Philadelphia 76ers Rebuild Showing the Risks of Constant Losing
The Philadelphia 76ers had to know growing pains were ahead when they embarked on a long-term rebuilding plan.
But they might not have expected them to hurt this much, this soon.
The natives are restless in Philly, with last season's Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams offering up telling revelations like: "I don't know what the big picture is. It's hard to tell," via Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
Pointed comments from teammate Nerlens Noel indicate the issues in Philadelphia aren't just confined to confusion about a long-term vision. Dissatisfaction is also seeping into the day-to-day in the form of on-court dissent brought about by constant losing.
After a recent loss to the Washington Wizards, Noel sounded off about his lack of involvement, via Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News:
As well as the me-first attitudes of his teammates:
Noel has since walked back his postgame comments, and Carter-Williams, the guy many perceived as the target of Noel's outburst, has since echoed his teammate's criticism of the team's offense, per Dei Lynam of CSN Philadelphia: "We were stagnant on offense and just couldn't get it together. We need better ball movement as a team and it starts with me. I think that is why I take most of the blame for it."
Unfortunately, the troubles associated with so much losing may also be spilling over to key pieces of the rebuild who aren't even playing yet.
According to a report from Keith Pompey of Philly.com, Joel Embiid, perhaps the franchise's best option to one day assume the empty superstar mantle, isn't progressing as hoped during his season on the sidelines.
"Embiid has a weight issue. Although the Sixers wouldn't disclose his weight, a source said he's close to 300 pounds after being 250 pounds at Kansas last season.
His work ethic is being questioned by some inside the organization.
And a blowup with assistant strength and conditioning coach James Davis is one of the reasons he was sent home during the team's recent West Coast road trip.
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All three of the Sixers' key talents—Carter-Williams, Noel and Embiid—are professionals, which means it's fair to ask them to trust management, not snipe at other employees and work hard, respectively. But it's just so easy to see why all three might find it difficult to embrace professionalism, or the concept of playing for something more than themselves, in such an environment.
When you consider the Sixers' roster—clearly designed not to be competitive in the short term—and you watch them sell off player after player so they can add to their ever-growing stockpile of second-round picks, it's easy to understand why anyone on the current roster would struggle to buy in.
Rebuilding projects make total sense for owners and management who'll theoretically be around for years and years—long enough to eventually see the plan through and profit from it. Players are different. They're on shorter contracts and are necessarily more motivated to get things done now.
The three- to five-year window head coach Brett Brown speculatively pegged last season as the time necessary to complete the rebuild seems wildly optimistic now.
Not only that, but making it to the NBA is exceptionally difficult. Even the assembled castoffs on Philadelphia's roster have advanced this far in large part because they possess otherworldly competitive instincts.
Playing for a team that is presently designed to lose (even if there's a plan to change that some day) has to do a number on guys hardwired to win.
Philadelphia won 19 games a year ago and is on pace to collect 16 victories this season. Though those numbers are trending in the right direction for a front office interested in bottoming out, they're not exactly morale-boosters for players on the roster.
Given all that, it's tempting to make a plea to general manager Sam Hinkie and owner Josh Harris to change course. To skip a few steps. To start showing real progress toward success in the short term.
You'd have to think the players, at least, would want that.
At the same time, this whole thing has been about process. And abandoning a process requiring this much time, patience and faith because the results aren't materializing quickly would be a mistake.
Call it being pot-stuck. Call it digging in. Just don't call off the plan.
Still, something may need to change soon for the Sixers, if only to quiet internal dissent and show important figures like Embiid that there's something worth working for down the line.
Maybe that means playing up the potential of Dario Saric, who just won the FIBA Europe Young Men's Player of the Year Award for the second time. He might be on the roster in a year or two, which is a real positive—but probably not one that'll inspire the guys already suiting up in Philly.
Moving Carter-Williams would be one of the bolder routes to take, but because Philly categorizes players as assets, you'd think any sentimental attachment would be minimal. MCW isn't a cornerstone, according to Lee: "Following a strong rookie year in which he was showcased on a lousy team, Carter-Williams hasn’t made the type of progress that would suggest he is a talent worth building around."
It's true. Carter-Williams' shooting numbers are down across the board (he's hitting just 38.2 percent of his field goals), and his turnover rate has spiked since last season.
Trading him could serve the dual purpose of bringing in fresh assets and helping the Sixers limit internal dissent. If MCW were a surefire star-in-waiting, the analysis would be different. But there's just no indication he's a franchise-altering talent.
That'd be a short-term fix, though, and one that might send the message to players and fans that this process could go on far longer than anticipated. And if the minor fraying already taking place in the locker room is any indication, there's a strong desire for the Sixers' rebuilding effort to pick up the pace.
Logically, the 76ers' plan makes sense, and sticking with it is the smartest objective play. But emotionally, subjectively, it's beginning to take a toll.
Adhering to that long-term plan while giving players something more immediate to believe in will be a massive challenge.
If the Sixers can't pull it off, all these growing pains will have been for nothing.
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