Yet again, the 76ers have been eliminated from the playoffs and it’s safe to say the process has failed. Philadelphia never had a real shot at a championship and must make major changes this off-season.
The changes have already begun with the firing of head coach Doc Rivers. A much-needed move for the team, as he held back his players and put together terrible rotations. Two examples are Isaiah Joe and Paul Reed. Joe didn’t play often for the 76ers, but when given a chance with the Thunder, he’s been great. Rivers chose to play Furkan Korkmaz and others who rarely contributed.
Continuing with Paul Reed, whose impressive skills were overshadowed by the stubbornness of Doc Rivers to play his veterans. Reed sat behind Deandre Jordan and Dwayne Dedmon when it was blatantly obvious they shouldn’t have been awarded playing time.
The dismissal of Doc Rivers couldn’t have come at a better time when looking at the candidates to become their new head coach. This includes Mike Budenholzer, Mike D’Antoni Frank Vogel, Nick Nurse, Monty Williams, and Sam Cassell. Every coach has playoff experience and coached a championship-caliber team.
What move comes next?
Darel Morey has a lot of work to do during the off-season, and his biggest priority should be getting rid of Tobias Harris’s contract, as he is extremely overpaid. His contract would indicate that he’s the third star alongside Harden and Embiid, but he’s not. Tyrese Maxey, who’s still on his rookie deal has added more than Tobias Harris.
The second move that needs to be made is to bring back James Harden on a multi-year deal. Harden lived up to expectations this season after having a rough start in Philadelphia, and formed an unstoppable duo with Joel Embiid.
If they are unable to bring Harden back, it’s time to rebuild. If Harden departs somewhere else this off-season the 76ers’ firepower is gone, and it would be best to let Tyrese Maxey be the number-one option. While an Embiid trade is unlikely, it could give Philadelphia much-needed draft capital, along with other players to build around Maxey.
Like the Brooklyn Nets did trading Kevin Durant, they were able to add multiple young pieces to form a new core while also adding draft capital. They cannot afford to have another disappointing playoff exit, and their window for a championship can close very soon.
Most importantly, Darel Morey and his staff need to hire the right head coach that will maximize the roster’s talent. While many quickly turn to the bigger-name candidates, Sam Cassell would be an amazing option, as he’s received interest across the league and played a huge part in Doc Rivers’ success.
Continuing with the list of candidates includes two title-winning head coaches Nick Nurse and Mike Budenholzer, who would be able to design a system and bring the team a long-awaited championship.
Darel Morey needs to make moves as he’s done so far in his tenure with the organization. Bring in a winning head coach who can lead the team, and re-tool the team by bringing in more young players and disposing of bad contracts.
