How Should the 76ers Go About The Offseason?

I know, I know. The 76ers season is far from over. But, I've seen enough 76ers basketball this year to understand the team's needs and what they need to do to get better for next season. Besides, I love talking strategy! That being said, let's discuss some possible additions that the 76ers could make in the free agency period for this season.

First off, I don't think trading Joel Embiid makes any sense at all. The only possible situation that I can see Joel being moved is if he does what Jimmy Butler did in Minnesota. I really don't care about his trade worth. The 76ers have been building for a chance to win a title since 2013. Trading the supposed main piece of that rebuild makes no sense right now, especially now that the 76ers championship window is in its developing stages.

Notice how I said Joel Embiid is the "supposed" main piece of the rebuild. He used to be. He isn't anymore.

The 76ers need to build their roster around Ben Simmons. Ben has proven this year that he is capable of leading this team effectively. He's the most versatile defender in the NBA because of his ability to see the ball, his athleticism, his length, and his IQ. On the offensive side of the ball, Ben is also very much a threat. He is one of the best players in a transition offense situation. Of course, there's always going to be people that say "He can't shoot! He will never be good if he can't shoot!"

"False." - Dwight Schrute.

This offseason, the Sixers need to do with Ben Simmons what the Bucks did with Giannis. They realized how much potential Giannis has, so they put guys that filled his weaknesses around him. At the time, Giannis was not a very good shooter. So, what did they do? Signed, drafted, and traded for guys who could shoot. The 76ers need to do the exact same thing for Ben Simmons. They already have some guys who can do this, such as Tobias Harris, Furkan Korkmaz, Matisse Thybulle, Shake Milton, and Alec Burks. Hell, even Joel Embiid and Al Horford can shoot off of the pick and roll. But, they need more shooting.

Signing a guy like Eric Gordon or Joe Harris would be extremely helpful for the 76ers core. Guys that can knock down the three at will are hot commodities in this era of the NBA. Even signing a guy like Shabazz Napier will help. Anyone that can shoot the three will help this team. Also, they need to re-sign Furkan Korkmaz. Furk is a very effective scorer off the bench, having multiple games where he scored 25+ points this year. He's one of the best shooters on the roster, so keeping him will be crucial.

I'll be honest, Al Horford's deal isn't exactly ideal. Paying him over $100 million for an aging Horford is a huge stretch. I would like to see them try to restructure his deal to free up some cap space. If that doesn't work, trading him would be an option, too. His contract eats up a lot of cap space and the Sixers already don't have a lot of cap space to begin with, due to the extensions of Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris (which I love). Freeing up cap space could allow for them to go after a guy like Danillio Galinarri.

The draft is a more interesting situation. The Sixers, in theory, could have up to 5 draft picks this year. The Sixers could have 2 first rounders with their own pick and a 1-20 protected pick from the Thunder. But, they have an extra first-round pick (via the Clippers, protected 1-14) that is now Brooklyn's pick. So, if the Sixers can manage to trade up with any of these picks, they need to trade up into the 12-17 range. There are 2 guys I really think will fit the needs of Ben Simmons very well, those being Andrew Nesmith (SF, Vanderbilt) and Saddiq Bey (SF, Villanova). Both can shoot from the outside well and can get up and down the floor well. Those two guys complement Ben's game very well. They'll elevate his game while he's elevating them at the same time. The 76ers play their best when Benny is playing his best ball.

This offseason is crucial for the 76ers' future. Drafting guys that fit Ben's playstyle is crucial for not only his development but the development of everyone around him.

Anyway, the season returns soon and hopefully, Klein's preseason prediction of the Sixers hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy comes true. Go Sixers!