade package between any of his suitors. The reason the Sixers were deemed the favorite is because of one man, Ben Simmons. Simmons is a 2-time All Star, All NBA player, a defensive stalwart and is a better foundational piece than any team trying to trade for Harden could offer. Trade talks started to heat up Wednesday afternoon and all signs pointed to James Harden being traded to the Sixers, and poof he was traded to the Nets. There are discrepancies regarding the package that was offered to Houston and what Houston requested. Sources say that Daryl Morey offered a package of Ben Simmons, Matisse Thybulle and 2 first-round picks. It is rumored that the Rockets wanted Simmons, Thybulle, standout rookie Tyrese Maxey, and 3 first-round picks. Ultimately, Morey and the Sixers felt that they didn’t want to mortgage their future by giving up that combination of players and picks.  

With Joel Embiid playing at a MVP level, the time is now to get all the players around him to succeed. With Simmons having a slow start to the year, it seems like this was the best opportunity to pair Joel with someone who fits better and can score at will just like him. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Ben Simmons fan, but he hasn’t been aggressive and he’s been turning the ball over a ton. He’s averaging 12.4 ppg (career low), 8.6 rpg, and 7.9 apg. I believe a lot of fans can agree that including Maxey in the deal was a no go! So far, he’s shown so much upside and contributes to a team that needs ball handlers and shot creators. After watching Ben’s recent performances, I can’t help but think that making the move for Harden would have been the right move but selling the farm to get him, not so much. 

With all that said, I thought of some moves the Sixers could make to help them seriously contend for a title this year. Some moves are more realistic than others but all have a common theme of surrounding Embiid with a player who is a better fit:

Bradley Beal

Bradley Beal has been a topic of Sixers Twitter for weeks now. A lot of fans prefer Beal over Harden because he’s younger and could be paired with Embiid much longer than Harden can. Beal is currently leading the NBA in scoring and scored 60 points against the Sixers earlier this year. The Wizards haven’t given any indication that they are looking to trade their franchise player but their experiment pairing him with Russell Westbrook has not worked out. Some may say the Wizards wouldn’t make this trade because of Russell Westbrook but I don’t think the Wizards would let a 32-year-old Russell Westbrook control their future. Simmons could go to Washington and be a franchise cornerstone for a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs since the 2017-2018 season. 

Zach Lavine

Zach Lavine clearly wants out of Chicago. After their recent loss where the Bulls gave up a 20 point lead, Lavine let the media know he was not happy. It almost sounded like a distress signal, begging for another team to come bail him out of his situation. There were rumors before the NBA Draft that Lavine/Sixers trade was going to happen but it didn’t come to fruition. Lavine seems like a talented guy putting up big numbers on a bad team but it would be interesting to see how he would do on a contender. Lavine isn’t the best decision maker and the Sixers already have trouble with turnovers but, pairing him with Embiid could be deadly. There are many different versions of this trade but I though this one was the most realistic. 

D’Angelo Russell

Russell had his breakout All Star year a few years ago and hasn’t had a stable home since. He was traded to Golden State in the sign and trade for Kevin Durant before last season and then traded at the trade deadline to the Minnesota Timberwolves. His pairing with Karl Anthony Towns was supposed to set them up for the future but so far the duo hasn’t been as formidable as many thought they could be. Enter Ben Simmons. Trading Simmons for Russell could make sense for both teams. KAT and Simmons are good friends and KAT has no problem standing around the perimeter shooting 3-pointers. Russell is not a game changer like a Harden or Beal but his fit and responsibilities here could elevate his game. Embiid would benefit the most as he would have the spacing he needs and a ball handler and shot creator. In my opinion, this wouldn’t cost the Sixers nearly as much as it would cost to get Beal and what the price was for Harden.

Kyle Lowry

Bring Kyle home! The Raptors are 4-8 and struggling. Why not send Kyle to a legit contender like the Sixers? Lowry could come to Philadelphia and be that reliable ball handler and shot creator they need. The Sixers would be losing Danny Green and Mike Scott but both are on expiring contracts, which could help Toronto in free agency next year. I know this trade is the least likely to happen but to add a player like Lowry to the roster without giving up any of your main pieces would make this team a bonafide contender.

Ultimately, the 76ers could decide to let Doc work with Ben Simmons and the entire group to see what he can get out of this current roster. However, Daryl Morey was hired for a reason, which is to get this roster to a place where it could win a title. Can the Sixers win a title now as currently constructed? Sure. Would a major piece like Bradley Beal make them true favorites? Absolutely!

