NBA

Sixers present, and future, looks worse after trade deadline debacle

Sixers present, and future, looks worse after trade deadline debacle
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The basketball sins committed by the Sixers and by president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo in recent weeks is makes for apretty substantially long list.

Sam Hinkie practically left the team with a can’t-lose situation once Joel Embiid hit the floor, played like an All-Star and future superstar and had the team literally gunning for a playoff spot.

But Colangelo found a way to ruin it.

After trading away a solid, but expiring and older piece in Ersan Ilyasova for two second round picks (a trade that was defendable as it opened up more minutes for rising star Dario Saric), Philly announced it had officially traded away one of it’s premierebig men.

But the wrong one. And for basically nothing.

After weeks of trade buzz, after being held away from the team during a road trip and then embarrassingly reunited with the team afterno trade took place, Jahlil Okafor did not get moved on Thursday.

Rather it was rim protector Nerlens Noel — whom many projected had better trade value than Okafor.

Perhaps he did. While Okafor apparently had zero trade appeal (theSixersreportedly offered Okafor for Avery Bradley and the Celtics said “no”), Noel’s value was a top-18 protected pick that will become two second rounders when the Mavericks finish in the lottery.

Philly also acquired Andrew Bogut, who at last notice was negotiating a package to be released by Philly in addition to23-year-old shooting guard Justin Anderson, who averaged 6.5 points per game in 51 games in Dallas but has been compared to Harrison Barnes by several scouts.

After all of that, Philly got a few second round picks and the Mavericks got the big men of the future.

The tankathon looks to be heading for its fourth straight year. as Joel Embiid’soutage will be extended at least four games while Sixers fans wait to hear the results of Ben Simmons’ most recent exam — the odds are he’ll be held out for the year.

The sad part is it didn’t have to be this way.

Two second rounders and Anderson weren’t enough for Philly to jettison Embiid’sinsurancepolicy in Noel — who offered Philly the rare chance to have a true rim protector on the floor for 48 minutes per game. They could have conceivably used some of their exceptionally large stockpile of cap space to make an offer for the restricted free agent in June.

The Kings and Lakers did Philly massive draft-related favors, as the Sixers stood a chance at surpassing the Kings and swapping picks with them as they start their tank sans DeMarcus Cousins — and also reaping the benefits of Magic Johnson’s ascension to power in Los Angeles. Philly holds the Lakers’ pick if it falls outside the top three, and if not they get it in 2018.

Instead Philly will have Okafor starting the next four games while Embiidsits, and will have another offseason full of drama and uncertainty regarding their now backup center who doesn’t fit.

None of the moves this week have helped the Sixers position themselves for the present or the future.Colangelo looks like he has no idea how to build a roster. And the Sixers will continue to flail and trip over themselves as they cautiously crawl toward contention.