Inside the 76ers: Lakers, Nets may be worse off than Sixers
Believe it or not, the 76ers might not be in the worst shape of all NBA franchises. The Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers have issues that rival the Sixers'.
Believe it or not, the 76ers might not be in the worst shape of all NBA franchises. The Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers have issues that rival the Sixers'.
On Friday, the Nets became the league's first team to start 0-6 this year after losing to the previously winless Lakers, 104-98, at the Barclays Center. Brooklyn then boarded a plane to face the Bucks in Milwaukee on Saturday night. Meanwhile, the 1-4 Lakers face the New York Knicks on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
And they're not tanking like the Sixers. They are loaded with aging veterans, unlike the Sixers. And also unlike the Sixers, the Nets and Lakers likely won't be able to replenish their rosters with 2016 first-round draft picks.
The Lakers could end up with no picks in the upcoming draft. They do have a first-rounder, but it will go to the Sixers unless Los Angeles finishes in the top three in May's draft lottery.
Meanwhile, the Nets only have a second-round pick. Their first-round selection is property of the Boston Celtics, regardless of where the pick lands.
Both teams will have money off the books in the offseason to go after A-list free agents to help jump-start their franchises. However, so will a lot of other teams as the salary cap skyrockets due to the league's new television deal.
The Sixers, however, could have as many as four first-round picks in the 2016 draft. They could also see the long-awaited debuts of 2014 first-rounders Joel Embiid and Dario Saric next season.
But we've talked about the Sixers' rebuilding process being behind schedule and forecast how the outside criticism will be at an all-time high this season.
How could we not?
The fact is, the Sixers aren't fielding a roster capable of winning right now. They're still identifying young talent and grooming that talent, so their record isn't all that surprising.
Some may argue the New Orleans Pelicans are also in bad shape. They headed into Saturday night's game at the Dallas Mavericks with an 0-5 record. However, a lot of the Pelicans' struggles have to do with missing Norris Cole (left ankle sprain), Chester's Tyreke Evans (right knee), Quincy Pondexter (left knee), Omer Asik (right calf strain), and Kendrick Perkins (pectoral).
The Nets and Lakers can't use injuries as an excuse.
Brooklyn is dealing with the lingering effects of blockbuster trades gone wrong for Deron Williams, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Gerald Wallace, who are no longer with the team.
The Lakers have struggled since losing in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs in 2013. They won 27 games in 2013-14 and just 21 last season.
This season's Lakers have a crazy mix that could haunt them. They want to develop rookie D'Angelo Russell and second-year players Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson. However, their growth could be stunted by high-volume shooter Kobe Bryant. To make matters worse, the 20-year veteran hasn't been making a lot of those shots.
The Sixers, however, have been criticized for not having an elite veteran to lead what the franchise calls the youngest team in the history of the NBA. But at least Jahlil Okafor, Nerlens Noel, and Nik Stauskas aren't standing around watching a veteran shoot. They're taking the shots and building individual confidence and gaining the experience that could help them down the road.
That's why the Sixers might not be the franchise in the worst shape.
@PompeyOnSixers