National Basketball Association

Philadelphia 76ers: 5 Midseason Takeaways

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:16 p.m. ET

Fansided, Jerran Anderson/FanSided via Hoops Habit

Jan 18, 2017; Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Trust the Process! As the Philadelphia 76ers look to get better, here are five midseason takeaways from their start to the 2016-17 season.

Halfway through the 2016-17 NBA season, the Philadelphia 76ers are turning a corner. The Sixers are 7-3 in the month of January, allowing just 99 points per game. They are allowing well under their average of 104.3 points per game (16th in the NBA) this month and its largely been due to the play of rookie big man Joel Embiid.

The Process is averaging 19.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2.1 assists per game through 30 games this season. He is still on a minutes’ restriction of 28 minutes per game as of Dec. 21 and isn’t playing in back-to-back games yet. But it’s been hard to ignore his presence on the court. The Philadelphia 76ers have lost two games in back-to-back scenarios this month, so imagine the possibilities if you will.

Their first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Ben Simmons, is still playing it cautious as well as he returns from an acute Jones fracture in his right foot. And despite all the injuries, the Philadelphia 76ers are 15-27, already upping their win total from last season.

Fans have yet to see what Simmons will bring to the table but as they patiently await his return, Joel Embiid serves as a benchmark for the development of the 76ers youth. Whats impressive is how management has managed to put together such a young roster with the likes of rookie Dario Saric backing up the veteran Ersan Ilyasova from the bench. As a result, Philly is only 5.5 games out of a playoff spot.

Here are five midseason takeaways for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jan 11, 2017; Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

5. Ben Simmons: The Future at Point Forward?

2016 first overall draft pick Ben Simmons has still yet to play a regular season game for the Philadelphia 76ers. As he recovers from an Acute’ jones fracture in his right foot, all signs point to Simmons having a successful transition to the point guard position.

Simmons averaged 19.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game in one season at LSU before being drafted this past offseason. We all pretty much know the story by now, but his foot injury has been a minor setback with a Philadelphia 76ers’ franchise known for taking a lot of risks. 2013 draft pick Michael Carter-Williams was shipped off after his second season with the team, even after recording a triple-double in his first game as an NBA player.

There’s high risk, high reward with these kinds of things. Simmons will be under a microscope the minute he steps on the floor. Let’s just hope he’s ready for it, since a couple players on the roster haven’t been prepared for the playing time they have received, or lack thereof.

Simmons could make his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers after the All-Star break and if he works out, he couldn’t have returned at a better time. The Sixers can still make the playoffs after all.

Dec 23, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

4. What Will Philadelphia Do With Jahlil Okafor?

The Philadelphia 76ers have a stockpile of big men on the roster. Between Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel, Ersan Ilyasova, Dario Saric, and Jahlil Okafor, eventually, the Sixers will have to decide who to keep and who to let go — especially with 6’10” rookie forward Ben Simmons ready to play point guard when he returns.

The odd man out of the picture for the 76ers so far has been Jahlil Okafor. Okafor’s playing time has taken a significant hit. He’s started in 16 games and appeared in just 31 for the Philadelphia 76ers this season.

The third overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft hasn’t quite been the defensive presence the Sixers expected him to be but he’s still serviceable on the offensive end. He’s averaging 11.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game in 23 minutes of work.

Much like when the team drafted Michael Carter-Williams in 2013, they’re learning Okafor is limited in what he can do. The second-year big man may want to check on a change of scenery soon.

Nov 2, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

3. T.J. McConnell starting at point guard makes this team more explosive

T.J. McConnell has been a hero for the Sixers this season. He has started in the Philadelphia 76ers’ last 10 games, and they’ve gone 8-2. He’s not the most athletic guy on the court, but he’s the smartest.

McConnell is averaging 8.2 points, 8.5 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game in 11 starts this season. He started the season off the bench but he’s ultimately made it difficult for head coach Brett Brown to keep him off the court. He made a game-winner against the New York Knicks on Jan. 11. He’s averaging 33.2 minutes per game in his starts and holds a 9-2 record as starter this season.

The Philadelphia 76ers still have point guard Sergio Rodriguez, native of Spain. But Rodriguez has appeared in just the last seven games, averaging 5.4 points, 3.6 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per game. He began the season as the starter but his score-first mentality isn’t exactly what the Sixers need. With McConnell starting at point guard, Joel Embiid becomes a primary focal point on offense.

Jan 8, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Mandatory Credit: Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports

2. The Sixers have the right mix of players to be fun, if not successful

The Philadelphia 76ers signed shooting guard Jerryd Bayless to a free agent deal in the offseason. But Bayless is out for the season after tearing a ligament in his left wrist. Injuries are apart of the game, so the Sixers dealt with it swiftly.

When the Philadelphia 76ers traded for Ersan Ilyasova, the floor really began to space out. Ilyasova gives the 76ers a credible perimeter 4-man who isn’t shy on offense at all. The nine-year veteran is averaging a career-high 15.5 points with 6.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.

Ilyasova has made at least one three-pointer in all 39 appearances for the Sixers this season. He went 5-for-6 from the three-point line, scoring 24 points in the Sixers 93-92 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Starting small forward Robert Covington made five threes in the game as well, scoring 22 points.

Covington has been a breath of fresh air for a team in need of an aggressive wing player. He’s averaging 10.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.5 assists per contest in 39 starts.

The Philadelphia 76ers are almost to the promised land, so to speak, they just have to trust the Process!

Jan 18, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

1. Trust the Process

If the NBA were to give away the Rookie of the Year award today, Joel Embiid would win it hands down. The Process has been superb in his return to the hardwood in 2016-17, showing that he’s almost ready for superstardom in Philadelphia. He has nine double-doubles on the season and as his playing time increases, so has his production.

The Philadelphia 76ers big man is averaging 22.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 2.6 assists in his last eight games. Since his minutes increased to just about 28 per game, the Sixers have a record of 9-4. Embiid did have a scare in the team’s one-point win over Portland, when he hyperextended his knee. But it looks like The Process will still play on Tuesday, Jan. 24 against the Los Angeles Clippers.

With Embiid playing well and Simmons’ return on the horizon, Philadelphia fans are beginning to see Sam Hinkie’s odd process take shape, even if it took roughly five seasons to develop. With rookie Dario Saric too, they have a wild card on the roster to play with as well.

Saric is averaging 9.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 23.9 minutes per game. He has 10 starts and four double-doubles for the Philadelphia 76ers this season. He hasn’t been shooting the ball very well of late, but he’s still learning to adjust to the NBA game.

The Philadelphia 76ers are surging at the right time, however. If they can keep it up, who knows? Maybe they can sneak into the playoffs as the eighth seed. Either way, they have a young core that is developing and believing in what head coach Brett Brown is preaching.