Saturday Slam: 10 things to look for in the 2021 NBA Playoffs

 

                                                (Credit: NBA.com) 

The 2021 NBA Playoffs are now here. After a fun and exciting play-in tournament, the bracket is fully filled in. Out West, the #1 overall seeded Utah Jazz will take on the #8 Memphis Grizzlies, the #2 Phoenix Suns will take on the #7 Los Angeles Lakers, the #3 Denver Nuggets will face the #6 Portland Trail Blazers, and the #4 Los Angeles Clippers will face the #5 Dallas Mavericks. In the East, the #1 Philadelphia 76ers will face the #8 Washington Wizards, the #2 Brooklyn Nets will face the #7 Boston Celtics, the #3 Milwaukee Bucks will face the #6 Miami Heat, and the #4 New York Knicks will face the #5 Atlanta Hawks. Action will start on Saturday. 

I'm starting something new this year by writing 10 things to look for in the NBA playoffs. I've done this over at my tennis blog ATPGuy.com (click here to check that out) to preview grand slams and I think it's been a pretty effective type of blog post. So now I'm going to start doing it for the NBA playoffs as well! Enjoy! 

#1. Can the Utah Jazz silence the haters? Despite having the best record in the NBA, the Utah Jazz still have plenty of doubters and haters. Part of this has to do with the fact that the Jazz have never won an NBA championship and also the fact that relative to other superstars, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert kinda fly under the radar. This is in part because they play in Utah but also because a big reason for the Jazz' success is the fact that they don't overly rely on Mitchell and Gobert. This is why they were able to hang onto the best record in the NBA despite Mitchell being out for approximately one month due to an ankle injury. 

While they lack the star power that most top seeds usually have, the Jazz do make it up with their depth and unselfishness. They know how to play as a team and how to play off each other's strengths to maximize what they have. 

Donovan Mitchell has been averaging 26.4 points, 5.2 assists, and 1.0 steals per game on the season, so by no means can they win the title without him. They absolutely need him healthy. If he's able to go with little issues, the Jazz could shock the world and win the NBA title. They play basketball the right way, have a great home court advantage, and I also think they're motivated by the fact that everyone is counting them out. 

Note: I also shared this on my Utah Jazz blog. Click here to check that out if you are a Jazz fan. 

#2. Can the Philadelphia 76ers back up their #1 seed out East? I feel like the 76ers have more respect than the Jazz because of the presence of Joel Embiid (28.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks), but they too have a lot to prove. They haven't been to the NBA Finals since the 2000-01 season in which Allen Iverson disrespected Tyronn Lue in Game 1 and in general, have found ways to fold in the playoffs over the years. 

Given that Joel Embiid is considered by many to be the best player in the game right now, one can actually argue there's even more pressure on the 76ers than the Jazz. The good news for the 76ers is their draw is pretty friendly. They get the Wizards in round one and then the winner of the Knicks/Hawks series in round two. There's no reason the 76ers shouldn't at least reach the Eastern Conference Finals and in that series, they would have home court advantage. So, count me in as picking the 76ers to win the East. I do think if they faced off against the Brooklyn Nets, they'd find a way to pull it out. Assuming everyone stays healthy of course. 

#3. Can LeBron James will the Los Angeles Lakers to the championship again? The Lakers do not have any easy path to the NBA Finals at all. They are the #7 seed and have to face a very difficult Phoenix Suns team in round one. Even if they win that series, they'd still have to go through the Nuggets and Jazz assuming the brackets hold to get back to the NBA Finals. 

Honestly, I think the Lakers should feel reasonably confident in their abilities to go the distance since they won it all last year and also the fact that the only reason they're seeded so low is because LeBron took a lot of time off to rest his ankle. With everyone now back, they should feel ready to rock and roll. 

As for the part about LeBron willing them specifically, I do think LeBron will need to get a little help from his friends. Namely Anthony Davis, who is the #2 option on this team. LeBron will need to play a big role of course, but he can't do it all by himself. It'll take a team effort like it did last year. 

#4. Can the Brooklyn Nets stay healthy? If they can stay healthy, the Brooklyn Nets should be favored to come out of the East. I mean, they got Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. That's a killer trio to go up against. The issue though is health: Kevin Durant played in just 32 games this year, James Harden played in 44 games (36 with the Nets), and Kyrie Irving surprisingly played the most out of the bunch at 54. The fact that they still found a way to finish #2 in the East is pretty impressive when you consider the lack of cohesiveness they've had all season. If the Nets can stay healthy, one has to like their odds. If not, it'll likely be the 76ers or some other team. 

One other question mark for the Nets is their defense. Durant, Irving, and Harden are known for their offense, but not their defense. While their defense has been good enough in the regular season, they'll have to step it up a notch come playoff time. It'll be interesting to see if that part comes together for them as well. 

#5. Can the Los Angeles Clippers figure it out? On paper, the Los Angeles Clippers are really dangerous. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George form a really good one-two punch and they have plenty of depth with Marcus Morris, Lou Williams, Serge Ibaka, Rajon Rondo, and others. But for whatever reason, these guys finished 4th in the Western Conference and weren't able to have a more productive regular season. It'll be interesting to see if they'll be able to hit the reset button in the playoffs or if they'll once again disappoint. 

#6. Can the Miami Heat recapture the magic from last year? The Miami Heat had a pretty improbable run to the NBA Finals last year and once again, they find the odds stacked against them as they are the #6 seed in the East. It'll be interesting to see if the Heat can find their mojo once again and recapture the Eastern Conference crown as a lower seeded team. So long as Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro stay healthy, they got a shot. 

#7. Can the Phoenix Suns prove that they're for real? The Phoenix Suns find themselves in a similar situation as the Utah Jazz. They have the second best record in the NBA and yet nobody thinks they got much of a shot to go all the way. Chris Paul has had an MVP worthy season (click here for my blog post on that) while Devin Booker (25.6 points per game) is one of the most dangerous scorers in the game. If they weren't in a small market, more people would take them seriously. Just like the Jazz. Hopefully they too will be able to prove their fantastic regular season was no fluke. 