The 76ers’ regular season kicked off a little over a week ago against the Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook led Washington Wizards on 12/23/2020. Once the game started, you could see the talent and spacing around Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons had made a difference but there was still some comfortability issues within the offense. It was an up and down game with the Sixers leading by double digits and then having to come back from double digits in the fourth quarter to win. During that game, Joel’s dominance was evident as he made it clear from tip-off that he was the best player on the floor. A little side note from this game: Russell Westbrook seems like he is really good and tallied one of his four triple doubles this season. It also seems that at this point of his career he doesn’t affect winning like you would think. Thus far the Wizards are 1-5 on the season and won the game Westbrook did not suit up in.

The Sixers followed up with a nice blow out victory against the New York Knicks where Embiid showed his dominance once again. An early storyline this year has been how bad Tobias Harris has looked in the first two games. He looked like he just was very unsure of where to be and what to do within this new offense. I had the same feeling initially with Danny Green and Seth Curry and it showed in the bad loss they had against the Cavs when Embiid did not play.

When Embiid returned to the lineup, the Sixers regrouped and got a quality comeback win at home against the Raptors and two blowout wins against the Magic and Hornets. Since the game against the Cavs, Tobias has looked more decisive on offense and it has made such a huge difference when he is scoring efficiently. Seth Curry has looked more comfortable as of late as well. In his last three games, he has scored 17, 21, and 21 respectively. His chemistry with Joel Embiid continues to improve and will open a lot more things up for the entire Sixers offense.

Overall, the Sixers have been truly lead by their defense and are #1 in Defensive Efficiency in the NBA as of 1/3/2021. Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid both have played like DPOYs in their own right. Simmons has locked down some of the best offensive players on the perimeter thus far this season. He was able to lock up Bradley Beal and Pascal Siakam, taking them out of the offense and contesting every shot they put up. The offense and chemistry will continue to improve and it could help propel the Sixers into being one of the best teams in the league.

Quick Notes and Observations:

• Joel Embiid is playing like his old self and like a MVP candidate. He’s averaging 25 ppg, 12.6 rpg, and 2.8 apg. So far in 5 games, he has looked much better passing out of the double teams and we all hope that trend continues.
• Doc Rivers’ substitution patten is much different than what fans may be used to. With Brett Brown as Head Coach, we saw a lot more staggering of minutes with the starters playing with the bench. With Doc, he usually substitutes like hockey and runs with all bench lineups. It will be interesting to see how the rotation develops.
• If Tobias continues to play how he has the last few games, he can really help take this team where they want to go. He’ll never be worth the 180 million dollar contract he signed but if he can average about 20 a night with efficient 3-point shooting, he can make a huge difference.
• The James Harden cloud will be over this team all season and expect Sixers Twitter to be mock trading for James Harden after every loss they take until the trade deadline.
• I like Tyrese Maxey. #thatisall

Sixers are in action this week starting with the Hornets on Monday night at 7PM. #TrustTheProcess

The new look 76ers hit the court this preseason with two games against the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers. This was our sneak peak into the Doc Rivers lead Sixers with all of the new pieces that were added around Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Here are some observations ahead of the start of the regular season:

• The offense is going to take some time to come together and look crisp. With a very short training camp and only two preseason games, some of the possessions have been really sloppy. Some of their good offensive possessions occurred when they posted up Embiid and when they set off ball screens for Danny Green/Seth Curry. In the game against the Indiana Pacers, we saw a lot of pick and roll with Simmons and Howard, which was unexpected. The second unit PNR offense with Shake Milton and Dwight Howard looked really good. Shake looked comfortable, knowing when to throw the lob and when to look to score. Doc Rivers mentioned that they didn’t run too many of their normal sets so hopefully it looks better in the regular season.
• It seems like Matisse Thybulle may have fallen out of the rotation. He didn’t play a lot of mins in the first game and in the second game, Maxey and Scott got minutes before him. Not sure how he has performed in practice, but he may have fallen out of favor with Doc. We shall see when the regular season starts.
• Doc wasn’t lying when he said Furkan Korkmaz would be one of their key contributors off the bench. Furkan put on some muscle and looks like he worked on his ball handling. He looks more comfortable putting the ball on the floor after pump fakes. If he continues to improve on the defensive end as well, he can carve out a great bench role for Doc Rivers.
• The Defense looks to be coming together faster than the offense. Thus far, Danny Green’s on ball defense looks spectacular. Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, Dwight Howard, Matisse Thybulle, and Danny Green will anchor the teams defense. These guys should be able to cover up for most defensive lapses their teammates have.
• I think Tyrese Maxey has the chance to be special for this Sixers team in the future. As the season progresses, he will carve out more of a role with the second unit. His one on one scoring ability is something the Sixers lack at times. I’m really encouraged from what I have saw on the court thus far and he will only get better with game experience.
• JAMES HARDEN- If the Sixers have a chance to get him without giving up Ben Simmons, DO IT NOW! If Simmons is in the deal, I’m not sure I’m willing to give up on him right now.

