Photo Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
Grantland is getting ready for the upcoming NBA season with their NBA Preview, and part of that series of posts is Zach Lowe’s “33 Crazy Predictions,” three of which are about our own 76ers. The first? Wins:
Philadelphia will win fewer than the 19 games it won last season.
Those Sixers started 3-0 and have since jettisoned their only three NBA-quality veterans in Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes, and Thad Young. Those guys aren’t world-beaters, but they are actual NBA rotation players. The Sixers’ roster is so bad, some guys have the NBA equivalent of the Facebook question mark for their official league profile photos.
I recently talked to someone about the “no harm, no foul” prospects of throwing $50 down on the “over” for Vegas’ 15.5 wins prediction on the Sixers. I think that’s a relatively safe bet to make, considering that while they’re worse this year than they were last, I can’t imagine them dropping all but one game over two months as they did last season. Winning more than 19 though? That’s a tougher call. Lowe’s predictions carried on to MCW:
Philly will sniff out Michael Carter-Williams deals.
They tried hard during the draft, but they couldn’t draw the trove they envisioned or guarantee that the player they wanted with an acquired pick would be there, per several league sources. Expect Philly to repeat the exercise. It’s not a shot at Carter-Williams, or even a signal that the Sixers are dying to trade him. He may well end up a long-term cog in Philly.
The team knows point guard is the most replaceable position in the league today, and it will seek out any deal that adds to its stockpile of high-value draft picks.
That’s a no-brainer there. As Bill Simmons — back from his forced break — and Jalen Rose said in their Sixers breakdown video, there isn’t a man on the roster of a 19-win team that is off-limits if the right deal comes up. And finally, something to look forward to:
Joel Embiid will play this season.
He’ll be ready by the last couple of weeks, and the Sixers will want to remind dispirited fans that the cavalry is coming.
That’s fantastic news if it turns out that way, since both Joel Embiid and Dario Saric (whose season has already begun in Turkey) have logged the same number of minutes.
7 Responses
The Sixers are a glorified d-league team,and if they win more than 10 games they should have a parade down broad street.
Since this is once again a throw away season,parking,concessions and tickets should be half off.
It’s the least Joshua Harris could do to appease the ever dwindling Sixers fan base.
Wasn’t MCW a Hinkie draft? So the Sixers are looking to deal him already after just one season where he wins the Rookie of the Year award playing with absolutely nobody with any NBA skills? And now Hinkie thinks he isn’t good enough to keep? Remember – Houston won nothing while Hinkie was there and hasn’t won anything since he left. At what point does the Emperor have no clothes?
What? No. But if Hinkie thinks he can get a first and second for MCW, grab another MCW and another piece, he’s going to do it.
Did you even read?
“The team knows point guard is the most replaceable position in the league today, and it will seek out any deal that adds to its stockpile of high-value draft picks.”
Dude, you missed my point entirely. Tell me, when do the picks really start playing, you know, NBA basketball? When do the Sixers start to build, you know, an NBA team with an identity? OK, I’ll give ya an easier question: when the Sixers finally field a team that can compete for a playoff spot,how many first and second round picks will the Sixers have had? Once you have that number, tell me again that the way Hinkie is going about it is the only way to win in the NBA. Emperor has no clothes or track record.
This is where I don’t get the NBA. Didn’t we suck already to even get MCW now we trade him? No vet will ever come here so we’re just going to get more picks to trade later? At what point does this fall into place (if ever)?
Since when does saying that the Sixers will win fewer than 19 games qualify as a “crazy prediction?” I’d say more people than not would take the under on 19.
The Eagles will have more wins this year than the Sixers.
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