#8. Can Jayson Tatum carry the Boston Celtics past the first round? Without Jaylen Brown, the Boston Celtics are in a lot of trouble right now and yet they still got a pulse, even if it's very faint. We've seen Jayson Tatum have some big nights and carry the Celtics on his back. Doing that in the playoffs is a different animal, but I think Tatum is eager to find out how far he can push himself. While I do see the Nets winning the series, Tatum could give them more trouble than they bargained for. 

#9. Can the Denver Nuggets make a deep run without Jamal Murray? With Jamal Murray done for the season due to a torn ACL, many people have written the Denver Nuggets off, though the team hasn't exactly gotten the memo. They are third in the West and Nikola Jokic is the front runner to win MVP. It'll be interesting to see just how far Jokic can lead this Nuggets team and whether or not they'll be able to sneak into the Western Conference Finals. Or maybe deeper. 

#10. Are the Milwaukee Bucks still contenders? With Giannis Antetokounmpo, one has to think the Milwaukee Bucks are serious contenders once again. The Greek Freak is averaging 28.1 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game, doing everything for his team as always. And yet, they took a step back this year, finishing third in the East after having the best record in basketball a year ago. It feels like people are sleeping on this Bucks team when perhaps they shouldn't. It'll be fun to see if the Bucks are able to make some noise and finish the job they should have completed a season ago. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker, click here. 

Mock Draft Monday: Kobe Bryant helped pave the way for high schoolers choosing to go pro

                                          (Credit: Eileen Blass-USA TODAY Sports) 


Last week I wasn't much in the mood to blog about the NBA after the death of Kobe Bryant. I just needed some time to regroup a bit and think about how I wanted to remember Bryant on NBALord.com. I was planning on doing my Saturday Slam piece to remember his whole career, but I needed a bit more time to think about what my next blog post would be. Considering that I have my different themes on here, I figured I would use those themes to address Bryant's career through several different lenses. Up first is through the lens of his high school career and more specifically, what impact he had on high schoolers thinking of going straight to the pros.

Leading up to the 1996 NBA Draft, Bryant wasn't sure what he was going to do. He was genuinely torn about whether to go to college or go straight to the NBA. Both had their pros and cons. In the interview I've attached below, Bryant talks about weighing those options and not yet being sure what decision he would make. The pros of going to college was to get a year or two to grow as a basketball player without the pressures of being a professional while also getting to enjoy the college life. On the other side of the coin, going to the NBA meant the chance to get paid right away, something that also appealed to Bryant. Even though it meant more responsibility.



A year earlier, in the 1995 NBA Draft, Minnesota Timberwolves legend Kevin Garnett went 5th overall out of high school as well, becoming the first player in two decades (Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby) to go straight from high school to the NBA. One major difference between Garnett and Bryant was the fact that Garnett had horrible grades and test scores, making division one college basketball a non-option for him. The only colleges Garnett could attend were junior colleges, sort of forcing his hand into going pro. Bryant on the other hand was a good student in high school and took his education seriously. College was an option for him and he knew that if he went straight to the NBA, some may second guess his commitment to getting a quality education.

In the end, Bryant chose to go to the NBA. When the Lower Merion High School Class of 1996 listed what colleges they were attending (in the school yearbook or newspaper), Bryant wrote "NBA-nuff said!" Bryant's decision resulted in him getting drafted 13th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers via the Charlotte Hornets. By choosing to go straight to the NBA when college was an option for him, Bryant helped legitimize that path for the likes of LeBron James and others who felt they were ready out of high school.

Flash forward 25 years later, the NBA is likely to once again allow high schoolers the option to come straight out instead of having to spend a year in college or overseas. When the NBA does formally make the switch back, it will be a nod to Bryant and all that he accomplished. Bryant proved that if you are ready to go pro, you should do so. He also showed that such a decision requires a lot of thought and shouldn't be taken lightly.

When looking back on the 1996 NBA Draft, what is a bit crazy is to see Bryant selected 13th overall. In hindsight Bryant would have gone #1 overall to his hometown Philadelphia 76ers instead of Allen Iverson. At that time, coming out of high school was so rare that a lot of teams were afraid to gamble on him. Especially since he was a guard. To the Lakers' credit, specifically Jerry West, they recognized Bryant had a lot of talent and was capable of being their next franchise player. Their decision to take Bryant changed the course of basketball history forever. Bryant went on to become a five time NBA champion and arguably the greatest Laker of all-time.

If you're going to look back on Kobe Bryant's career, it's impossible to not reflect on his high school career and how amazing it was that he took that leap into the NBA without playing in college. Such a bold and brave decision is truly fitting for one who would give birth to "Mamba Mentality."

Note: If you are reading this article via e-mail, click here to check out the interview I posted above. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker, click here. 

Saturday Slam: Can the Philadelphia 76ers survive without Joel Embiid?

                                         (Credit: Matt Slocum/AP Photo) 

One of the major stories this week in the NBA is Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid tearing a ligament in his left hand, requiring surgery. Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, he'll be re-evaluated in 1-2 weeks and is out indefinitely. Even though the 76ers are used to Embiid getting hurt, that doesn't mean it's easy for them to soldier on without him. He's averaging 23.4 points and 12.3 rebounds per game, which are big numbers to fill when he goes down.

Assuming he's out for only a few weeks, his absence is still significant given where the 76ers sit in the Eastern Conference standings. They're in 5th place with a 25-15 record, just a half game up on the 6th seeded Indiana Pacers and a full game back of the 4th seeded Toronto Raptors. When things are as tight as they are, going without your top player for any stretch of time hurts.

With Embiid out, Tobias Harris (19.4 points & 6.5 rebounds), Ben Simmons (15.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, & 8.4 assists), and Al Horford (12.4 points & 6.5 rebounds) will need to step up. The 76ers do have enough depth to keep the ship afloat, but all of these guys, especially Horford, will need to step it up. They're certainly capable of doing so, but they're still going to have to go out and get it done.

