Analyzing the state of the Philadelphia 76ers franchise heading into the 2018 NBA offseason
For the Philadelphia 76ers, 2017-18 finally gave a glimpse of what could come for the franchise. After years of tanking, Philadelphia was ready this year to put its product on display though many thought this was a year they would fight for a playoff berth and nothing more.
The 76ers would not only exceed expectation by making the playoffs but the team would win 52 games, its most since 2000-01, and earn the 3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The 76ers entered the playoffs having won their final 16 games and showed that even though the team was young it had the talent to compete for a championship.
The 76ers would win their first round series 4-1 over the Miami Heat. The 76ers dominated that series scoring at least 103 in every contest. Heading into the semifinals the 76ers were being looked at as the possible favorites to make it out of the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately for Philadelphia their youth started to show against the Boston Celtics.
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Boston was able to make Philadelphia beat itself with mistakes and by taking Ben Simmons out of the equation. The76ers would lose the series in 5 games. With the exception of Game 1 the 76ers had several chances to win the three other games they lost. Philadelphia lost those three games by a combined 10 points.
Numbers:
Record: 52-30
Off Rtg: 109.5
Def Rtg: 105.0
Pace: 99.8
EFG%: .535
Net Rtg: 4.5
Starting 5:
Ben Simmons: 15.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 8.2 APG
J.J. Redick: 17.1 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.0 APG
Robert Covington: 12.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.0 APG
Dario Saric: 14.6 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.6 APG
Joel Embiid: 22.9 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 3.2 APG
Lineup record: 32-15
Draft picks and free agency outlook:
Philadelphia is coming off a 52 win season and they could not only add a major player in free agency but they also have six draft picks. The 76ers will have picks 10, 26, 38, 39, 56, and 60 in June’s draft. The 76ers have been rumored to be interested in upcoming free agents Paul George and LeBron James as well as showing interest in trading for San Antonio superstar Kawhi Leonard.
If the 76ers land one of those marquee free agents and have a successful draft then there is no reason that the 76ers couldn’t be looked at as a favorite in the Eastern Conference. Depending on what the 76ers do with their own free agents such as Redick, Belinelli, and Ilyasova then Philadelphia could have between 25-30 million in free agency.
Burning question: How good can the 76ers be?
The 76ers are a 52 win team that’s led by Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Embiid will be in his third season and Simmons in his second. Combine that with a possible free agent addition as well as a top 10 pick and it’s not crazy to think Philadelphia could be one of the league’s best teams for the next 10 years.
Must Read: Trusting the Process: A Look into the rebuild of the Philadelphia 76ers
Outlook:
It’s hard to find a team with a brighter future than Philadelphia. The 76ers are young and talented and could easily become even better this offseason. Should Philadelphia land a player like George, LeBron, or Leonard then that would make them the East favorite for the next several years. After years of telling fans to trust the process it appears that the 76ers are rewarding those fans with a team that figures to be among the elites for years.