Sixers Post Mortem Talk (Where Do We Go From Here?)

[Jailblazers7]

The problem with our team is that we have no one who can pressure the paint AND be a playmaker. Harden doesn’t collapse defenses anymore because he’s lost a step & can’t finish. Maxey isn’t a playmaker so he can’t manipulate the defense yet. Embiid is a turnover machine who loves the midrange. That’s why we need a lot more movement & cutting because otherwise we are just a jump shooting team with two chokers controlling the ball in crunch time.

That’s the big reason Harden needs to go because I don’t see us addressing that issue with him here.

[Arsenal]

Even if Harden returns he has to play off the ball effectively at times. His normal routine of standing in place without the ball won't work. He has to move into open space and create a passing lane for the ballhandler, then catch and shoot.

It's on Nurse to fix that.

[Jailblazers7]

Even if Harden returns he has to play off the ball effectively at times. His normal routine of standing in place without the ball won't work. He has to move into open space and create a passing lane for the ballhandler, then catch and shoot.

It's on Nurse to fix that.

I just don’t see how Nurse can fix that? Moving into open space & shooting when you’re open is just playing basketball like a normal person.

[Iverson Armband]

Even if Harden returns he has to play off the ball effectively at times. His normal routine of standing in place without the ball won't work. He has to move into open space and create a passing lane for the ballhandler, then catch and shoot.

It's on Nurse to fix that.

I just don’t see how Nurse can fix that? Moving into open space & shooting when you’re open is just playing basketball like a normal person.

He’s cant. That’s why Harden shouldn’t be here anymore.

It was worth a shot for Simmons, I appreciate the good games, but I think our use for him has run its course. Time to move in a different direction. And Embiid has one more year, then it’s time to cut ties with him too.

[ProcessDoctor]

It is kinda crazy to me that Harden has never really moved when off the ball. It just seems intuitive to do so.

[Skates]

It is kinda crazy to me that Harden has never really moved when off the ball. It just seems intuitive to do so.

Or plays defense on the perimeter, he conserves all of his energy for dominating the ball. Doc had some success putting him down low in the zone because defensively his strength can be at least somewhat of an asset there.

I still want him re-signed because if it isn't working by the trade deadline he becomes a decent asset to use if they need to reset around Embiid and Maxey.

[76ciology]

"Heard last night from a little birdie, Harden going back to Philly, is way more realistic & probable than everyone is giving him credit for... there’s been some Philly buzz and I think thats 1 of the reasons they're not in the Beal sweepstakes.”

- Bill Simmons

[Arsenal]

"Heard last night from a little birdie, Harden going back to Philly, is way more realistic & probable than everyone is giving him credit for... there’s been some Philly buzz and I think thats 1 of the reasons they're not in the Beal sweepstakes.”

- Bill Simmons

All signs point to Harden returning at this point. The talk about Houston was all just a leverage play to squeeze more money out of us. Looks like we'll end up resigning him to something reasonable, which is great.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Yeah I'm starting to think he's coming back which should simplify things as all the focus goes towards moving Tobias Harris.

[76ciology]

"Heard last night from a little birdie, Harden going back to Philly, is way more realistic & probable than everyone is giving him credit for... there’s been some Philly buzz and I think thats 1 of the reasons they're not in the Beal sweepstakes.”

- Bill Simmons

All signs point to Harden returning at this point. The talk about Houston was all just a leverage play to squeeze more money out of us. Looks like we'll end up resigning him to something reasonable, which is great.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

I don't think it's so much that Harden is some majestic Chess player. I think he finally listened to the Pearl Jam song Better Man. "He dreams in colors he dreams in red." Either that or U2's With or Without You made the playlist.

[spikeslovechild]

Harden is a loser, that is why. Not too difficult to understand. Don’t know how many times you need to see him come up small when he’s needed the most for it to finally click in your brain. You’re looking at it from a purely remedial standpoint, blinded by Harden’s (diminishing) talent and forgetting it’s more than that. “Floor general”, huh? So good a floor general that he forgot to get our best player any touches at the end of Game 6? So good a floor general he had 5TOs in both Game 6 and 7? Give me a break… I’m sure you’ll point to his regular season assist numbers, I do not give two Fs about what he does in the regular season against bum teams with no pressure.

A guy who has the ball in his hands that much cannot be that unreliable in the playoffs and his brand of basketball has been proven time and time again to not produce playoff success. He’s also lazy as hell on defense and at this point in his career, not good enough on offense to get away with it. That has an affect on the team. So like I said, addition by subtraction.

I’m also of the mind that he “blocks” Maxey. I don’t think Maxey can ever reach his full potential with Harden here playing how he likes to play. Do I know that for a fact? Of course not. But I do have years worth of data telling me Harden definitely ain’t getting it done. Why not try something different?