With 2020-2021 NBA season starting up in less than a month, team training camps are set to begin on December 1st. The 76ers have made some changes to their roster since draft night to help their two young cornerstones. Daryl Morey, Elton Brand, and Doc Rivers put together a roster with more spacing, shooting, and ball handling. During training camp, there will be a lot that Rivers and the front office have to figure out regarding rotations. Take a look at my initial predictions on who makes the opening day roster and possible rotations.

Let’s start with the roster as it stands:

G/F Ben Simmons
C Joel Embiid
F Tobias Harris
C Tony Bradley
G/F Ryan Broekhoff
G Seth Curry
C Dwight Howard
G Isaiah Joe
G/F Furkan Korkmaz
G Tyrese Maxey
G Shake Milton
G Danny Green
G/F Terrance Ferguson
F Paul Reed (2-Way G-League)
F Matisse Thybulle
F Mike Scott
G/F Justin Anderson
G Derrick Walton Jr.
G/F Dakota Mathias (2-Way G-League)

There can only be 15 players on an NBA roster with 13 active each game, so there will be some competitions on who makes the roster and what their roles will be. Reed and Mathias are already designated for the G-League and at maximum 45 days in the NBA. Let’s look at my prediction for the starters:

G/F Ben Simmons
G Seth Curry
G Danny Green
F Tobias Harris
C Joel Embiid

I went back and forth with the idea of Shake Milton or Matisse Thybulle starting over either Curry or Green. I listened to Daryl Morey’s interview regarding Curry being the “gravity” shooter that the team lacked since the departure of JJ Redick. He also mentioned when Embiid and Simmons were surrounded by shooting in the past, they flourished. Having a vet 3&D wing on the court would add the necessary shooting to open things up for Ben and Joel.

Rotation Players (Guaranteed minutes)

C Dwight Howard
G Shake Milton
F Matisse Thybulle
G Tyrese Maxey
G Furkan Korkmaz

Dwight Howard will be Embiid’s back up and start when Joel gets his planned rest. This is by far the best back up the Sixers have had behind Joel. It will be interesting to see how Simmons plays with a big who is a lob threat but not floor spacer. Shake Milton has a chance to start but I think ultimately he will be the ball handler and run the offense when Simmons is resting. Shake will be given the keys to run the second unit and will serve well in that role. Matisse’s minutes will be predicated on how well he shoots the 3-pointer. His defense will get him on the floor but his shooting will keep him on the floor. If Matisse can improve his catch and shoot 3-point percentage, he has a chance to possibly overtake Green as a starter. Tyrese Maxey will get his chance to be a shot creator and ball handler for the second unit. Doc usually doesn’t play too many rookies unless they are an impact player (i.e Shai Gilgeous-Alexander). I’d also love to see Maxey in pick and roll action with Embiid. Korkmaz has earned some rotation minutes after his improvement last season. He was the only knock down shooter the Sixers really had on the roster. The downfall of playing Korkmaz is if he isn’t hitting his shots, he won’t be able to stay on the floor due to his lack of defense.

Fringe Rotation Players (Less than 10 mins per game, unless there is an injury)

F Mike Scott
C Tony Bradley
G Isaiah Joe
G/F Terrance Ferguson
G/F Justin Anderson

Out of these five players, only three will be active on game day. Those three will more than likely be Scott, Joe, and Ferguson. Mike Scott is one of my favorite Sixers but he seemed to have fallen out of the rotation for Brett Brown at the end of the season. Scott could overtake Korkmaz for rotation minutes in Doc’s system because he is a former Clipper and veteran. They drafted Isaiah Joe because they really like his deep range and shooting ability. Doc will give the kid some chances but I don’t see him playing a ton of mins. Ferguson will get a handful for minutes based off of his athleticism and defense alone.

Derrick Walton Jr. and Ryan Broekhoff will be camp guys but I don’t think they will make the final roster. They could end up with the Delaware Blue Coats, but could leave themselves available to sign with another NBA Team.

Some lineups I would like to see other than the starting lineup:

Embiid, Curry, Green, Milton, Harris – Could be the best shooting lineup the Sixers put on the floor surrounding Embiid.

Simmons, Maxey, Green, Thybulle, Embiid- This defensive lineup could have the potential to be suffocating.

Milton, Maxey, Harris, Korkmaz, Howard- Lots of pick and roll action, something Sixers fans haven’t seen during the Brett Brown era.

