Philadelphia 76ers fans expected a lot out of their team this season. Unfortunately, the Ben Simmons saga has ensured the Sixers are further removed from title contention than in recent years. Considering the circumstances, they're in an admirable position this season nonetheless.
Joel Embiid remains in Philadelphia, still capable of being the best player on the floor every night. Seth Curry was an outstanding offseason addition and Matisse Thybulle has taken another step defensively. Tyrese Maxey has shown flashes of stardom, too.
However, the Sixers are a long way from the top of the Eastern Conference, where fans expected them to be coming into 2021-22. All isn't quite lost in the City of Brotherly Love, though, assuming Daryl Morey finally makes his move.
Here are two ways the Sixers can become a contender again this season.
Stop the charade and trade Ben Simmons
The Sixers are getting literally nothing from Simmons' $31.5 million salary slot at this point. His actual payout is the concern of Philly's owners, but no team in the NBA could survive such a significant portion of the salary cap essentially going unused. Of course, if the Sixers weren't so stubborn, they could have traded Simmons for a good package before the season and this could have all been resolved.
There would be no drama without Simmons, and the Sixers would have additional pieces to play around a core of Embiid and Tobias Harris. Maxey has already defied expectations this season, as has Curry. Thybulle looks like a perennial All-Defense honoree, and the Sixers have solid rotation pieces like Andre Drummond and Danny Green. If Morey had traded Simmons even for a less-desirable package, Philadelphia would have among the best rosters in the East.
Unfortunately, the front office wanted to do everything it could to maximize Simmons' value, an approach that's badly backfired. Now, there's a distinct possibility that Simmons doesn't yield an early first-round pick for the Sixers due to the overall toxicity of the situation. However, due to the way the NBA works, there are still teams that are willing to trade for the Australian.
The Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks reportedly have interest in Simmons. The Sacramento Kings wouldn't mind acquiring him, while the Indiana Pacers and Portland Trail Blazers are in states of flux.
Those teams have a ton of players who could raise the Sixers' ceiling this season. CJ McCollum would be a natural fit on the perimeter beside Embiid and Harris, just like De'Aaron Fox or Buddy Hield. Getting someone like Domantas Sabonis or Caris LeVert from Indiana, despite the latter's injury issues, could also be profitable for the Sixers in the end.
It's truly time for Morey to drop the act, get on the phone and push for some realistic trades for Simmons.
Get more efficient on both sides of the floor
The Sixers truly look like a middling team. They aren't abysmal in any one area, nor especially good. If they want to take advantage of Embiid's prime, with or without Simmons, they need to play to their strengths. Their biggest strength right now is Joel Embiid, and he needs to be put in positions to thrive on both ends.
A possibility for the Sixers and coach Doc Rivers would be to play a four-out system, similar to what Stan Van Gundy did in Orlando with young Dwight Howard. Howard was surrounded by capable shooters on all four positions, and he was placed in the middle of the paint. It is tough to really compare Howard to Embiid, as they play different brands of basketball, but building around a dominant center on both sides of the ball is a good starting point regardless.
A possible lineup for Rivers to try is Curry-Green-Harris-Georges Niang-Embiid. That combination has played only four non-garbage time possessions season, according to Cleaning the Glass, so it would be interesting to try.
What also needs to improve is Philadelphia's defensive efficiency. Currently, the Sixers are just 20th in defense. Losing a major piece like Simmons, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, obviously hurts, but isn't the sole reason for Philly's slide on that end. There are still capable defenders on this roster; it's about utilizing them in the right way. Thybulle and Embiid are elite defenders at their best, so really need step up and lead on that part of the floor.
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