Are the 76ers and Knicks smart, or a disgrace?
There has long been a notion that consistency breeds success. If that is the case, the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks are about to win the next 50 NBA titles.
Philadelphia and New York have been truly awful for the better part of this young century, and 2015 is a showcase of their pathetic depths. The 76ers are doing all they can to tank for the first overall pick once more, but they have staunch competition this time around. The Knicks are in epic tank mode, trading off Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith and Pablo Prigioni, and cutting Amar’e Stoudamire during the season while shutting down Carmelo Anthony with a knee injury.
Philadelphia (12-43) is actually 2.5 games better than New York (10-45) and with only 25 games or so remaining, the 76ers might have to literally only win two or three more times to have any shot or surpassing the Knicks.
So the question really becomes are these franchises smart for avoiding mediocrity and a mid-round pick, or a disgrace for blatantly losing? The answer is different for both teams.
In New York’s case, it appears the smart move. The Knicks have dealt with horrible management under owner Jim Dolan, who loves to see the splash move. During the last 15 years, the Knicks have brought in Steve Francis, Stephon Marbury, Antonio McDyess, Eddy Curry, Stoudamire and many more, hoping to catch lightning in a bottle. All those moves achieved was a bloated salary cap and a bunch of high-priced losing.
The Knicks are finally in a position to be well below the cap and even more shockingly, hold the rights to their first-round pick. New York could finally get an impact player in the draft for the first time since the 1980’s when it took Patrick Ewing and Mark Jackson. With Jahlil Okafor presumably sitting there, it is easy to understand Phil Jackson’s logic.
Philadelphia on the other hand is a total disgrace. It is one thing to tank for a season. It is quite another to take for half the decade. The 76ers have been stockpiling assets for what seems like forever, only to trade them away for more picks. At the trade deadline, Philadelphia dealt guard Michael Carter-Williams to the Milwaukee Bucks for more draft selections, continuing what is an endless cycle.
The 76ers have Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid, two centers who have not panned out to this point. Noel is at least playing and improving, something Embiid has not been able to do yet because of a foot injury. Unfortunately, he has reportedly also been dealing with some weight issues.
Ultimately, both teams are an embarrassment. Two franchises in marquee cities with rich histories have been reduced to losing on purpose. It needs to stop, one way or the other.
