Brandon Apter, contributor to Sixerdelphia.com
Even though I live in the Atlanta area, growing up in Philadelphia has me as a Sixers fan, whether I like it or not. Seeing this team go through their championship run in 2001 and seeing them compete, and actually win some games, is all but a distant memory. In year three of the rebuild, people are starting to question whether or not Sam Hinkie's plan will actually work and if this team will ever see the light of day over the next season or two. But first of all, this young core, especially Jahlil Okafor, needs to get their first win. When will that happen? Let's take a look…
The Sixers had great opportunities to snap their embarrassing losing streak over their last two games but gave up double-digit leads in both of them, ending in heart-breaking defeats for a young team that may not see winning become part of their culture for quite some time. After coming close against Miami and Minnesota on the road, the Sixers have three more games on their current road trip with stops in Boston, Houston and Memphis. Boston beat them, 112-95, on opening night while Houston is still reeling from their coach firing, but unlikely to result in a win for the Sixers with the threat of James Harden. Meanwhile, Memphis could pose a winnable game for Philadelphia, but Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel will have their hands full against Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol in the post.
The Sixers return home on December the 1st to face a Lakers team which holds a top-three protected draft pick that the Sixers and their fans hope will convey this season. Currently at 2-11, the December 1st matchup with L.A. poses the next legitimate winning situation for the Sixers. They are 22nd in the NBA in points per game with 98.2 and Kobe Bryant is shooting just 33.1% to start the season, but still leads the team in scoring per game. After the Lakers game, the Sixers play the Knicks, likely a loss, the Spurs and Nuggets. While a win against Denver is most possible of those three, their next opportunity after the Lakers will be on December 10th against the currently 3-11 Brooklyn Nets. Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta, New York and Cleveland will follow the Nets game, so the Liberty Ballers might have a rough go at tallying a 'W' over that span. In conclusion, the Sixers best chances at a win come December 1st against the Lakers and December 10th against the Nets.
Whether or not the Sixers get a win soon or a month down the road, ownership and management seems intent on seeing Sam Hinkie's plan through until the hopefully not bitter end. Let's face the facts. The Sixers have been hurt by not drafting in the top two spots in the draft over the past two seasons and their lack of shooting depth will be an issue until they find themselves a star from college. Enter LSU's Ben Simmons. Averaging 19.3 points, 14.5 rebounds and 5.3 blocks per game, Simmons is the guy the Sixers need to make this rebuild move forward. Jahlil Okafor is a promising big man and Nerlens Noel will hopefully develop into an elite rim defender, but what this team really needs is a shooter, and Simmons fits that need perfectly. So if you get sick of the losing, tired of Hinkie and frustrated from the defeats, watch these highlights and regain a glimmer of hope that this process may actually work. Simmons scored 21, grabbed 20 rebounds and dished out seven assists in LSU's win over Marquette.
If the Sixers get Simmons and get Embiid back on the court and Dario Saric comes to Philadelphia from Turkey, this team could see a quick turnaround to the playoffs come the 2017-18 season. If the Sixers don't get Simmons for whatever reason, Skal Labissiere, a PF/C from Kentucky would be an option at the two pick, but the Sixers don't need another big man. In the upcoming draft, they can't take best available, they need to select a guy who can shoot the ball when the Sixers are looking to close out game. Jaylen Brown, a Kentucky forward, could be another option for the Sixers along with Duke's Brandon Ingram if they secure the Lakers pick outside the top three.
Getting back to Hinkie's plan. It's year three and we are experienced the worst this team has been. Last year, there was Carter-Williams for a while, Tony Wroten contributed regularly and there was some hope moving forward. Even though it seems like things are getting more hopeless, the potential of getting a game-changer like Simmons is exactly what Hinkie's plan is set to do. While most across the NBA don't endorse or support or even admit to tanking, it is what the Sixers have to do in order to draft young talent and attract free agents to Philadelphia.
As someone who has had his share of doubts on the process over the past weeks, after watching what could happen in this upcoming draft makes me hopeful that this team will see brighter days, but more importantly a brighter future.
