Despite having a talented crop of young talent, the Philadelphia 76ers seem to be a bit lost in putting them to good use. It is a known fact that Philly has been dealing with a struggling offense, largely because they lack reliable outside shooting. They do have players like Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, who can operate inside, but such makes them predictable.
Even before the NBA trade deadline, several wingmen were being linked to the Sixers. No deal went down for Philly, and their erratic campaign continues. Though they are running 5th in the Eastern Conference with a 34-21 win-loss record, there are doubts about how deep they can go in the NBA playoffs. In all, it has been frustrating, and things could get ugly in the offseason.
One player who has expressed disappointment is Embiid. His role on offense has been a bit off with him now being seen (or ordered?) to stand beyond the three-point line, NBC Sports reported. Instead, it has been Simmons operating down low. A possible explanation for that is Simmons does not own a decent jump shot. But it still remains that Embiid does heavy damage when he plays the low post.
If this continues, it won't come as a surprise if the Sixers end up parting with Embiid. This is something that NBA executives are talking about, ESPN reported. However, there are no talks of an impending trade concerning the Cameroonian. But then again, things may change in the summer if Philly is unable to get the best out of its young stars.
But the fact that Embiid is starting to get involved in trade talks is not good for the Sixers. Even if it may not be true, it is a possibility given the team's situation. All this could be capped on how Philly ends its season. With the way they are playing right now, getting past the first round of the NBA playoffs is up in the air.
Also in the hot seat is head coach Brett Brown. His name has been mentioned in the past as someone that needs to be replaced. He has weathered the previous storms, but things could be different after the 2019-20 NBA season. A new coach could get things to work aside from potentially getting in some shooters. It will be a crucial summer for the 76ers who could be wasting the talent they have under their wing.