Look out for more regarding our beloved Sixers as we get closer to the season.

Draft Night for the 76ers started out with a bang! A few hours before the draft kicked off, Daryl Morey and Elton Brand started making moves. The Sixers traded Al Horford, 2025 1^st round draft pick, 2020 2^nd round draft pick (34^th overall), and the rights to European PG Vasilije Micic to the Oklahoma City Thunder for SG Danny Green and SG Terrance Ferguson. I know Twitter sang the song of many who rejoiced in Horford trade. Horford isn’t a bad NBA player; he just didn’t fit with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Those guys need spacing and he just didn’t provide that. This trade wasn’t just about fit but it was about financial flexibility for the future. The Sixers already had three max contracts on the books with Simmons, Embiid, and Harris. Horford was owed 80 million dollars over the next three years and that put the Sixers in a salary cap bind for a team that was not working. Green and Ferguson’s combined salary is only 19 million and could come off the books next year. Green is a veteran with championship experience, who can stretch the floor for the team. Morey worked his magic to not only save money on the books but get some shooting around Philly’s two young cornerstones.

Tyrese Maxey picked with the 21^st overall pick

Watching the first round unfold, it began to look like the Sixers would get “their” guy. Almost all the guys they had on their draft board were available when they were on the clock. The Sixers selected 6’3 SG Tyrese Maxey from the University of Kentucky. When writing my preview, I didn’t have Maxey on my shortlist because I thought he would be drafted within the Top-15 picks. Historically Kentucky has produced great guards under Head Coach John Calipari and Maxey has a chance to live up to those expectations. Maxey averaged 14 ppg, 4.3 rpg, and 3.2 apg during his only season with the Wildcats. He is a 3-level scorer with a high defensive motor. His 3-point percentage could use some improvement (29.2%) but he can get a bucket. He is a shot creator/ball handler that the Sixers can grow into something special.  He also needs to improve his shot selection, which was partially due to the role Coach Calipari had him in. Having guys like Ben and Joel creating open looks for him will help increase his 3-point percentage. He will have a chance to carve out a role right away as a scorer. Check out some of his highlights below:

Seth Curry Traded to the Sixers for Josh Richardson

During the second round of the NBA Draft, Daryl Morey and Elton Brand made another move to help surround its young stars with more shooting. The Sixers traded SG Josh Richardson and the 36^th pick in the draft to the Dallas Mavericks for SG Seth Curry. Some may say the team paid “too much” for Curry, but you can’t overpay for better fit and shooting. Josh Richardson never really got his footing here. He was often injured and didn’t really provide the offensive spark we thought he would. Defensively, he lived up to expectations but just wasn’t consistent enough. Seth Curry will be brining the shooting the team lacked when JJ Reddick departed for New Orleans. Curry is a career 40 percent 3-point shooter and connected on 45 percent of his attempts last season with the Mavericks (3^rd in the NBA). Curry also is a good on ball defender and won’t get abused on defense. Side Note: Seth Curry will be playing for his Father-In-Law Doc Rivers in Philadelphia.

Sixers select Isaiah Joe 49^th overall

Leading up to the draft, there had been rumors that the Sixers promised a player they would draft them with the 21^st or 34^th overall pick. As things began to uncover, it was confirmed that Isaiah Joe from Arkansas was the player they promised to take. After trading their early second round picks, they were still able to get Joe 49^th overall. The 76ers were very high on Joe as a shooter as he had range in college. Joe’s shooting numbers dipped his senior year, but he still has a lot of upside as a shooter. He put up 9.1 3-pointers a game his last two seasons, which is a high volume of shots. Joe’s stature has caused some concerns for NBA teams. He’s 6’5 and weighs 175 pounds. That puts him at a disadvantage on defense when he first joins the league. If he continues to fill out his frame and can maintain reliability as a spot up shooter, he will carve out a role in Philadelphia.

Sixers Select Paul Reed 58^th overall

With their final pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, the 76ers selected DePaul PF Paul Reed. He’s a crafty offensive forward who can finish well at the rim. He has some upside as a shooter but that isn’t necessarily his strong suit. He is also a versatile defender who can switch on to guard in the pick and roll. This late in the draft, the team decided to take a flier on the potential of Reed. He will more than likely be a 2-way guy, spending time with the Delaware Blue Coats in the GLeague.

Overall, it was a great night for Morey, Brand, and the 76ers. They began reshaping the roster to really make life easier for their two young stars. They also were able to get Al Horford’s contract off the books and gain some financial flexibility immediately and in the future. I’m interested to see what other moves they make when free agency begins Friday evening at 6PM.

