Brandan Thomas

The Grueling Process

Brandan Thomas

Being a 76ers fan this season has been one of most stressful things I have gone through in

my life. For this essay I will detail the problems with the 76ers.

1. Letting Jimmy Butler walk in Free Agency.

The 76ers acquired Jimmy Butler in November of the 2018-2019 season after trading away

Robert Covington and Dario Saric. In his fifty-five games with the 76ers Jimmy Butler

averaged 18.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, while shooting 46.1

percent from the field, 33.8 percent from the three point line, and 86.8 percent from the

free throw line. Butler gave the 76ers something they never really had, someone who could

create their own shot off the dribble, facilitate for his teammates, and defend multiple

positions. Butler also as the 76ers closer last season, someone head coach Brett Brown

trusted on more than one occasion to take the last shot. Butler ultimately left for the Miami

Heat, where he signed a four year deal for 140 million.

2. Signing Al Horford

This past offseason the 76ers chose to sign Al Horford to a four year deal for 109 million. In

theory this move made sense because the 76ers needed to address the revolving door at

the backup center spot to supplement those minutes that Joel Embiid will be off the floor.

Instead the 76ers have chosen to start him and it just has not worked out. Horford is pretty

much just asked to be a spot-up shooter (stand and shoot threes when open) on offense

while Horford is capable because he shoots 33.7 percent from the three point line, that's

not his strong suit. Horford would be suited on the post, but Joel is also better suited on the

post. The offense is a cluttered mess with the two being on the floor

3. Ben Simmons reluctance to shoot jump shots

This is Ben's fourth year in the NBA and heis yet to have a consistent jump shot. His

reluctance to shoot is well known around the league as defenders will routinely stand in

the paint to guard Ben Simmons when he is on the three point line. Ben has made two three

pointers. After he made one in a 34 point performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers in

early December his coach Brett Brown emphasized that he wanted Ben to take one three

point shot every game, because it would help the teams spacing offense. To this day he has

yet to attempt a singlethree point shot. Ben not shooting makes it harder for his other

teammates to score.

4. Giving Tobias Harris 5 years for 180 million

This past offseason the 76ers chose to give Tobias Harris the 5 year max extension for 180

million dollars. Tobias is a goodplayer but he disappears way too often in games to be

worthy of that contract. At times you forget he is even on the floor. The game against

Cleveland last month was a perfect example; Simmons was out with a nerve impingement

in his back and Joel Embiid went down after the first quarter with a shoulder sprain. One

would expect their 30 million dollar per year player to show up and save the day, instead

he only gives you 11 points. I would have preferred to have re-signed him for less money,

or target some other players instead

5. Joel Embiid’s poor conditioning

Joel Embiid this season is averaging 23.4 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.1 assist, and 1.3 blocks.

For starters Joel is averaging four fewer points, two fewer rebounds, and three less minutes

compared tolast season. Joel only plays in four to six minute spurts, while other stars

around the league can and do play eight minute spurts. On a regular basis. If Joel was better

conditioned, then the sixers could play him in longer stretches. The longer Joel is on the

floor the better it is for our team because he is our best player. Every year Joel boasts

about how he wants to gun for the MVP award (given to the best player overall for that

season). While Joel is an All-Star, he will never be the MVP of the league if his conditioning

and thus production does not improve.

6. Drafting Markelle Fultz

On the week of the 2017 NBA draft the 76ers traded their third overall pick and a 2019 first

round pick to the Boston Celtics for the first overall pick. The 76ers then took Markelle

Fultz with that first overall pick, Fultz was the cosesous top player in the 2017 draft and

thought to be a surefire superstar. Things went bad really fast as Markelle forgot how to

shoot and had a unique injury (thoracic outlet syndrome). This in turn caused Markelle to

miss a large percentage of his rookie season and made him into a shell of his former self.

After two seasons of frustration, the sixers traded Markelle Fultz to the Orlando Magic.

Futlz now is rendered an average player in the league. What is frustrating about the

Markelle Fultz situation is the 76ers could have drafted some many other players who are

having successful careers, among them Jayson Tatum, Donnavan Mitchell, De'Aaron Fox. If

the 76ers would have drafted one of these players they would be better off then they are

now.

7. 76ERS Lackluster road record

The 76ers this season have a terrible road record. This season at home the 76ers are 29-2

while on the road the 76ers are 10-24 on the road. At home the 76ers play like the best

team in the world and are practically unbeatable. On the road the 76ers literally look like

they forgot how to play basketball. It makes absolutely no sense. At home the 76ers can't

miss at times, while on the road they lose to bad teams like the Cavaliers and Warriors. A

team with four potential all-stars should not lose this much away from home. Some people

blame the coach and others blame the players for the 76ers poor play away from home. I

think they are both at fault in this situation.

This season has certainly been a disappointment and has not turned out the way 76ers

fans wanted. We hoped for Golden State Warriors 73-9 level dominance but instead can't

buy wins on the road. This season has largely been a disappointment, and I can't wait for it

to be over.

Coronavirus

Brandan Thomas

You took away our one shining moment

left us all clutching are income taxes

Wondering when the next check faxes

You took away the ice

Had us feening for lysol

The world rendered a crater

A bizarre fascination with toilet paper

At first glance the world giggled

Then you took away the Dribble

Society realized this matter wasn't a fibble

While the world's next step conflicts

Today we sit at hit home watching tigers on netflix

While this situation may lead you to a mental doom

Fear not, soon again the economy will boom

The world will cast this dark gloom

And society will be back in full bloom