Ok well let's remember the Sixers ARE bad but are missing their "best" two point guards so far all season, and Covington has missed most of the season too.
Stauskas has been a real disappointment but I'm not sure I believe that the guy suddenly can't shoot given his college history. Maybe he has lost it forever, but seems early to completely give up on him.
Okafor has Al Jefferson as a ceiling? really? He's 19 and putting up 20 easy points a game as a rookie. He's been fantastic offensively. He's been poor defensively but most rookie big men are bad, they are asked to do so little at lower levels it's a lot to adjust to. He looks like a legitimate building piece. Noel has not regressed that much defensively, he's regressed offensively esp shooting and he and Okafor look like a really ugly pairing. This is true. But saying Noel is not a good player is just foolish. There are not a lot of big men ever who have had a start like Okafor. These seem odd things to complain about.
Next year is the key year, I don't get what is so hard about this. Their pick, the lakers, the kings swap, the thunder the heat picks AND Saric and hopefully Embiid is potentially the largest young infusion of talent to a team ever. This could go to shit. Don't get me wrong, they could miss out with their own pick and the Lakers could end up using that top 3 protection. That would suck and be a real problem for Hinkie.
As for no one improves? Noel made HUGE improvements last year, look at his first half second half splits! 8 to 13 points, 7 to 10 rebounds, more assists, steals and blocks. He's adjusting to playing the 4 (which may not be a fit) and his offence is suffering a LOT.
It's also been a very tough schedule so far, it's really on the last coupel fo games (like the 30+ turnover game vs the pacers) that have been AWFUL
IT's funny this is when people are giving up on the sixers, this is potentially the last awful year, and NOW people are giving up. Look hypothetically if they get Simmons, Murray, Saric, Embiid and two mid to late 1st round guys on top. They keep Marshall, Stauskas and Covington, and maybe Grant and maybe Cross or Holmes.
Anyway that's actually a roster.
C/ PF Noel, Embiid, Okafor, Cross
PF/ SF Saric, Grant, Simmons
SF/ SG Stauskas, Covington
PG Marshall, Murray
Plus whoever else they draft who could be ok (or packaged for a better third guy). I mean they can't even keep all of these guys!
You tell me that isn't an interesting young roster, with the most cap space in the league on top. Trades possible of course for Noel etc. This (obviously) might not remotely work out, but to suggest they are a lost cause seems like a weird time.
They were FAR worse 2 years ago, where there wasn't any real talent on the roster, last year there was almost none, this year there are two good players who don't seem to play together very well at the moment, but the trades have put them in place for a windfall this year.
As a markets guy this cracks me up. This team was AWFUL for two years and now the path to real improvement is there and NOW people get down on them. This is when you buy the stock, not where you sell it