Matt Steele
Staff Writer
Although it feels like an eternity, the Philadelphia 76ers are only in year two of their total rebuild. Season one was the infamous gutting of the team, leaving the roster with more hateful and accusatory basketball fans than actual NBA-level talent. Their season was defined by 10-day contracts and losing. The question is: Will this season be any different? Ready for the scary answer? They may actually be worse this year than last.
Through General Manager Sam Hinkie is a evil genius, he has completely stripped the roster of anything resembling a go-to scorer, leaving the team absolutely inept on the offensive end. The Sixers now have between three and seven guys who look like legitimate NBA players, depending on who you ask. While this is less than the beginning of last season, as Spencer Hawes, Evan Turner, Lavoy Allen, and fan favorite Thaddeus Young are gone, they have been replaced by a group of young, athletic, defensive minded players who have high upside. However, most of them haven’t yet earned a spot in the Association, but it looks like there is a definite path. But a light at the end of the tunnel doesn’t translate to wins right now. This has been evident. At the time of writing this, the Sixers are a paltry 1-17, and their upcoming schedule doesn’t seem too likely to lend them a win.
This leaves many people asking what possible reason there is to watch the league’s worst team during a historically bad season. The easy answer is, there isn’t a valid reason to. However, looking deeper into the makeup of the team, there is a chance for a truly entertaining basketball team, albeit one who seems to have a phobia of wins. If fans can look past the final box score, they will see an athletic team that has a penchant for crazy dunks, highlight worthy plays, and jaw dropping blocks.
It may be emotionally draining, but being a fan of the Sixers will pay its dues in a few years. The future outlook of this team is extremely bright, but make no mistake, they will be bad this year. Very bad. Much like the Dark Ages transitioning into the Renaissance, the future holds success, but the present is bleak.