Of those three guys that I mentioned, Simmons probably needs to step it up the most. Alongside Embiid, he's billed as the main attraction on this team and now is his time to really shine. He needs to start playing like a guy who is capable of carrying a team. Now is his chance to show that he can do that.

While the 76ers do have the pieces to weather this storm, it's still going to be interesting to see how they do over these next few weeks. With how close this race in the Eastern Conference is, these next couple of weeks could make or break their season. It's the harsh truth.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker, click here. 

Wednesday Windmill: The Philadelphia 76ers gave the Milwaukee Bucks coal for Christmas

                                         (Credit: Eric Hartline/USA TODAY Sports) 

On Christmas Day, the Philadelphia 76ers put the wood to the Milwaukee Bucks, defeating them 121-109. The 76ers hit a franchise record 21 3-pointers as Joel Embiid (31 points & 11 rebounds) and Tobias Harris (22 points) led the way. The 76ers improve to 23-10 while the Bucks fall to 27-5.

If you follow the NBA, you know the 76ers are good, so seeing them win against the Bucks at home shouldn't come as a shock. What is surprising though is the way in which they won. The 76ers aren't known to be much of a 3-point shooting team, so to see them go wild like they did from beyond the arc took everyone by surprise. Especially the Bucks.

As an extension of that, seeing them win so convincingly was surprising. Had they won by five points or fewer, one might even say that's what we should expect from a quality team playing at home on Christmas. But for them to dominate the Bucks and blow them out is another matter.

Even though this is just one game, the 76ers definitely sent a message to the Bucks and the rest of the Eastern Conference that they are a force to be reckoned with. That if they play like this with more regularity, they might represent the East in the NBA Finals.

Touching quickly on the Bucks, this game is disappointing, but nothing to get overly upset about. If you're them, you have to chalk this up as a bad game that you'll learn from. The Bucks have the best record in the NBA and should feel confident in their body of work. They also have the best player in the NBA in Giannis Antetokounmpo and are still the odds on favorites to win the East. No reason for them to freak out. Just move on to the next game and do a better job defending the perimeter.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker, click here. 

Wednesday Windmill: Is Ben Simmons worth a max deal?

                                          (Credit: Mitchell Leff-Getty Images) 


The big news out of the NBA this week is the Philadelphia 76ers and Ben Simmons agreeing to a five-year, $170M max contract. Simmons is coming off his first All-Star season in which he played in 79 regular season games averaging 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. The only real knock on his game at this stage is his lack of an outside shot. In 17 3-point shot attempts in his career, Simmons has made zero. That's right, he is yet to make a 3-point shot in his career. So that part of his game definitely needs to improve.

Aside from his perimeter game, which needs to get to the level of respectable, there's a lot to like about Simmons. He's a 6'10", 230 pound point guard that knows how to create plays for his teammates, finish around the rim, rebound, and force turnovers. He's basically the closest thing we have to a LeBron James 2.0. On top of that, he's just 23 years old. When you are as young as he is and already playing at such an elite level, you are worth every penny a max contract can offer.

Now, a lot of why Simmons is getting this money is because of what he is projected to become. He is by no means a finished product. I've already touched on the 3-point shooting, but there are other areas of his game that need improvement. His foul shooting (58.3% for his career) is awful and he turns the ball over too much (3.5 turnovers per game). If he can become a better 3-point shooter, foul shooter, and improve his ball security, he'll truly take his game to new heights.

Assuming he is able to improve his game and become a better shooter, the 76ers are doing the right thing by giving Ben Simmons a max contract. He's got plenty of time to improve and is already one of the top players in the league. If he puts it all together, the 76ers could be looking at multiple trips to the NBA Finals. He's that special of a talent.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker, click here. 

Wednesday Windmill: How much better does Jimmy Butler make the Philadelphia 76ers?

The Philadelphia 76ers ended the Jimmy Butler drama by agreeing to acquire the polarizing shooting guard from the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the deal, the 76ers acquired Butler along with Justin Patton while giving up Robert Covington, Dario Saric, Jerryd Bayless, and a 2022 second-round pick.  The 76ers made the move with the hopes of improving their chances to reach the NBA Finals while the Timberwolves made the deal with the hopes of returning to a sense of normalcy.

The debut.

📺: @NBCSPhilly
📻: @975TheFanatic
📱: #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/RYNJpiiCZx

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 14, 2018

While the 76ers should be excited to add another elite player to the fold, they run the risk of messing with their team chemistry. Butler's time in Minnesota was controversial and there are plenty of reasons to be skeptical of his ability to help out a team as a result. Butler will need to prove that he is not a head case and that his beef with Tom Thibodeau and the Timberwolves organization was legit.

Assuming he's able to prove that he can be a good guy in the locker room, Butler should be a nice fit in Philly. He's a 20+ points per game scorer and an excellent defender, averaging 2.4 steals per game this season. Joel Embiid has become one of the most gifted big men of all time while Ben Simmons is blossoming into a B+ version of LeBron James. When you give those guys an elite wing like Jimmy Butler to work with, you're giving them a real shot to reach the NBA Finals and contend for a championship.

Aside from Butler being a problem in the locker room, the biggest concern for the 76ers is their lack of depth. Covington, Saric, and Bayless were solid pieces that gave them a nice bench. With them gone, they're going to have to rely even more on their star players to carry them to victory. It's a calculated risk that they feel is worth taking, but it's still a risk nonetheless. Guys like Wilson Chandler, J.J. Redick, and Markelle Fultz will need to step up and prove that they are capable of handling more of the load as well.

While there's always a risk in making big trades in the middle of a season, I feel like the 76ers are making the right move here. Jimmy Butler is one of the best shooting guards in the NBA and a legitimate All-Star player. If you have the chance to add a guy like him to your team without giving up another All-Star in return, you should do it every time. As far as how the Timberwolves should feel, I think they should feel good about the move. They added some solid role players to their team and can finally focus on building around Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, one of the most promising duos in the league.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker, click here. 

