Howard’s Point of View
The NBA season is underway and the Sixers are now in their second season under head coach Brett Brown. By the looks of it the Sixers won’t be a very good next season considering they don’t have much experience or leadership from their current players.
Last season the Sixers were a miserable 19-63 overall. A large part was due to the dismantling of the roster after trading away Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes.
Regardless of wins and losses, moral victories and the progression of the team will serve as the measuring point of the success of the Sixers this season.
Head Coach Brett Brown was reassured that his success will not be measured by wins and losses. Therefore Brown has time to develop a team from scratch and mold his players into good players. for the future.
A positive for Brown is that reigning rookie of the year, Michael Carter-Williams is back for his second season with Philly. Carter-Williams led all rookies in points, assists and rebounds per game, when healthy Carter-Williams was the Sixers’ all around best player last season. Key words, “when healthy.” Carter-Williams had shoulder surgery during the summer and isn’t cleared to practice with the team until Nov. 6. He’s likely to miss at least seven games this season.
Once Carter-Williams returns to the hardwood, all eyes will be on him to see how he will improve as a player even after his stellar rookie season.
Carter-Williams is a 6’6 point guard which causes match up problems for a lot of undersized NBA point guards. His size allows him to get to the rim easily and that opens him up to display his play making ability.
However it may not be as easy for Carter-Williams to make plays this year because teams will game plan better for him after his productive year last season. One thing Carter-Williams will have to get better at this season is his shooting. Carter-Williams has the ability to shoot the ball but does not have a consistent jump sot. Once he works on that part of his game, it will be even harder to defend the 6’6 point guard.
When healthy, Carter-Williams has the ability to be a top point guard in the league. But the pressure will be on his shoulders this season considering he is the only returning starter from last year’s opening night starting five. With the experience from last year, Carter-Williams is ready for the challenge.
With expectations even lower than those of last year’s team, the Sixers will most likely win under 20 games again. But as long as the Sixers can get good production from Carter-Williams, it will give them a feeling of security that they can continue to build the team around the second year point guard.
Jason’s Point of View
With the NBA season tipping off this week, the young Philadelphia 76ers are getting ready for what looks like another long losing season. This season will be the second under head coach Brett Brown, the Sixers are also returning Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams. The sixers will most importantly return former Kentucky Center Nerlens Noel who was selected number six in the 2013 NBA Draft.
After tanking in the 2013-2014 season going 19-63 overall, the Sixers earned a top three draft pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, where they selected former Kansas center Joel Embiid at number three. The Sixers team was torn apart from top to bottom last season and this offseason, after trading former number two pick Evan Turner and center Spencer Hawes. The 76ers also traded PF Thaddeus Young in the offseason. With a bunch of young talent and a bunch of unknown guys the 76ers look like they will be struggling to get wins again this year.
For the Sixers this year the popular belief is that, Rookie of the Year PG Michael Carter-Williams will be the most important piece to the team.
This belief is mistaken, as Carter-Williams was and has been on the trade block for the Sixers since the 2014 NBA Draft. The Philadelphia 76ers have been looking for a franchise game changing player, since the departure of Allen Iverson in 2006. The Sixers have found their answer in C Nerlens Noel.
Noel missed his first season in the NBA due to recovery from ACL surgery. Noel is looking to have a breakout year like he did his freshman year at Kentucky University averaging 11 points, five blocks and 10 rebounds.
Noel will bring a defensive presence to a Sixers team who ranked 30th in the defensive ranking which is last. Noel’s 6’11 frame with the wingspan of a 7’3 person makes Noel one the premiere rim protectors in basketball. Once Noel gets it going on the defensive end and on the glass points, it will become easier for the Sixers and Noel will be an instant game changer.
All will not be easy for Noel, even though Noel is a superb athlete and talented defensively, Noel still lacks a sound offensive game. Noel not only struggles to score at times but Noel is also very light in weight compared to some of the other centers in the NBA.
While Noel does struggle to score and is under weight, these are two intangibles that can be corrected as the season goes on for such a young player with such great potential.
When healthy, Noel was considered to be the top prospect in his draft class and one of the top young guys in the NBA.
As a team the Sixers expectations are again tank. The motto for the Sixers this year is the same as last “Together We Build”, shows that the 76ers organization knows there is not a contender now but with the pieces in place, the 76ers will keep on building and become a contender. In the years to come the Philadelphia 76ers are building a contender and their centerpiece of it all will be center Nerlens Noel.
