The Philadelphia 76ers are in a state of flux right now. After being swept by the Boston Celtics, the 76ers parted ways with Brett Brown. Many rumors and questions are floating around after an embarrassing effort against the Celtics. Some are speculating whether or not Joel Embiid will want out of the city of brotherly love and some are wanting GM Elton Brand fired for his questionable decisions during free agency. Decisions like overpaying Al Horford and Tobias Harris and not pursuing players who fit around the two stars. With all of this in mind, many fans wonder if the “process,” has failed. That is what we are here to analyze.

Did the Process Fail?

Philadelphia 76ers: Their Rebuild Process

Before we delve further into this, it is important to look at some crucial facts. For one, the 76ers were without their second star in Ben Simmons in the playoffs. That does not necessarily excuse their effort in the postseason, but Simmons would have most likely netted them at least one or two games in the series. After all, this was not just some role player the 76ers were missing, this was a 6’10 point guard who is a two-time All-Star, and a former Rookie of the Year they did not have the services of in the series against Boston.

Last, but not least, the 76ers are not known for their depth. This is not the Denver Nuggets who were praised for their bench before the season, only to be relatively underwhelming during the year. No, the 76ers have a great starting lineup, but a fairly weak bench unit. The loss of JJ Redick was honestly one of the biggest losses for the Philadelphia 76ers. So, before we cast too much judgment, let’s keep these facts in mind.

The Verdict on the Process

My final verdict on the “process,” for the Philadelphia 76ers is that it cannot be considered a failure yet. We still have to get through at least one more season with a healthy sixers squad. As alluded to earlier, Philly was playing without Ben Simmons, so it was not exactly an even matchup (again, not an excuse, but it is something to keep in mind.) Especially when you take into account how well the three-seeded Boston Celtics are constructed with their young lineup and positionless scheme.

Al Horford and Joel Embiid are both solid in their own ways, but they simply do not mesh well together on the floor. During the playoffs, Horford averaged only 7.0 points, 2.3 assists, and an effective field goal percentage of 48.0 percent. Keeping him around might be something the front office takes a hard look at in the offseason. The team also could look at changing up the lineups.  That also depends on which new head coach they bring in for next season. With all of this in mind, my verdict on the Philadelphia 76ers’ process is that it is not a failure…at least as of yet.

Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images

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Matt Huff, Director of Recruiting and Development

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