Sixers would be wise to wait on big trade

What’s the rush?

After three absolutely brutal seasons in which the 76ers finished an abysmal 47-199, they’ll head to training camp with an improved roster full of big men.

For those people frustrated with the lack of a recent trade involving either Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor, well, don’t fret. This rebuild has taken three long seasons under the previous regime with Sam Hinkie.

Bryan Colangelo is in charge now and he won’t accept losing. He never has. The future already looks brighter.

The Sixers boast a number of big men including Noel, Okafor, Joel Embiid and Dario Saric. That’s a lot of size in this guard-oriented league, but the Sixers shouldn’t push to make a trade quickly.

It has to be the right move.

They’re not going to the NBA Finals in 2016-17. They’re almost certainly not going to the playoffs, either. Look at last season’s Minnesota Timberwolves, a team full of young talent up and down their roster. They went 29-53.

Recalling a word from Hinkie’s tenure – the Sixers boast “assets.” In other words, big men.

As the trade deadline approaches this season, other teams will likely get more desperate. Noel or Okafor could be dealt now or by the trade deadline. What the Sixers are seeking is simple: a trade which favors them.

There are so many question marks.

Can Noel consistently produce at center and play well enough offensively? Can Okafor rebound from an up-and-down rookie season in which he had off-the-court problems and then a knee injury late in the season? Can Embiid prove that he can play at all after missing two full seasons with foot injuries? Can Saric fit in the team’s plans?

Don’t forget that 6-foot-10 Ben Simmons, the No. 1 overall pick in the recent draft, will be on the roster. And he could be the point guard at times.

All four players being healthy at the same time would be ideal for coach Brett Brown. Recent history suggests that hasn’t happened. Having this kind of depth isn’t bad. It’s actually a good problem.

The Sixers’ identity is unknown. Do they have a superstar? Embiid? Simmons?

They do have depth. They finally have a number of talented players. They have potential.

So what’s the rush?

Colangelo understands that tweaking the roster will take time. The passionate fans have waited a long time. They’re willing to hang in there as long as it takes.

At least the team is moving in a positive direction. There’s a level of excitement this season that has been absent in recent years.

So many factors will come into play regarding how the Sixers move forward. At least they’re moving. Whether they have two big men or five, they’re going to be better.