5 reasons Philadelphia 76ers can still improve without Ben Simmons
By John Buhler
1. This was a 10-win team in 2015-16
The biggest reason that Philadelphia can still improve without play from Simmons is that the 76ers were a 10-win team last year. It’s almost impossible to be worse than a 10-win NBA team. Last year had to be the nadir for the 76ers franchise. It’s only going to get better from here on out.
Youth and inexperience were the two biggest factors for Philly’s abysmal play last season. A roster without proven veterans usually struggle because they don’t know what it takes to play in the NBA. Guys like Gerald Henderson, Jerryd Bayless and Elton Brand are going to help this club out significantly in terms of professionalism.
This will be the fourth year Brown will be the 76ers head coach. His system is sure to be more refined and nuanced. Defensively, the 76ers will probably be close to decent. Offensively, well, it might still be a struggle without Simmons. At least Bayless is a real NBA point guard.
Everybody on the team is a year older and a year wiser. There were lessons to be learned last season. Surely some players on the 2015-16 Philadelphia 76ers won’t make the same mistakes this time around.
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All it’s really going to take is to have one starter or role player to pop for the team to offset the Simmons loss this year. Remember that he is a 20-year-old rookie that is afraid to shoot the basketball. This team will find ways to get better with or without Simmons on the floor. Improving on a 10-72 mark from the year before is almost certain for the Sixers.