The good news -- that the team won 50 games this season. The other news -- that they did so with an odd assortment of flawed parts and beat up on the weaker portion of the league in the second half to get there. Sure, you play who you play, but it is not as though the team plowed through the guts of the West to get to 50 games.
The bad news -- where to start, so here goes:
1. Boston out-toughed the 76ers, had a better strategy and had more complete players in the NBA semi-finals. Atop that, they beat the 76ers in 5 without their two best players. And the 76ers' head coach, a likeable fellow, was outcoached by the next "superstar" coach in the league, Brad Stevens. By the way, this author grew up loathing the Celtics and still roots hard against them, but let's give credit where credit is due. And Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens merit a lot of credit.
2. The 76ers have a bunch of on-the-court issues to sort out, and, it seems, no player is immune. So, in no particular order, the following:
a. Ben Simmons did not show up in the NBA semis. He is reluctant to shoot, has an odd shot and a bad shot at that. Of course, if he had a good shot, he might be the next uber-star, but right now he is an enigma who good coaches can figure out how to defend. Most great players can shoot the rock; Simmons cannot. Atop that, his coach offered that the team would only make minor tweaks to his shot. No less an authority on good, clutch shooting -- Kobe Bryant -- offered his opinion that the team needs to reconstruct Simmons' shot, period.
b. Joel Embiid presents a high-class problem if he gets healthier, can practice with the team, and gets into much better shape. He is an amazing talent, a very complete basketball player, and compelling because he is so tall and so skilled. That said, he needs to turn the ball over less while the team needs to use him better. Running the offense through him at the high post seems to be misguided. And no one can guard him down low, and, if someone could, that person wouldn't be quick enough to stay with him outside.
c. Markell Fultz right now looks to be a bust. Sure, he's young, and I am empathetic, but he is what his record says he is. He's a talent, he's fast, he's strong, he had a triple double, but he cannot shoot. Period. There are many guards out there who have that talent profile -- most are playing overseas or in the G League. Adding insult to injury, the 76ers traded up to of all teams Boston to grab him, and Boston took Jayson Tatum in the draft, the player that they would have taken had they had the first pick. Put differently, the Fultz situation looks like a bunch of dominos that are knocking each other over, and someone needs to pick up the pieces, rebuild his shot and have him play a lot this summer to test it out.
d. Robert Covington made the first-team all defensive team but lost his way on offense on many occasions. He just had surgery on one of the fingers on his shooting hand, so hopefully the finger was the root cause of the woes. If that's the case, he should improve.
e. The team's bench scared no one defensively. Yes, one had to guard Ersan Ilyasova and Marco Bellinelli and T.J. O'Connell, but they are not lock-down defenders and Bellinelli is a flat-out defensive liability. And J.J. Redick is no defensive stopper, either. It's hard to believe a team can carry Bellinelli and Reddick unless they cannot find a more athletic alternative to Bellinelli.
And then there is the off-the-court stuff, as follows:
1. The Bryan Colangelo affair. No need to repeat what has been blasted all over the sports world yesterday through today. Suffice it to say that if it's true, the ownership will have no alternative but to fire the general manager.
2. The dispute between Colangelo and Brown over whether the team should sign a high-profile free agent. Brown has said yes, Colangelo has been demure. As for the latter, if that's his thinking, it's one thing, but if he's channeling the ownership, sheesh. The fans want a high-profile free agent; they want to contend now.
3. The fact that Simmons has bought two very expensive cars in two years and dropped a girlfriend because she was acting too much like a Kardashian only to start dating Kendall Jenner, who is a Kardashian. Note to Ben: how many of the Kardashians' relationships are private, lack drama and go well?
4. That Fultz might not want to play summer league ball. Say what? There is only so much riding of a stationery bike that one can do to say in shape.
5. That Embiid is playing playground ball in South Philadelphia. I like the grass roots appeal, but Joel, don't step into a pothole when you land after posterizing an off-duty Philadelphia parks and rec official.
What free agent would want to join this team, especially with Colangelo's credibility and integrity on the line? What season ticket holder will be happy if management closes ranks behind Colangelo, risks losing the team in the process? What season ticket holder will be happy if LeBron James or Paul George or Kawhi Leonard does not join the team?
The team should be on the upswing after a 50-win season. Instead, it is doing damage control, big-time damage control, hoping to improve some talented if flawed parts and get ready to take on the juggernaut -- mentally and physically -- that is the Boston Celtics.
This is the most important off-season for the 76ers in recent memory. It's off to a terrible start.
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