Few teams in the NBA have received as much hype as the Philadelphia 76ers in recent years.
Former GM Sam Hinkie established a tanking culture with an aim to compete in the future, and apparently the so-called “Process” is reaping benefits to the team early in the current season. Apparently, losing 253 games combined over the past four seasons has built a long-term contender in Philly. The team was so bad, that in three of those four years they failed to crack the 20-win barrier.
But times have changed in Philadelphia. In only a few months, the Sixers went from being laughable to become respectable not only in the Eastern Conference but in the entire NBA. They have an impressive collection of talent and a very deep roster. By all accounts, they seem equipped to make a playoff run, although it remains to be seen how they will adjust to the play of an entire season. But one thing is for real here: the Sixers are here to stay. They won’t go anywhere, and it’s not going to be long before we see them battling for championships and stuff like that.
Let’s start by analyzing their impressive pool of young talent. They have drafted Joel Embiid, Dario Saric, Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz over the past few years. This group is called “The FEDS” by the fans and it’s the core the Sixers are trying to build around. While they have had different levels of success in the NBA, there is no question all four players are incredibly talented.
Dario Saric and Markelle Fultz
Let’s start by Fultz and Saric, as they are “less heralded” of the aforementioned foursome. Saric was taken with the 12th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft but made his debut stateside last season. He ended being one of the top rookies in the league and was among the finalists for the Rookie Of The Year Award. His game has taken a step forward this season, though, and now averages 9.6 points and 5.3 rebounds. His numbers are slightly worse than last year, though. But the talent is clearly there to make him an excellent complementary option.
Fultz was the top pick in this year’s Draft, but injuries have limited him to just four games where he always came off the bench. But a nagging shoulder injury has him out indefinitely. He needs to recover, but there is no doubt he will change this team once he does. Fultz was one of the best playmakers in the NCAA only a few months ago, and if he can replicate that success at the NBA, then the Sixers might become truly unstoppable.
Joel Embiid
Next, we have Joel Embiid. The Cameroon native was taken with the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, although he missed his first two seasons due to injury problems. He only played in 31 games in his debut season last year, but there’s no doubt he made quite an impact. This year he has been even better, and already established himself as one of the most dominant big men in the NBA.
Embiid averages 23 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.9 blocks and one steal per game in the current campaign. He’s the ultimate two-way player and can dominate either end of the court with absolute ease. Injuries will always be a concern for him, but he’s good enough to become the best interior player in the NBA sooner than later.
Ben Simmons
Last but not least, we have Ben Simmons. The Australian point forward was the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, but a nagging injury prevented him from playing all season long. But he is healthy now, and boy he is showing it. We only are one month into the season and it’s already hard to imagine another player winning the Rookie Of The Year Award if Simmons doesn’t take it. He’s been THAT good because he had a veteran mindset that allows him to move all over the court properly while exploiting the right matchups.
That mixture of talent and strength is hard to see, but he has it. After all, that’s why he’s averaging 17.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 7.7 assists in his first 14 NBA games as a 21-year-old. If that sounds scary, it’s because he is.
Philly is more than just those four players, though. They also have Robert Covington, J.J. Redick, Jerryd Bayless, T.J. McConnell and Jahill Okafor – among others – to add depth and experience to the team. They could use another scoring weapon off the second unit, but there will be enough time to see in which areas they can improve the team.
The important thing is that they are here to stay. And they everything they need to become a contender for the next five to 10 years if they play their cards right in the short-term future.