NBALord.com Atlantic Division Preview

Up next in my division preview series is the Atlantic Division, home to the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, and Philadelphia 76ers. This division projects to be the most competitive in the Eastern Conference with three teams that all have a real shot at reaching the NBA Finals.

Of all the teams in the Eastern Conference, I believe the Boston Celtics are the most talented and on top of that, they are the most experienced. Kyrie Irving has won an NBA championship while Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum both got invaluable experience last year, leading the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals with Irving and Gordon Hayward sidelined. This Celtics team is really good and are the odds on favorites to win the Eastern Conference.

The biggest challenge for the Celtics will be finding a way to integrate all the talented pieces that they have without messing up the chemistry they developed last year. Specifically, finding minutes for Hayward, Brown, and Tatum since they all play the same position. The Celtics didn't expect Tatum and Brown to burst on the scene like they did and now that they have, they have a bit of a problem on their hands. It's a good problem to have, but one that still needs some sorting out.

I wouldn't be shocked to see the Celtics get out of the gates a little slow, but by the end of the season, Brad Stevens will have things figured out and they'll be right at the top of the Eastern Conference. They have too much depth and talent to not be playing deep into May and possibly June.

Many feel the biggest challenger to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference is the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers have a talented roster of their own consisting of Joel Embiid, J.J. Redick, Dario Saric, Markelle Fultz, and Ben Simmons. Simmons draws comparisons to LeBron James while Embiid draws comparisons to Hakeem Olajuwon with a better perimeter game. After years of losing games and racking up high draft picks, the 76ers are back and ready to make a serious run for an NBA title.

The biggest concern for the 76ers is health. Simmons, Embiid, and Fultz have all dealt with serious injuries in the past and it's no guarantee that they stay healthy going forward. Brett Brown needs to do all he can to give these guys as much rest as possible. It's a rather unique situation in that they're pretty young but also vulnerable to injury. Usually it's older teams that are more worried about the injury bug.

In regards to their championship chances, I think these guys are a couple years away from being serious title contenders, but the Eastern Conference is up for grabs with LeBron James going to Los Angeles. If they are able to survive the grind of an 82 game season and stay healthy, they will once again make a deep run in the playoffs. They're simply too talented not to with all the pieces they have.

The Toronto Raptors have a new identity after trading DeMar DeRozan and Jakob Pöltl to the San Antonio Spurs for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. The Raptors have had a lot of success in the regular season, but they have failed to do much in the playoffs. Their front office felt a big change was needed and so they rolled the dice on Leonard, who they only have as a one-year rental.

With Leonard as their top player, I do expect the Raptors to be serious contenders in the Eastern Conference. Leonard has an NBA Finals MVP under his belt and knows what it takes to win a championship. The Raptors needed somebody to show them the way and there's no reason to doubt Leonard's abilities.

Like any contender, staying healthy is the biggest key for this Raptors team. Leonard missed nearly all of last season due to a quadriceps injury and was never able to get into a rhythm. The Raptors need him to stay healthy if they are to have any chance at winning a title.

Kyle Lowry, Jonas Valanciunas, Serge Ibaka, and Danny Green form a really nice core around Leonard. Even though those guys weren't able to get over the hump, they're still really good. If Leonard is able to stay healthy and be the superstar this team needs him to be, don't be shocked to see the Raptors in the NBA Finals.

The New York Knicks are led by shooting guard Tim Hardaway, Jr., who is averaging 24.4 points per game so far this season and power forward Kristaps Porzingis, who is rehabbing from a torn ACL. So long as Porzingis remains out without a firm return date, it's going to be a long season in New York. Even with him, they don't have a ton of talent, but without him, they really don't have much to lean on.

One bright spot for the Knicks early on this year is rookie forward Allonzo Trier, who is averaging 8.6 points per game. Trier went undrafted out of Arizona, so it has been a real surprise to see him producing like he has. If he continues on playing like he is, he not only will have a permanent spot on the team, he'll also be commanding a lot more money next year, similar to Wesley Matthews, Jr. after his breakout rookie season with the Utah Jazz.

For the Knicks, this year is all about player development and figuring out who belongs on their team for the long-term. Enes Kanter will be an interesting player to keep an eye on as he is very talented but also comes with some baggage. If he can get along with head coach David Fizdale and accept whatever role is given to him, he could be a nice piece for this team going forward.

The frustrating thing for Knicks fans is that their team is forever in a state of "development" without actually yielding any fruit. Hopefully for them things will be different in the near future, but as far as this season is concerned, it's going to be another rebuilding type of situation whether they like it or not.

Similar to their crosstown rivals, the Brooklyn Nets are also in a state of rebuilding and figuring out an identity. D'Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Caris LeVert are doing an admirable job of leading this team for being so young. LeVert in particular as he is having a breakout season, averaging 18.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game.

For the Nets, what they need to hope for is that this young trio can mature and grow into something special. As an extension of that, they need to hope they can find the right pieces to put around them to help make that happen. It's going to be a long season in Brooklyn in terms of wins and losses, but hopefully for them they'll start to figure out an identity and get a feel for who belongs on their team for the long-term.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here. 

To connect with Ben Parker, click here. 

Saturday Slam: The Philadelphia 76ers are starting to look terrifying

For the last few years, the Philadelphia 76ers have been one of the worst teams in all of professional sports and the laughing stock of the NBA. Their methodical tanking approach has taken on a life of its own with the whole "Trust the Process" motto, etc. It's become almost a joke.

This season however, the 76ers are not a joke. They are 8-7 and have one of the best young duos in the NBA in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Simmons is averaging 18.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game while Embiid is averaging 22.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.9 blocks.

Earlier this week against the Los Angeles Lakers, Embiid had one of the most ridiculous stat lines you'll ever see: 46 points, 15 rebounds, 7 blocks, and 7 assists. It felt like the coming out party for Embiid and the entire 76ers team. It was like they were putting the rest of the league on notice that they aren't going anywhere.

