Outside of perhaps the L.A Lakers it’s hard to think of a more disappointing team in the NBA this season than Philadelphia.
The 76ers are currently four games outside a playoff berth with their awful season compounded by the fact only four teams are paying more salary than the Philly club.
Unlike other franchises whose tailspin has a modicum of predictability, Philadelphia’s has been somewhat of a surprise.
The 76ers were in the playoffs 10 months ago having led the Atlantic Division for a large part of the year. In the post-season they eliminated the Bulls (albeit Chicago without the services of Derrick Rose) before taking the Celtics to seven games in the Eastern Conference Semi Finals.
Evidence pointing towards the horrendous season for Philly can be found in an off-season fuelled by an internal misinterpretation of how advanced they were as a franchise.
The 76ers traded out their best player Andre Iguodala in exchange for a deal to land L.A centre Andrew Bynum who not only had just a year to run on his contract but whose historically battered body has kept him from playing a single game this season.
What’s more, Philly had already re-signed big man Spencer Hawes on a two year, $13 million deal prior to the Bynum trade bringing into serious question the sudden need to acquire the Los Angeles centre.
Despite the deal and Bynum’s inactivity, Hawes has failed to deliver and has started just 11 of a possible 53 games this campaign.
Philly also used free agency period to bring in a raft of outside shooters including Nick Young, Jason Richardson and Dorell Wright, all of whom are earning at least $4 million this season, none of which have managed to hit the long range shot better than 36%.
Without doubt the shining light in Philadelphia this season has been Jrue Holiday who was recently rewarded with his first All-Star appearance.
The former UCLA first round pick is averaging 18 points and eight assists per game, with a massive 27% of Philly’s offence being run through him.
Of concern however is the 38 minutes per game Holiday is being apportioned each game which is a big jump on the 33 he averaged last year and large numbers for just a fourth year player.
The 76ers are presently in the midst of a five game skid and haven’t topped 92 points in any of their past 10 games.
For a team club who inspired so much positivity last season there’s now serious fears Philly are about to enter, and perhaps remain, among the NBA’s bottom feeders for seasons to come.
Front office complacency went a long way in sending the 76ers to this position. Front office imagination and ingenuity will perhaps be the only way to bring them back.
mushi
Roar Guru
The other thing that sums up the 76ers letting Williams go for Young.
Blendo
Guest
Yep, they took a leap of faith and landed flat on their face. Not the end of the world since a guy like Iguodala wasn't going to bring them a championship anyway. They need a true superstar...that's the only way you can win in the NBA. Hopefully they realize it's better to drop to the bottom of the barrel and truly rebuild with draft picks, etc., rather than float around in the middle for years on end...
mushi
Roar Guru
No one wanted Turner though. Rebounding specialist two guards aren't exactly the hottest commodity
james rosewarne
Roar Guru
Like your point about Philly pushing to get an above average centre, particularly in a conference devoid of such players. The move was a risk perhaps worth taking, yet one that has failed terribly. I'm a huge Iguodala fan, so I just couldn't endorse trading him out. Then again, how else to you land players of Bynum's ilk in this league when you have little else on the roster. Maybe they could have been more creative and tried to do a deal involving Turner instead? God only knows where they'd be without Holiday this season! sportingnumbers.blogspot.com
astro
Guest
"Evidence pointing towards the horrendous season for Philly can be found in an off-season fuelled by an internal misinterpretation of how advanced they were as a franchise"...Spot on. Simply put, Philly went much further in last years playoffs than they should of, because of the Rose injury. Having said that, the bynum trade was defensible. They made a play for a franchise centre (and dumped Iggy, who has been ok, but not amazing for Denver), in a conference where no franchise centre exists (and I don't believe Bosh or Garnett are true centres). Bynum was healthy last year, and played well for the lakers, so it wasn't unreasonable to think he'd contribute this year and be effective. But the lakers sold them a lemon...
Nick Guthrie
Roar Pro
At the start of the season I honestly thought that the Knicks, Celtics, Nets and 76ers were all capable of taking out the Atlantic Division but it just hasn't happened for Philly. I never understood the move for Bynum, it was just so risky and no one apart from Jrue has really offered much this season. I admit I'm only a casual Philly fan and haven't seen a lot of them this season but I totally agree, it's been such a disappointing season and there's got to be some pressure on a lot of people involved in the organisation.