Philadelphia 76ers: How Elton Brand can fix the Sixers

While things have not gone exactly as planned, general manager Elton Brand can certainly put an emphasis on these areas to save the Philadelphia 76ers.

Most people would have never guessed that we would see Elton Brand running an NBA front office with the Philadelphia 76ers or any other team. That’s not to say Brand isn’t qualified. Simply put, when we think of the players that have spearheaded front offices, we think of the likes of Jerry West, Danny Ainge, and Larry Bird. These three have decades of experience between them running a plethora of successful teams.

Elton Brand differentiates himself from the pack simply because he doesn’t have as much experience running an NBA franchise. His astronomical rise could be attributed to two things: likability and timing. Before getting the general manager job with the Sixers, Brand was tasked with running their G-League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.

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Then in the summer of 2018, former general manager Bryan Colangelo stepped down after the infamous “burner account” scandal ensued. As a result, the Sixers didn’t have a general manager and settled for a collaborative effort between head coach Brett Brown and other executives within the franchise. This was ultimately a stopgap, leading the Sixers to promote from within by hiring Brand later that year.

The move was shocking, to say the least, but Elton Brand proved that he was capable within the first few months of his hiring. Throughout the 2018-2019 NBA season, Brand made big trades which yielded Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris, among others. Brand proved that he can make the moves that most general managers are afraid of making. Some general managers are content with collecting a paycheck and simply making sure their franchise remains profitable. Brand, on the other hand, brought with him a sense of drive.

That said, Brand can most certainly do better. With the recent acquisitions of Al Horford and Josh Richardson, the Sixers still have some holes to fill. As long as Brand makes the following adjustments, the Philadelphia 76ers can right the ship.

Emphasis on the Draft

Now, this seems like the easiest area to address, as the Sixers have five total pickings going into the 2020 NBA Draft. It’s no question that this year’s NBA Draft has some promise. Because March Madness was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most fans don’t have the inside scoop on what to expect. For NBA franchises, their scouting departments may be more vital than ever.

On top of that, the Sixers have a depth issue that desperately needs addressing. I previously wrote about some areas that the team could address in the draft, and it would make sense for Brand to target players who fit those builds. Specifically, the second round could look to be an important part of this year’s draft. Because they couldn’t compete in the NCAA tournament, there is substantially less film out there for people to evaluate these players. Teams like the Sixers will need to target supplementary players even more than before.

Because the Sixers have such a star-studded starting lineup, their bench has suffered a little. On top of that, the Philadelphia 76ers have so many big-ticket players, their salary cap is virtually dried up. By focusing on the NBA Draft, Elton Brand could bolster his roster at a much cheaper price point.

Emphasis on Shooting and Defense

Now, this final piece can go for both the NBA Draft and free agency. Brand recently was interviewed by Serena Winters of NBC Sports Philadelphia, and he specifically mentioned that he wants to target “versatile players, defensive-minded players”.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell you that defense is especially important in the NBA. In a league where offense is the focal-point, defense has become undervalued. While the Sixers do rank sixth in the league in defensive rating, that might not be enough. They can keep opponents from scoring with relative ease, but the flip side is where they struggle.

On the other hand, the Philadelphia 76ers have the eighteenth highest offensive in the league, placing their net rating at 12th in the NBA. For a team that has championship expectations, that’s simply unacceptable. Clearly, they need to improve on offense in order to become an upper-echelon team.

Considering the Sixers’ current makeup, shooting may be the biggest area of concern. The Sixers sit at fourteenth in the NBA with a 3-point percentage of 36.2 percent. That’s right around league average. The problem here is that the Sixers lack the personnel to create space. With a paint clogged with Joel Embiid and Horford, coupled with a lack of effective shooting from Josh Richardson and Tobias Harris, you run into problems creating opportunities for Ben Simmons. As such, the Sixers need to bring in shooters to help break up the monotony of their starting lineup.

This could be solved in free agency, by targeting players fit that the bill there. Some players that could solve this issue include E’twaun Moore and Kent Bazemore. Ideally, the Sixers should hope that their home-grown talent can become more effective from three. If not, Elton Brand will need to look elsewhere.

As such, as long as the Philadelphia 76ers and Elton Brand emphasize these areas, they can expect to see long-term success. With the team’s current makeup, only a few tweaks need to be made in order to truly maximize their potential.