Doom and gloom hang over Sixers

By Steven Lienert

Philadelphia (The Phanatic Magazine) - The Philadelphia 76ers begin another basketball season on Wednesday.

The question is: Why bother?

First, the Sixers went 2-5 in the preseason. Now, before dismissing that as not a true indicator, please consider that in basketball more than any other sport, the starters are more likely to play in the preseason.

In the NBA, if a team is going to make significant improvement in the upcoming season, it shows in the preseason. This preseason indicates that the Sixers will, once again, suck.

Secondly, another thing this preseason revealed is that the 76ers may have swung and missed when they picked Evan Turner with No. 2 overall pick.

Making a shoe deal with a Chinese sneaker manufacturer not withstanding, new coach Doug Collins has already given, and taken away, Turner’s starting spot. That’s after the kid shot 31% from the field in the preseason. Turner also failed to connect on a single three-pointer.

The only impact Turner will be making for the 76ers on Opening Night against the winless Heat (hey, I had to take that shot) is on the cushion of the chair he will be sitting upon.

Furthermore, in ESPN the Magazine’s NBA preview issue, Turner was named on three of the four experts polled to be the Bust of the Year. Ric Bucher, Jalen Rose and Chris Broussard each said Turner will be bad.

Those are three guys that do this for a living. And if Turner doesn’t pan out, it sets a bad franchise back even further.

Lastly, the same aforementioned publication also picked the Sixers to finish 12th in the Eastern Conference. Not many other things I’ve read predict a rosier finsh. Even if they were picked to make the playoffs, why bother?

We all know that either the Heat, Celtics or Magic will win the East. Maybe for the next three or four years. Perhaps the 76ers need to blow things up on an epic level.

Trade or release everybody. Be as bad as bad can be for the next two years. Stockpile draft picks and cap space. Then go after it again in 2013.

Otherwise, we are all stuck in the same place we are now. The Sixers have no chance, no matter how much better they are playing defense under Collins.

Instead of being mired in mediocrity, at least we know there is a plan for the future. Because right now, the 76ers are as far away from winning a NBA title as the Eagles.