{"id":35610,"date":"2020-12-05T12:30:43","date_gmt":"2020-12-05T17:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=35610"},"modified":"2020-12-04T20:54:04","modified_gmt":"2020-12-05T01:54:04","slug":"philadelphia-76ers-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2020\/12\/05\/philadelphia-76ers-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"Philadelphia 76ers Look to Fulfill Potential Behind New Regime"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Philadelphia 76ers<\/a> underwent a full makeover this summer hiring a new president of basketball operations (Daryl Morey), head coach (Doc Rivers<\/strong><\/a>), and a host of new faces to the roster. General Manager Elton Brand<\/a> <\/strong>spent the entire 2019-20 season left to rue humungous contracts to Tobias Harris<\/a><\/strong> and Al Horford<\/a><\/strong> as the latter failed to work in tandem with superstar Joel Embiid<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Now, Brand and the new-look 76ers have a chance to fulfill its potential behind a new-look front office and coaching scheme. It’s been a disappointing last two years for Philadelphia, but the 2020-21 season promises to be spectacular.<\/p>\n

Philadelphia 76ers Look to Fulfill Potential Behind New Regime<\/h2>\n

Flashback to 2019-20<\/h3>\n

As mentioned earlier, the Philadelphia 76ers were marred by some horrendous deals from the 2019 offseason. Harris was given a five-year, $180 million deal followed by a four-year, $109 million contract to Horford. To put it simply, the pieces did not fit.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Harris struggled mightily in the playoffs, averaging 15.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and four assists on an abysmal 38.3 percent shooting and 13.3 percent from three. The 27-year-old floundered as the team’s secondary scoring option after star guard Ben Simmons<\/a><\/strong> went down with a knee injury. There was no playmaking on the floor and the Boston Celtics<\/a> throttled the life out of the 76ers in the first round.<\/p>\n

Horford was another problem. Signed to form a huge front line with Embiid, the pair was uncomfortable every time they saw the floor together. The Sixers assumed Horford could play power forward due to his ability to shoot the long ball. However, the big man has played most of his career at the five and chewed up valuable space when Embiid went to work on the block. The experiment was a complete failure to put it lightly and contributed to Philadelphia’s ugly 2019-20 campaign.<\/p>\n

Philadelphia 76ers Finally Acquire Shooting, Move Horford<\/h3>\n

Morey made a royal entrance by making a bevy of moves in the offseason. He was able to move off Horford’s bloating deal as well as surround Embiid and Simmons with shooters.<\/p>\n

\n

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS OFFSEASON TRANSACTIONS<\/p>\n

Acquired Danny Green, Terrance Ferguson from OKC for
Al Horford, #34 pick (Theo Maledon), 2025 Future FRP<\/p>\n

Acquired Seth Curry from DAL for Josh Richardson, #36 pick (Tyler Bey)<\/p>\n

Signed Dwight Howard (FA)<\/p>\n

Signed Justin Anderson (FA)<\/p>\n

— Eagle Moneyball (@geola388) December 4, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n