It seems like it was yesterday when the Los Angeles Lakers were crowned NBA Champions in October. A month earlier, the Philadelphia 76ers were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics. A lot has happened since the Sixers have left the “bubble”. Brett Brown was fired and replaced by Doc Rivers. The Sixers also hired former Rockets’ GM Daryl Morey. Now here we are with the 2020 NBA Draft coming up on November 18^th and the season kicking off on December 22^nd. It is time to take a look at who the Sixers are expected to draft when they are on the clock.

The Sixers have the 21^st pick in the draft which was originally the pick of the Oklahoma City Thunder. It was a top 20 protected pick apart of the trade that sent Markelle Fultz to the Orlando Magic. Let’s take a look at some prospects who could be on the board when the Sixers are drafting:

Tyrell Terry- PG Stanford

My previous post about how I would fix the Sixers highlighted Terry. He is a 6’1 guard who is an elite shooter. He can shoot well off the dribble, the catch, and contested. Terry reminds me of the role that Landry Shamet once had on this team before he was traded to the Clippers in the Tobias Harris trade. He averaged 14.6 PPG with 40.1% 3-point shooting. He made plays for his team but was a defensive liability at times when guarding bigger guards. He is only 165 pounds so he could have trouble defending in the NBA. I think the upside and his shooting is something the Sixers would really need to take a chance on. He could be a contributor right away to a roster that needs spacing.

Cole Anthony- PG North Carolina

A year ago, many scouts were convinced Cole Anthony, son of former NBA point guard Greg Anthony, would be a top-5 pick in this year’s draft. He had an underwhelming season at North Carolina due to injury and some mediocre play. Anthony averaged 18.5 ppg and 4 apg in his lone season in Chapel Hill. Anthony is 6’3 with great scoring ability and can put pressure on the defense by attacking the rim. He has great instincts in the pick and roll and can also shoot off the dribble and off the catch. Some say he can be too aggressive, which sometimes lead to careless turnovers. He has also showed some good defensive instincts. He fights over screens and has good help defense IQ. His role with the Sixers would include being the main scoring threat off the bench and providing spacing when he is on the floor with Simmons/Embiid. He could grow into the main ball handler and shot creator which is the exact type of player the Sixers need.

Desmond Bane- SG TCU

Bane was considered one of the best shooters in the country last year and has that same reputation amongst all the draft eligible players. He averaged almost 17 ppg as a senior, while shooting 43 percent from beyond the arc. His 6’6 frame allowed him to shoot over defenders on offense and to be a willing defender on defense. He runs the floor well and can create for others when he is placed into a role where he is handling the ball. Bane is not too shifty or explosive but uses some craftiness to get a bucket. He could play a good role on the Sixers as a flat-out knockdown shooter. He could play a lot of two-man game with Embiid, which could open both players up for open looks.

The Sixers struck gold with Matisse Thybulle in last year’s draft. Let’s hope they can do the same this year if they still have the pick. With Daryl Morey at the helm, you can expect the unexpected.

After all the meetings, searching, and leverage leaks, the 76ers finally hired Glenn “Doc” Rivers as their new Head Coach. Just last week, we were destined to have either Ty Lue or Mike D’Antoni as the new head coach. This flipped quickly once Doc Rivers and the Clippers parted ways on Monday after the Clippers’ collapse in the Western Conference Semi-Finals against the Denver Nuggets. Once the news broke about Rivers, Elton Brand contacted his agent looking to speak with them about his interest in the opening. Rivers was on a flight to Philadelphia within 24 hours and met with GM Elton Brand and the Sixers ownership group on Wednesday. It was reported that Doc spent all day with Brand and then watched the Game 1 of the NBA Finals with the owners and a deal was struck then. Rivers and the 76ers agreed to a five-year deal, with the yearly amount not being disclosed yet.

The Sixers are hoping that Doc Rivers’ Championship pedigree will help unlock the potential of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Rivers is a well-respected coach and should command the locker room immediately, which is something that reportedly Brett Brown lacked. The Sixers are also hoping that Doc Rivers can unlock the potential of Tobias Harris, who signed a max deal last summer. Harris was consistent during the season but never lived up to the expectations of his contract. In the playoffs, he was virtually a no show. Before being traded to the Sixers, Tobias Harris was having his best season under Doc Rivers on the Clippers. He averaged 21 PPG on 50 percent shooting playing under Doc and was arguably an All-Star.