The major question mark with this 76ers team is whether or not they can stay healthy. Simmons missed his first season in the league due to a foot injury while Embiid missed his first two seasons and only played in 31 games last season. This is the first season where Embiid is actually on pace to play for the duration of the season, which if you think about it is pretty crazy. As for their rookie point guard Markelle Fultz, he's out indefinitely with a shoulder injury and is on track to miss a good chunk of his rookie campaign as well.

The bottom line with this 76ers team is that if they stay healthy and are able to keep their core pieces together, they're terrifying. There's no better way to describe it. Joel Embiid looks like the second coming of Hakeem Olajuwon while Ben Simmons has the makings of another LeBron James. If Markelle Fultz is able to live up to his potential and avoid the injury bug, we could be looking at a legitimate "big three" in Philadelphia for the next decade. For all the talk and jokes about trusting the process, "the process" is not only working, it's putting together a scary good basketball team.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebaook, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here. 

Saturday Slam: How big of a risk are the Philadelphia 76ers taking on Joel Embiid?

                                          (AP Photo) 

The Philadelphia 76ers inked Joel Embiid to a five-year, $148M extension this week, which is the designated rookie scale maximum. Given that Embiid didn't play during his first two years in the league and only played in 31 games last season, many people saw this news and scratched their heads. However, upon closer examination of Embiid's contract, this actually appears to be a pretty low-risk high-reward type of move for the Sixers.

ESPN has the details of his contract below:

"Here's how a perfect storm of calamity would have to unfold for Embiid to earn any less than the full $146.5 million: Across each of the final four seasons of the extension, ending with the 2022-23 season, the 76ers could waive Embiid for a financial benefit if he's lost because of a contractually agreed-upon injury that causes him to miss 25 or more regular-season games and if he plays fewer than 1,650 minutes, league sources said.

Specific injuries are laid out in the contract and include only past problem areas with Embiid's feet and back, sources said. Embiid has to miss 25 or more regular-season games because of injuries to those areas, and play fewer than 1,650 minutes, for Philadelphia to have the option of releasing him for cost savings."

What's important to note about his contract is that the Sixers can only waive him because of injuries to specifically his back and feet. If he were to tear his ACL, they wouldn't be able to waive him. That may sound a little weird, but it makes sense if you consider the fact that no player, no matter how healthy they've been, can guarantee to avoid serious injury.

If Joel Embiid can stay healthy, he'll be worth every penny. He averaged 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game last season in the 31 games that he played in, already making him one of the best big men in the league. Injuries aside, he's for real.

Given that the Sixers need someone to build around and put their faith in for the future, this deal makes sense for them. If Joel Embiid lives up to the hype, they could be contending for championships. If his feet and back continue to let him down, they'll be able to waive him and move on. This is a deal that truly makes sense for both sides.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here. 

Triple-Threat Thursday: What will Markelle Fultz bring to the Philadelphia 76ers?

                                         (Credit: Hoopshype.com) 

For the past few years, Philadelphia 76ers fans have been told to patiently "Trust the Process", turning the phrase into their team motto. It's become almost a joke of sorts, implying that there is no process and that the team is just tanking with the blind hope of something good coming out of it. It's kind of like the Big Bang theory. It doesn't make any sense, but we just trust that it works.

Markelle Fultz, a 6'4", 195 pound freshman point guard out of Washington, is the second consecutive #1 overall pick the Philadelphia 76ers have drafted, following Ben Simmons, a 6'10" 240 pound small forward out of LSU. The 76ers are hoping that with Fultz and Simmons paired together, the foundation for a championship level team is finally in place.

The only action that Simmons saw last season for the 76ers was in Summer League, suffering a foot injury that kept him out for the whole season. In a way, the 76ers are actually adding two number one picks to their squad at the same time. Both Fultz and Simmons have played in zero NBA games, which means they will be going through the same learning curve together.

Between the two, Simmons is considered to be the better prospect, drawing comparisons to a young LeBron James due to his combination of size, athleticism, and all-around skill. In regards to Fultz, he has the potential to be a dynamic point guard that can score, facilitate, and defend both point guards and shooting guards. In today's NBA, you need to have an elite point guard to contend for a championship, which is why point guards often go #1 in the draft. If both Simmons and Fultz live up to their potential, the 76ers will really be cooking with gas, possessing the next great point guard in the NBA in addition to the next LeBron James.

What's scary about the 76ers is that neither Simmons nor Fultz are considered their top talent. That distinction goes to Joel Embiid, a 7'0", 250 pound big man who went #3 overall in the 2014 NBA Draft. After missing a couple of seasons due to injury, Embiid had a breakout first season in the NBA, averaging 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game on 78.3% shooting from the foul line. Embiid only played in 31 games last season, but his presence was definitely felt every time he stepped on the floor, drawing comparisons to a young Hakeem Olajuwon.

The big question mark for this 76ers team is whether or not Fultz, Simmons, and Embiid can all stay on the floor together and avoid injury. If they can beat the injury bug, the sky is truly the limit for them. If on the other hand they are constantly dealing with one or two of these guys on the sidelines in a suit and tie, we'll never see them live up to their potential.

Note: Triple-Threat Thursday is a weekly piece that focuses on Rookies/NBA Draft. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here. 

Saturday Slam: Five teams that might make a move at the NBA trade deadline

With the NBA trade deadline approaching on the 23rd of February at 3:00 PM EST, I thought it would be good to provide some sort of breakdown of what to expect. Lots of moves are bound to happen, but there are five teams to keep an eye on.

#1. New York Knicks (23-34): The New York Knicks have been rumored to have Carmelo Anthony on the trading block. I addressed this topic earlier in the season and came to the conclusion that trading Carmelo Anthony would not be a smart decision. That being said, the Knicks rarely make smart decisions, which means that they may trade Carmelo Anthony anyways. The biggest obstacle to making a trade happen is Anthony's $24.6M contract that increases to $26.2M in 2017 and $27.9M in 2018 before he hits free agency in 2019. I have a hard time believing that some team will be willing to take on his contract, but if some general manager really believes adding Anthony will make his franchise a championship contender, then a trade could happen.

