Loser: Joel Embiid
Another playoff exit for Joel Embiid and this one wasn’t after four bounces at the end of the buzzer in Toronto. This one took the form of a sweep at the hands of division rivals the Boston Celtics.
The Philadelphia 76ers were missing either their best or second-best player (depending on who you ask) and we watched as Joel barely touched the ball and the Alec Burks and Al Horford show failed to beat an elite defense.
Similar to Indiana, the Sixers fired head coach Brett Brown shortly after, the guy who had stuck with the organization through the intentional tanking ‘Process’ years. Also similar to Indiana, people are suggesting fake trades for the team, hoping to split up the pair of Simmons and Embiid after a lackluster season.
This has been talked about to death, but the Sixers need something to change big and I’m honestly not sure where it comes from with their lack of financial flexibility.
In these moments, I always think back to a podcast ESPN’s Ramonda Shelbourne did with Zach Lowe, where, following an interview with Joel, she said the center doesn’t want his 76ers team to end up like OKC – that is, being split up like we saw Sam Presti do, trading James Harden and eventually seeing Kevin Durant leave in free agency.
Elton Brand says he has no intention to break up the pair when speaking with media after firing Brown. So we’re likely not going to see them turn out like OKC this offseason, but what does the future hold?