Doc Rivers fell into the Sixers’ lap and in my opinion, this was the best outcome for this team. He has won a championship just like Ty Lue. He may not be as offensively inclined as Mike D’Antoni, but his teams had the ability to score (4^th in the league in scoring in 2019-2020). There are also reports of Rivers adding former Pelicans’ Head Coach Alvin Gentry to his staff, which would add some innovation to the Sixers offense. Rivers will have to deal with the hand that is dealt to him regarding this roster and bring the best out of this team. Ultimately, I think Elton Brand will make some changes to the roster to improve the spacing around Ben and Joel. Once, those moves are made, we will then be able to assess Rivers’ impact on the team.

Who would have thought the Sixers’ season would have ended like it did? The team started out with an opening night win against the Boston Celtics, followed by four straight wins after that. The team was 5-0, and there were no questions about fit or shooting. Fast forward to last week, where the Sixers were SWEPT by the Boston Celtics in the first round. Although Ben Simmons was out due to a knee injury, the team was no match for the Celtics. The team started the season out with championship aspirations but played up and down basketball all season. Some games the team would look like a lock for the Finals. Other games they played like a bottom team in the Eastern Conference. They had this weird thing where no matter who they played; they could barely win a road game. The team was also a whopping 29-2 at home before the season was halted by COVID-19.

Overall, this team underachieved all year. Some blame it on the lack of shooting and spacing. Some blame it on nonchalant attitude of the teams’ young stars. All and all, their underachievement lead to their first-round loss and the firing of Head Coach Brett Brown. Brown was fired the day following the Sixers’ Game 4 loss to the Celtics. It may have been time for Brown to go, but in my opinion others in the front office should have been relieved of duty as well. I personally thought the owners should have cleared house, but Sixers GM Elton Brand was deemed safe.  I know all the roster construction and front office moves weren’t all Elton Brand’s decisions. It is a known fact that Elton didn’t make decisions on his own. He was sort of the face the team put out there. Former Jerry Colangelo staffers and sleeper cells, Scott O’Neill (Sixers CEO) and Ned Cohen (Assistant GM), had their hands in a lot of the decisions. It was even reported when the Sixers were searching for a GM before Brand’s hiring, they were interested in current Pelicans’ GM David Griffin. In his interview, he was told that he would not have full autonomy to make decisions for the team and it would be a collaborative effort. David Griffin decided to not take the job.

Overall, there were a lot of reasons why we ended up with no coach and lots of confusion on the future. Here are some of my observations of how we got here:

• Started in the offseason- Letting JJ Redick and Jimmy Butler walk proved to be fatal for the team this year. Redick’s spacing and shooting was truly missed. The Jimmy Butler saga is something that we will never know the true story on, but clearly Brett Brown and the front office had problems with Jimmy. Jimmy also had issues with them and he decided to walk away. Not sure why they didn’t keep Redick, but both of these loses appeared to affect Joel Embiid a lot.
• Signing Al Horford- We quickly learned that Horford and Embiid could not play with each other with Ben Simmons on the floor. It was surprising to most that Sixers signed Horford to a 100-million-dollar deal. Some nights Al looked great, but most nights he looked a shell of himself. I honestly think Horford never got comfortable playing in Brett’s scheme or with Joel.
• Tobias Harris- Tobias Harris was maxed out this off season to a 180-million-dollar deal. He was steady all year until he disappeared in the playoffs. For a 180-million-dollar player, he can’t just be steady and fly under the radar. He should be commanding the ball and making more plays. He has to improve leaps and bounds.
• Offense was predictable and not having consistent shooting did not help.
• Josh Richardson underachieved all year, but actually played well in the four games in the playoffs.
• Brett Brown inability to adapt and change game plans put the team in a lot of bad spots.
• Joel Embiid spending half the season pouting because he didn’t have Jimmy Butler or JJ Redick hurt the team and its chemistry. Joel looked uninterested for a lot of the games the team played in the early part of the season. He even got into a spat with the fans.
• Ben Simmons- Ben Simmons not improving his game to shoot jump shots put the team in a bind with spacing.

Now that we are here, let’s take a look at how I would fix the Sixers heading into next season:

First thing I would do is fire Scott O’Neill and Ned Cohen to allow Elton Brand to have full decision-making power. If they are not fired, at least remove them from all basketball conversations. Elton Brand said in his recent presser that they would no longer be going with the collaborative approach. If this is true, get Jerry Colangelo’s old friends out of this organization.