#2. Boston Celtics (37-20): The Boston Celtics are another team that has been discussed as a possible team to make a trade before the deadline. If the Celtics weren't 2nd in the Eastern Conference standings, I would say odds are good they make a move to better position themselves for the playoffs, but so long as this nucleus of Isaiah Thomas, Al Horford, Jae Crowder, and Avery Bradley delivers like they are, I see no reason for them to make a trade. That being said, if an unbelievable offer presents itself, Danny Ainge very well may roll the dice. 

#3. Sacramento Kings (24-33): The Sacramento Kings remain right in the mix for the #8 spot in the Western Conference playoffs, which makes it hard to figure what they'll do at the trade deadline. There has been discussion of them moving DeMarcus Cousins at the trade deadline as well as Rudy Gay. The Kings have publicly expressed support for DeMarcus Cousins, but if some team is willing to sell the farm to get him, the Kings just may entertain such an offer and make a surprise move at the deadline. As for Rudy Gay, the fact that he tore his Achilles makes him harder to move, but some team may still be interested in his services. He is scheduled to be a go for training camp next season, which ups his value.

It is important to note that DeMarcus Cousins won't be an unrestricted free agent until 2018 while Rudy Gay has a player option on his contract which allows him to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer if he so chooses. If the Kings feel confident that Rudy Gay will exercise his option, then they may be more aggressive in looking to trade him.

#4. Brooklyn Nets (9-47): The Brooklyn Nets are garbage while Brook Lopez continues to put up solid numbers (20.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game). Brook Lopez hits unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2018, but the Nets might be smart to move him given that his value is high. I would not be the least bit surprised to see Brook Lopez moved before the trade deadline. The Nets are going nowhere and really have no point in having him eat up salary cap space while they continue to spiral downwards into obscurity.

#5. Philadelphia 76ers (21-35): The Philadelphia 76ers have a logjam in the front court with Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel, and Jahlil Okafor. All three are really promising young big men and there's no need to hang on to all three for the long term.  Joel Embiid will almost certainly stay, but it's Okafor and Noel whose names have bubbled up in trade rumors. What the 76ers do at the trade deadline will definitely be something to watch for.

Note: On Thursday, I will post a trade deadline tracker of sorts on here. Definitely check that out to stay on top of what happens at the deadline. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here. 

Skyhook Sunday: Joel Embiid is looking like the real deal

                                          (Credit: YouTube. Click here for video) 

Philadelphia 76ers fans have been told to "trust the process", which means to trust that even though their team traded away all their good players and tanked, they should still believe that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. After initially appearing like another wasted draft pick, it appears as though the 76ers have hit pay dirt with Joel Embiid, who is averaging 19.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game while also shooting 79.2% from the foul line in his first season healthy.

The 76ers drafted Joel Embiid #3 overall in the 2014 NBA Draft but due to back issues and foot issues, Embiid had to sit out for his first two seasons. Naturally, comparisons to Greg Oden and Sam Bowie started to come forth as a result since they were also highly drafted big men that had NBA careers derailed by injury. Fortunately for Joel Embiid, he doesn't appear to be destined for the same fate as them. The 76ers are being cautious with him and monitoring his minutes, but so far all appears to be going well.

During the 2014 NBA Draft, a lot of people were saying that Joel Embiid could wind up being the best player in the whole draft. He was garnering comparisons to Hakeem Olajuwon when he was coming out of Kansas, which might be the highest praise that any big man can receive. While he hasn't yet established himself as at the second coming of Hakeem Olajuwon, he is off to a great start considering how his first two seasons went in the NBA. He's gone from bust to boom during these past couple of months and is starting to look like the best player out of the 2014 NBA Draft class.

As far as the 76ers are concerned, they still have a ways to go, but the good news for them is that they appear to finally have their franchise player in Joel Embiid. He's delivering the goods and is on track to being the next elite center in the NBA. While the NBA is increasingly going more and more towards "small ball", quality big men are still valued at a premium. If Joel Embiid continues on the path he is currently on, there's no reason to not see the 76ers as serious contenders within a few seasons.

To connect with NBA Lord on Twitter, click here. 

To connect with NBA Lord on Facebook, click here.

To connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus, click here. 

Fadeaway Friday: Chasson Randle and Quincy Acy sign 10-day contracts

This week, there were two guys who signed 10-day contracts from the NBA Development League. Point guard Chasson Randle signed a 10-day contract with the Philadelphia 76ers after being with the Westchester Knicks and power forward Quincy Acy signed a 10-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets after being with the Texas Legends. I will provide a quick breakdown of transactions.

                                               (Chasson Randle. Credit: dleague.nba.com) 

Chasson Randle is a 6'2" 185 pound guard out of Stanford who has bounced around a little bit following his collegiate career. During this season with the Westchester Knicks, Randle has averaged 20.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 42.2% from the field, 40.2% from 3-point range, and 82.5% from the foul line. Randle has always been a good shooter, but due to being a bit undersized and being more of a combo guard than a true point guard, he's struggled to find a home in the NBA.

Chasson Randle has taken advantage of the D-League, using it to showcase his skills and refine his craft. His decision to sign in the D-League has paid off by getting a 10-day contract with the Philadelphia 76ers and now he looks to prove his worth by signing a second 10-day contract and sticking with the 76ers for the rest of the season.

The reason the 76ers signed Chasson Randle is due to their lack of depth at the point guard position. Jerryd Bayless is out for the season due to wrist surgery and neither T.J. McConnell or Sergio Rodríguez are exactly "lighting it up." The 76ers could use another point guard on their roster, which means there are good odds Chasson Randle gets some minutes at the point guard spot. If he performs well, I could see him staying in Philly for the rest of the season.

                                         (Quincy Acy. Credit: dleague.nba.com) 

Quincy Acy is a 6'7", 240 pound power forward in his 5th year in the NBA out of Baylor. Acy has proven himself to be a quality rebounder in the NBA, averaging 8.4 rebounds per 36 minutes of action. Acy is a banger in the post and is very physical, overcoming his lack of height to still make his presence known in the paint.

