The 2020 Sixers are the 2019 Phillies. There are a lot of strange similarities between the two teams.
High expectations, star-studded starting lineup, a glaring hole in both teams, a coach that some people really like and some people really don’t like.
When the season started in October, the 76ers were a hot pick to be in the Finals or, at the very least, the Eastern Conference Finals. The expectations were through the roof, even though they lost Jimmy Butler and JJ Redick, it seemed like they made up for it with the additions of Al Horford and Josh Richardson.
Both Richardson and Horford have been disappointments thus far. Pile that with Ben Simmons still refusing to take jump shots and Joel Embiid being in and out of the lineup, and it seems like the Sixers have regressed from last year.
What is it about Philadelphia that makes our professional sports teams want to break our hearts? Us Philly fans live and die on every snap, pitch, slap shot, and dribble.
However, it seems as though the front office of our beloved teams refuse to acknowledge that and go all-in to bring a championship home to Philly.
In July, general manager Matt Klentak decided to stand pat at the trade deadline, this is when Phillies President Andy MacPhail came out with the infamous quote “ if we don’t, we don’t“ when asked about making the playoffs. Sixers general manager Elton Brand cannot do the same and sit on his hands during Thursday’s deadline. Just because the team making the playoffs is a guarantee doesn’t mean that they can stand pat.
Is the goal of the season to make the playoffs or, in the words of Joel Embiid, to win a ******* championship?
The Sixers need shooters. I do not think that is any secret, and it is up to Elton Brand to bring in somebody to improve this team whether that be a shooter, a ball-handler or more bench depth. There is no reason a team as good as the Sixers should be 9-18 in road games this year and be competing with the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat for the 4-6 seed. The Sixers should be competing with the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors for the 1-2 seed.
I think we fans can agree on one thing, Elton Brand: do not be Matt Klentak.
Featured Image: Chris Szagola/AP