Next, I would hire a Head Coach to replace Brett Brown. There are a lot of options and names being mentioned in connection to the 76ers’ vacancy. Former Cavs Head Coach and current Clippers assistant Ty Lue seems to be the frontrunner for the position. There has been multiple reports of the team and Ty Lue having mutual interest. Other names that have been mentioned include current Sixers Assistant Coach Ime Udoka, Villanova Head Coach Jay Wright, current Laker Assistant Coach Jason Kidd, Rockets Player Development Coach John Lucas, and former Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy. If you watched any Sixers games on TNT during the restart, Stan Van Gundy sounded like he was auditioning for the job while commentating. There are some good options available but with so many vacancies in the league, the search will be competitive. If I were the GM, I would hire Ty Lue. He has championship experience and is known for coaching stars hard. He held Lebron James accountable in Cleveland and was able to coach a team with so many egos.

Next, I would make changes to the roster to help build around Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. To maximize their talents, the best bet would be to put shooting and shot creation around them. First up would be trading Al Horford to try to get his contract off the books and creating more spacing for the Big Fella. I think the league knows that Al Horford still has value, but he was not put in the best position to succeed. I think due to this, we will have to give up an asset to trade Al Horford. The two teams I would contact about trading Horford would be the Oklahoma City Thunder and Sacramento Kings. Here are the potential trades:

Both of these trades would get Horford’s contract off the books, but I think the most realistic scenario would be the Thunder trade. Getting a true ball handler and shot creator in CP3 would be amazing. Also, getting some much-needed shooting with Muscala would help shape this roster. Saying goodbye to Josh Richardson would hurt as he has shown flashes on offensive, but ultimately he would be missed on defense. You would hope that Matisse Thybulle can grow into that 3 & D contributor that the Sixers need. I’ve included this years’ first round draft pick in those trades, but don’t be surprised if Thybulle is included in either of the trades instead of the draft pick. It will absolutely cost the Sixers to get off the Horford contract. After the trade, the roster would potentially look like this:

PG: Chris Paul
SG: Shake Milton
SF: Tobias Harris
PF: Ben Simmons
C: Joel Embiid

Bench: Furkan Korkmaz, Mike Muscala, Mike Scott, Matisse Thybulle, Zhaire Smith

Following that trade, I would call the Detroit Pistons and make the following trade:

Getting Luke Kennard would bolster the Sixers shooting and would allow for Embiid and Kennard to do a lot of dribble hand off action. Zhaire Smith would get a new start in Detroit and Mike Scott and Sekou Doumbouya are salary filler. The Pistons would be hard pressed to do this deal, but adding a future first round pick from 2022 would sway the Pistons. The Pistons are in full re-build mode and collecting first round picks would only help their cause. After that trade, the roster would potentially look like this:

PG: Chris Paul
SG: Luke Kennard
SF: Tobias Harris
PF: Ben Simmons
C: Joel Embiid

Bench: Shake Milton, Furkan Korkmaz, Mike Muscala, Matisse Thybulle, Sekou Doumbouya

Following those trades, I would look to improve the team in the draft. After trading the 21^st overall pick in the 2020 draft to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Sixers have four picks left (second rounders):

34^th overall
36^th overall
49^th overall
58^th overall

I would trade the 34^thand 36^th picks with Sekou Doumbouya to the Los Angeles Lakers to get back in the first round at the 28^th overall spot. The Lakers won’t have any use for late first round picks. Moving back would suit the Lakers best, as it would not tie guaranteed cap space. I would pick Stanford PG/SG Tyrell Terry with the newly acquired first round pick. Terry is a 6’1 guard who is an elite shooter. He can shoot well off the dribble, the catch, and contested. Terry reminds me of the role that Landry Shamet once had on this team before he was traded to the Clippers in the Tobias Harris trade. He averaged 14.6 PPG with 40.1% 3-point shooting. He made plays for his team, but was a defensive liability when guarding bigger point guards. He is only 165 pounds so he could have trouble defending in the NBA. I think the upside and his shooting is something the Sixers would really need to take a chance on. He could be a contributor right away to a roster that needs spacing. Check out some of his highlights/draft profile below:

After the 2020 NBA Draft, the roster could potentially look like the below:

PG: Chris Paul
SG: Luke Kennard
SF: Tobias Harris
PF: Ben Simmons
C: Joel Embiid

Bench: Shake Milton, Furkan Korkmaz, Mike Muscala, Matisse Thybulle, Tyrell Terry

Next, I would round out the team in free agency, but adding Chris Paul’s contract wouldn’t do any favors for the team and the salary cap. Chris Paul would be added out of necessity and for a better fit. Getting rid of Josh Richardson’s 11 million per year and renouncing rights to all other free agents on the roster should allow the Sixers to sign some one with their MLE (Mid-Level exception) or Bi-Annual exception. Any other signings would have to be at veteran’s minimum due to the Sixers being over the salary-cap and paying the luxury tax.