The Brooklyn Nets rank 11th in rebounding and so by adding Quincy Acy, they are aiming to get even better in this department. What Acy will provide is toughness down low and one more big body to wreak havoc inside. In some respects, signing Quincy Acy doesn't make a whole lot of sense since where they need more bodies is in the backcourt. Isaiah Whitehead is dealing with a sprained left knee and Jeremy Lin is dealing with a strained hamstring. One would think that if the Nets were looking to sign somebody to a 10-day contract, they would have tried to sign a guard.

All the same, when you are 8-31, you really could get better in every aspect of the game and so in that sense, adding a veteran big guy like Quincy Acy that can crash the boards, play defense, and be a good practice player makes sense. Due to having a healthy front court, it's hard to see Quincy Acy cracking the rotation, but if he can prove himself to be a good practice player that pushes their big men and makes them better, he could warrant a second-day contract.

Click here to connect with NBA Lord on Twitter. 

Click here to connect with NBA Lord on Facebook. 

Click here to connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus. 

Wednesday Windmill: Breaking down the 76ers' dilemma in the front court

Whether 76ers GM Bryan Colangelo wants to admit it or not, his team has a bit of a dilemma in the front court. Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor, and Nerlens Noel are all competing for the bulk of the front court minutes and it appears as though Nerlens Noel is the odd man out. Despite being deemed healthy enough to play after dealing with some ankle issues, it appears as though the 76ers are electing to not give Nerlens Noel very many minutes, choosing to give the bulk of the minutes in the front court to Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor.

Bryan Colangelo has come out saying that Nerlens Noel is not getting benched and that he won't make a bad trade for his team.

Colangelo on all bigs being on the roster to end the season. "If they all are, so be it. I will not make a bad deal for this organization."

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) December 19, 2016 

 While I agree that it's not good to make a trade for the sake of a trade, the 76ers' front court log jam has been seen as an issue ever since they drafted Jahlil Okafor in 2015. With Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor, and Nerlens Noel all able to play, the 76ers really do have to make a decision about which of these big men they keep and which of them they let go. This log jam is similar to the log jam the Utah Jazz had when they had Enes Kanter, Rudy Gobert, and Derrick Favors on their roster. What did the Jazz end up doing? They traded Kanter to give more minutes to Gobert and Favors.

Similarly, I would expect the 76ers to trade one of their bigs to give the other two more minutes. As of right now, it appears as thought Nerlens Noel is likely to be the odd man out with both Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor as the building blocks of the franchise. At this point, what the 76ers have to do is find a way to not hurt Nerlens Noel's trade value until they find a deal for him. If they don't give him any minutes, not allowing him to showcase his skills, then his trade value will plummet and he'll become even more disgruntled. The 76ers have to at least give him some minutes so that they can make him more appealing to potential suitors. Otherwise, they won't get anything for him.

This log jam was designed to give the 76ers options on the trade market and now that they are ready to use one of their assets on the market, they have to make sure that asset looks good. If the 76ers don't want to hang on to Nerlens Noel for the future because they want to build around Jahlil Okafor and Joel Embiid, that's fine. But, what is just flat out stupid is to lower the value of one of your best trade chips right as you are on the verge of no longer needing him on your roster. The 76ers are definitely mishandling the Nerlens Noel situation and they have to rectify it by giving him more minutes so as to up his trade value. Otherwise, he'll just end up being a wasted draft pick.

Click here to connect with NBA Lord on Twitter 

Click here to connect with NBA Lord on Facebook

Click here to connect with NBA Lord on Google Plus

Saturday Slam: Joel Embiid is becoming an embarrassment to the 76ers

         In the 2014 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers rolled the dice on Kansas center Joel Embiid with the 3rd overall pick. Over a year later, the decision to select Joel Embiid looks more than just a bad decision. It looks like an embarrassing decision.

     Two troubling reports about Joel Embiid have surfaced this week. The first report is that Joel Embiid was hostile towards the team's strength coach last season. The second report is that Embiid was sloppy in his rehab from foot surgery, which has subsequently resulted in his foot needing a second operation.

     It's one thing for a guy to be physically frail. It's another thing for a guy to be getting paid millions of dollars to attack a strength coach and only wear his walking boot when he wants to wear it. That appears to be what Joel Embiid has been doing and as a result, he has embarrassed the entire Philadelphia 76ers organization.

     What makes Embiid's behavior embarrassing for the organization is the fact that going into the 2014 NBA Draft, he was already viewed as a risky pick based on his health alone. For him to have attitude problems in addition to his physical problems really does make it appear as though the 76ers really did not do their homework.

     I understand that in principle, the 76ers made the best choice based on Embiid's potential as well as the fact that both Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker were off the board. But knowing what we know about him from both a physical and mental standpoint, choosing to select him really does appear to be an idiotic and foolish move.

     In an even more embarrassing twist, the 76ers appear to have already given up on Embiid by selecting Duke center Jahlil Okafor with the 3rd overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. The 76ers are banking on Okafor being their franchise centerpiece while Joel Embiid continues to giggle on the bench, collecting money that he doesn't rightfully deserve. By selecting Okafor, the 76ers essentially admitted that selecting Embiid was the wrong decision.

     In conclusion, unless Joel Embiid never has another serious setback with his body and changes his attitude, which at this point seems highly unlikely, he will go down as one of the most disappointing picks in recent memory. He was getting comparisons to Hakeem Olajuwon and sadly, he appears to be an even bigger failure than both Sam Bowie and Greg Oden.

     76ers GM Sam Hinke's get rich quick scheme by piling up high draft picks will only pay off if he makes the right picks and correctly evaluates talent. So far, he doesn't appear to be doing a good job of that and might be out of a job before he ever sees his maniacal plan pay off.