So you think Maxey is being blocked by Harden. Ok. I don't believe that at all. They actually complement each other extremely well. Maxey pushes the ball up court for fast break opportunities and once the defense becomes set Harden the ball in his hands and creates gravity to get Maxey open looks particularly 3P off the ball. I've seen nothing to suggest Maxey is capable of running an offense and breaking down defenses every time we've tried to do so and doc has especially when Harden needs rest it's failed spectacularly whether that has been with the starters or bench.

Which is fine with me. If Maxey never develops into that guy he still has tremendous value due to his ability to score efficiently by using his speed on the fast break to get to the rim and knockdown threes. For me to show how much we are NOT on the same page I've been pushing all offseason and during the season for us to get more of a traditional PG for the bench so we can get Harden rest without the offense falling apart.

I honestly think that is a big problem of why this team always fails in big moments is we cannot rest our best guys so at the end of games when Harden and Embiid come in they are facing guys who are fresh they are completely out of gas.

I've been hammering away for a legit backup PG since last off season, as it was to me the most glaring hole on the roster going into last season.

The argument can be made that the lack of that player was a big a factor as any for our playoff failure. The non-Harden minutes were a complete disaster all season.

This. Furthermore, I am not really sold as Harden and Embiid as a twosome as it relates to championships either. I mean beyond Harden losing step he just doesn't seem to have the focus on key moments last season was a tremendous lost opportunity. I think we were much better than Miami as an example but we just didn't have the focus and failed to close out the Celtics.

The other problem this team has and it really has nothing to do with Harden is we don't really have anyone who can matchup against the elite SF like Tatum in this league. Someone mentioned Hunter I'd give anything to have someone like Hunter who can go against a team's best offensive player and not be a complete 0 on offense.

[Skates]

The best deal for Harden here would be very much like his deal last year, two years at money both sides can live with and a player option for next year. Gives him insurance in case he drops off badly or gets injured this year and full freedom and flexibility next summer to control his fate. Works well for both sides.

[rocketsfan100]

"Heard last night from a little birdie, Harden going back to Philly, is way more realistic & probable than everyone is giving him credit for... there’s been some Philly buzz and I think thats 1 of the reasons they're not in the Beal sweepstakes.”

- Bill Simmons

All signs point to Harden returning at this point. The talk about Houston was all just a leverage play to squeeze more money out of us. Looks like we'll end up resigning him to something reasonable, which is great.

You can’t out knight the black knight Morey himself. Morey has moles and contacts even to this day within the rockets front office.he knows what the Rockets were offering from the get go.

[spikeslovechild]

I'm surprised some people want Harden back even on a short term deal. As long as he's playing big minutes and dominating the ball, we're screwed.

I have the same concerns about Harden as most, but it's about preserving asset value as we have no good way to replace him if he walks. If he signs a 2-year deal, we can make another run next season with a better coach, and can still trade him next summer if it doesn't work, as he'll still have trade value. And we can stay "over the cap" instead of dipping under and having to deal with all that entails.

An asset-poor team like us can't afford to let assets walk out the door.

This.

There is no way after losing Harden to pivot to a better option. If we can sign him to a shortterm deal and it falls apart we move him. The key is to not get suckered into a massive max 4-5 year contract even three years would be better.

[Stanford]

I have the same concerns about Harden as most, but it's about preserving asset value as we have no good way to replace him if he walks. If he signs a 2-year deal, we can make another run next season with a better coach, and can still trade him next summer if it doesn't work, as he'll still have trade value.

You think a team would have interest in him, another year older, another playoff failure to his credit? I have my doubts. And we'd likely have to take some bad salary in exchange for any kind of value.

[Arsenal]

I have the same concerns about Harden as most, but it's about preserving asset value as we have no good way to replace him if he walks. If he signs a 2-year deal, we can make another run next season with a better coach, and can still trade him next summer if it doesn't work, as he'll still have trade value.

You think a team would have interest in him, another year older, another playoff failure to his credit? I have my doubts. And we'd likely have to take some bad salary in exchange for any kind of value.

If we get him for 2/$80M then yes I believe we'll be able to move him for decent value next summer unless he totally falls off a cliff.

[Stanford]

What caliber of deal do you think we could get?

[Arsenal]

What caliber of deal do you think we could get?

Prob a combo of 3 decent role players and 1st rounders. If we eat bad money then potentially more.

[Jailblazers7]

The best deal for Harden here would be very much like his deal last year, two years at money both sides can live with and a player option for next year. Gives him insurance in case he drops off badly or gets injured this year and full freedom and flexibility next summer to control his fate. Works well for both sides.

After his behavior this year, we better not give him a player option. This dude was leaking that he was going to Houston on Christmas morning & in the middle of our playoff run. Can’t have a repeat of that next year I’d rather just have it be 2 years straight up.