Below are some targets I think the Sixers could realistically sign with their MLE and Vet Minimum (roster fit also considered):

C Alex Len
PF Markeiff Morris
SG/SF Pat Connaughthon
SF Glenn Robinson III
SF Justin Holiday
C Nerlens Noel
SF Stanley Johnson
SF Jae Crowder
SG/SF Kent Bazemore
PG Jeff Teague

I would round of the roster with the following signings:

SG/SF Kent Bazemore (MLE)
SF Glenn Robinson
C Alex Len
PF Markeiff Morris
PG Jeff Teague

After all signings and trades, the 2020-2021 Sixers’ opening night rotation would look like the following:

Head Coach: Ty Lue

PG: Chris Paul/Shake Milton/Jeff Teague
SG: Luke Kennard/Tyrell Terry/Kent Bazemore/Marial Shayok (Two-Way)
SF: Tobias Harris/Matisse Thybulle/Furkan Korkmaz/Glenn Robinson
PF: Ben Simmons/Mike Muscala/Markeiff Morris
C: Joel Embiid/Alex Len/Norvelle Pelle (Two-Way)

Is this team a Championship team? I don’t know but they have way better roster construction and spacing. This team could easily complete for a top seed in the East and compete with the Bucks, Celts, and Raptors. Let me know what you think about this potential Sixers roster.

The Sixers and Celtics tipped off Game 3 of their first round series Friday evening. Down 2-0, Brett Brown said before the game he had to make some defensive and offensive adjustments. The first adjustment he made was inserting Al Horford back into the starting lineup. The game started out sloppy on both end for the Sixers. The Sixers couldn’t buy a bucket and defensive lapses happened time and time again. Shake Milton was struggling on defense in the first quarter giving up 3 or 4 open 3-pointers because he was ball watching or not paying attention to his matchup. Jayson Tatum tried to make his presence felt but he was called for 3 early fouls. As the quarter came to an end, the Sixers found themselves down 26-24, shooting 24 percent from the field.

The second quarter was a back and forth affair with the Sixers leading briefly by 3. After they lost that lead, they fought hard to stay in the game. It seemed like they had to work super hard for every bucket they scored. The pick and roll defense that Brett said would change ended up stayed the same.  Josh Richardson started hitting some 3-pointers to keep the Blue and White in it. Embiid fought hard in the first half with 22 pts and 10 rebs. Even with these efforts, they were down 51-49.

The second half began with the Sixers still trying to work through Embiid in the post. They had a couple fast break opportunities, but they were spoiled by bad passes and turnovers. Tobias Harris battled all quarter on the boards because his offensive game just wasn’t there. There was a stretch in the third where Korkmaz was subbed in the game. He switched out on Kemba and got cooked a few times. Korkmaz also shot a horrible transition shot that airballed. Brett pulled him immediately at the next dead ball to get him out of the game. Both the Sixers and Celtics shot bad and the Sixers tried to survive the third with Embiid on the bench with 4 fouls.

The fourth quarter began with the home team down 4 points and Boston was able to keep them at bay early on. A 3-pointer by Shake Milton helped bring the Sixers within one point and ultimately the Sixers were able to pull ahead by 2 point, 94-92. The next possession Embiid saw the double team and made the wrong read which led to a turnover and a bucket. The very next play, Joel went to the rim and tried to draw the foul, but turned the ball over which led to another score. Ultimately, the Celtics went on a 10-0 run to end the game and win 102-94. The Big Fella was the only reason they were in the game, but his costly turnovers led to their demise. The Sixers are now down 3-0, which is virtually impossible to come back from. The Sixers let an opportunity fall through their fingertips with Tatum having his worst game of the series.

Quick Observations from the game:

• Tobias Harris had 15 rebs and had 6 offensive board but his offense has completely disappeared. He hasn’t hit a 3-pointer all series. I like Tobias a lot, but there is no excuse for him not stepping up in the playoffs.
• Joel Embiid is putting this team on his back offensively, but those two late turnovers were crucial. You can’t say Joel quit on the team or didn’t give it his all this series.
• Pick and Roll defense was not adjusted throughout the game. Brett Brown needed to make an adjustment and stick with the outcome.
• The team misses Ben Simmons so much. He is the best defensive player on the team and could check Tatum 1 on 1. He also created so many Fastbreak opportunities and open 3-pointers. If anyone reading this can’t see the impact he has on the game just because he doesn’t shoot, you need to get your eyes checked.
• BRETT BROWN COUNT YOUR DAYS MY GUY!
• YOU TOO ELTON BRAND!

Game 4 is Sunday afternoon vs. Celtics. Let’s see if the Sixers put up a fight or lay down and get swept.