     ---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord to keep up with my NBA updates 

Saturday Slam: In defense of Shawn Bradley

     For quite a while, I have wanted to write an article that defends Shawn Bradley and puts his critics in their place.  When I heard New York Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis say that he wasn't going to be another Shawn Bradley this week, I decided that now would be a good time for me to write this article. When most people think of Shawn Bradley, they think of a guy who was a bust in the NBA and a guy who got dunked on a lot. Those conceptions are unfair to Shawn Bradley both as a person and as a basketball player.

     When it comes to what Shawn Bradley has accomplished in life, he has done way more than just play basketball. He served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Australia, remained faithful to his wife throughout his NBA career, has been very involved in various charitable organizations, and has run for public office to make a difference in his community. When you look at all that he has accomplished off the court, it suddenly seems very short sighted to only think of him as a basketball player who didn't live up to wild expectations.

    As for the basketball side of things, it's also the case that Shawn Bradley doesn't get enough respect. He played for 12 seasons in the NBA and during his first five seasons, he averaged 11.29 points, 7.87 rebounds, and 3.37 blocks per game. Those aren't all-star level numbers, but those are still very respectable numbers. Especially when you look at all the shots he blocked. Contrary to what YouTube videos like to suggest, Shawn Bradley wasn't an easy player to dunk on.
 
     I understand that he never became the second coming of Wilt Chamberlain or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but are those really fair expectations to put on any incoming NBA player? I think that in retrospect, we recognize that the answer is no. In addition, what we also fail to acknowledge is that there are so many other high draft picks who have done far worse than Shawn Bradley: Greg Oden, Darko Milicic, Adam Morrison, and Stromile Swift are guys who I consider busts. Those guys were top three picks who struggled to put together one quality NBA season, let alone five.

     Shawn Bradley at his peak was a stellar defensive force in the paint with solid offensive abilities. Is that worth a number two overall pick? Probably not, but that's certainly not nothing. The 76ers got decent return from Shawn Bradley, it's just that he didn't become their franchise player, which is what every top three pick in the NBA draft is expected to become.

     In conclusion, Shawn Bradley actually had a respectable NBA career. He played for 12 seasons, had five solid seasons, and currently ranks #14 all-time on the NBA's blocks list and #10 all-time on the NBA's blocks per game list. His career may not have been what everybody expected it to be, but it certainly shouldn't be laughed at or mocked. He had a good NBA career and has done a tremendous amount of good off the court. That is how he should be remembered.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news 

Saturday Slam: A critical and logical examination of the Philadelphia 76ers

   
      After a sensational Rookie of the Year season, Michael Carter-Williams was thought to be the new franchise player in Philadelphia. However, 76ers GM Sam Hinkie didn't share that same view and instead viewed him as an asset to acquire more first round picks, shipping him to the Bucks at the trade deadline. The move had everybody scratching their heads and wondering whether or not Sam Hinkie was properly suited to be the general manager of a professional basketball team.

     To trade the reigning Rookie of the Year seemed like madness because it is in fact madness. Is it not madness to be so determined to win a championship that you are willing to trade anybody for more first round picks if they aren't the next LeBron James or Hakeem Olajuwon? Is it not madness to have the number of first round picks you possess be more important than the number of wins you actually get on the basketball court? Is it not madness to consciously set up your team to lose with the hope that through the NBA draft lottery you will draft the next superstar of the league? Is it not madness that you draft players solely for the sake of trading them to get more draft picks?

     The 76ers are doing all the maddening things I just listed above and they are doing it full-throttle without looking back for even a second. They believe that they have developed a formula that will result in a championship team if they are patient enough. So, no matter the pain it causes them in the immediate future, they see this pain as a temporary means to an end. In their minds, when they win an NBA championship, they will be the ones who get the last laugh.

  There is a famous logical fallacy known as the gambler's fallacy which states that a person is more likely to roll a double six with a pair of dice on the 10th roll than on the rolls that come before it. Similarly, there is a fallacy known as the inverse gambler's fallacy, which states that if a person rolls a double six with a pair of dice, there must have been a lot of rolls that preceded it. The mistake that both of these fallacies make is to make the assumption that any individual action is affected by other individual actions that have come before it.

     I think it's possible that the 76ers are guilty of committing one or both of these fallacies by assuming that they are more likely to acquire the next superstar of their franchise with their 10th first round pick than with their 5th. There almost seems to be a sense in which they believe the next great franchise player will only come after having made many first round pick selections, and that is without question a logical fallacy.

     However, what is certainly not a logical fallacy is to believe that with more first round picks, you have more opportunities to get one right. That's not a logical fallacy because it isn't making the false assumption that any one individual draft pick is affected by draft picks that have come before it. Each act of drafting a player is a separate and isolated event that has no affect on any other event in the universe. If you make a bad draft selection, your next draft selection isn't any more or less likely to be good or bad. It's just another draft selection and another chance to hit a home run.

      If the 76ers are thinking correctly about this and not committing any logical fallacies, does that mean they are doing the right thing? I think we are tempted to say yes, but I don't necessarily think that "yes" is the correct answer. There is the possibility that the 76ers strikeout and never get the player they were hoping to draft. It is also possible that in 10 years the 76ers will still be the worst team in the league, relying on percentages instead of good scouting and drafting.

     The bottom line is that the Philadelphia 76ers are fully committed to an idea or philosophy that may or may not get them what they want. They want an NBA championship and it's unclear at this point whether or not they will get one as a result of what they are doing. One can admire their commitment to their philosophy or at the very least be in awe of it, but one cannot say with any certainty that what they are doing is the right thing.

     The big risk for the 76ers is that if they don't win a championship, they will have to answer the question "What was it all for?" I.e. Why deliberately lose and then not deliver on your promise? I think that has to worry Sam Hinkie and the entire Philadelphia 76ers organization a great deal. If they win a championship in 10 years as a result of their philosophy, they will be viewed as geniuses. If on the other hand they don't win a championship or at least come close, they will instead be remembered as a group of individuals who intentionally drove the Philadelphia 76ers into the ground in pursuit of pie in the sky. Such a legacy would not be pretty.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord