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Fans of the Philadelphia 76ers are really hoping that this past season will be the last for a long time that their team pulls a tank job in the hopes of putting themselves in the best position to draft top-quality talent.
During the last two drafts, the Sixers shored up their frontcourt by adding the shot-blocking and defensive specialist Nerlens Noel and budding young center Joel Embiid. Both Noel and Embiid sat out their first seasons in the league, respectively, much to the dismay of the fans who wanted something to cheer for during those two very difficult seasons.
The good news for both the Sixers and their fans is that both of these guys should be healthy and ready to go by the start of next season, when the team will finally be looking to start winning games and building their future core.
A huge question remains as to whether Noel and Embiid can co-exist at the same time. Both possess similar skill-sets which concentrate on defense, rebounding and getting as close to the rim as possible when they are on the offensive end of the floor. Personally, I believe if this is to be successful that Embiid must develop a reliable mid-range shot like Serge Ibaka did over a short period of time when he first came to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
There is nothing wrong with having a big frontcourt, and Noel and Embiid could certainly be a nightmare duo that could turn into one of the best in the league someday. But in order for this to work, one or both of these players must work on their touch to draw defenses out. We have seen the Washington Wizards be successful over the last couple years with their two-some of Marcin Gortat and Nene. Gortat has repeatedly demonstrated that he can knock down a jumpshot, which spaces the floor better for his teammates while also opening it up for an inside bruiser like Nene to operate.
The Sixers have to now exercise patience in where they go from here. Their decision to trade Michael Carter-Williams at the February trade deadline was understandable, but also a huge risk considering that a young player like Carter-Williams can get better over time with the right coaching.
I will be very interested to see how Noel and Embiid do together on the court at the same time and how they improve over time. It may not be pretty to watch at times, and there will absolutely be many who doubt these two can help lead the charge for a revamped Sixers roster initially. But how each of these guys develops will be incredibly crucial to not only proving that general manager Sam Hinkie has pulled off a masterful rebuilding job for the ages, but that this franchise will be in great shape for the long-term as well.
Dan Schultz is an NBA sports writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter @dschultz89. “Like” him on Facebook and add him on Google.
