Philadelphia Phorward to the Phuture

PHILADELPHIA -- Last week the Philadelphia 76ers decided to go in a new direction with their organization as the franchise welcomed a new up-and-coming GM, TJ (commonly known as the StOfTheStep). Sixers owner Joshua Harris had only good things to say about the new head of the franchise. "Out of all our potential suitors, TJ seemed to be the best choice for the job as his direction for the team harmonized with the ownership. His focus on the faithful Philadelphia fan base shows great promise for our organization as he strives to accrue the best possible team for both now and the future."

New owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, Joshua Harris.

While all of this praise is well and good, the overall mentality in Philadelphia is skeptical. This mindset is mirrored by local Philadelphian Miles Johnson, “I like the idea of the team changing it up management, but I’m tired of following a team with no direction. I don’t just want to be wooed by all of these empty promises of a bright future, I want to see this future talent on the court.” So this bears the question, ‘Which direction is the StOfTheStep going to go?’ The new head of the Sixers indeed has his options however, inheriting a decent mix of young talent and established CSL stars.

Perhaps the most significant piece of the franchise lies in the Sixers frontcourt. A former 10th overall pick out of Plainsboro Twp., NJ, Andrew Bynum is a strong, sure-handed center that provides great stability for an uncertain roster striving to find its identity. The 2013 CSL MVP seems to be a lock to be the cornerstone of the Philadelphia 76ers for years to come.

Philadelphia 76ers Center and 2013 CSL MVP, Andrew Bynum.

However, as previously mentioned, the only loyalty that the StOfTheStep has is with the great fans of Philadelphia and it would be a discredit to them if he didn’t explore every possible opportunity of personnel movement. Although, a more orthodox transaction would most likely involve the Sixers of age star power. One of these aforementioned pieces is Dwayne Wade. Wade a shooting guard out of the University of Marquette, is a perennial all-star and well-established leader on the court.  The value of such a player is very high in today’s game and is most certainly realized by the new management, as TJ had this to say about the premiere guard. “Dwayne is a great asset to this organization and fan favorite. I, personally, have always been a fan of him and his style of play. He is well entrenched in the future of this team and it would truly take a top notch offer to draw his talents away from Philadelphia.”

Philadelphia 76ers Shooting Guard, Dwayne Wade.

One more intriguing name in the Sixers roster is Ersan Ilyasova. A power forward from Turkey, Ilyasova ability has translated well from his days playing overseas in the Turkish League (Ülkerspor) and Spain (FC Barcelona). His knack for scoring and rebounding in the paint does not go unnoticed in the CSL while his uncanny athleticism often times proves overwhelming for even the most lockdown defender. Ilyasova could definitely turn out to be the difference maker between borderline playoff team and a true contender.

Philadelphia 76ers Power Forward, Ersan Ilyasova.

As far as what is in the cards for the 76ers is certainly unknown, but there has not been this much excitement involving this legendary franchise is recent memory. Let’s hope that the StOfTheStep will be a step in the right direction for this beloved team.

~Show Ya Luv~

Obviously the first thing I'd do would trade Wade and Illyasova. This team is going nowhere until it gets a point guard worth speaking about. Bynum is obviously the one guy on this roster that never leaves, ever. Everyone else? Expendable.

I'd try to keep Wade - Bynum duo.. But outside of them you don't have many good trade assets, so you might have to move Wade. If you manage to trade for any players that help you compete And balance your roster without touching your duo, that may be the best thing to do.
Yeah, a point guard is much needed in Philly.

I LOVE Andrew Bynum. An crazy talented offensive player like him is a once in a generation player. When I was Philly's GM for a short time, I did everything I could to put a bunch of shooters around him and let him do what he does best. Since then, the team has been neglected, and the roster needs some work, but it's definitely doable if you're open to trade Dwyane.

Good luck retooling this roster. Bynum is a stud and should be built around. Everyone else can go to bring in guys to fit your own system.

Definitely have the players to be much more relevant in the East, these guys should easily be a Finals contender every year.

We'll see, you've been kinda quiet thus far.

Good luck.

Bynum is a top 3 center, arguably top 10 player in this league.
It is good to start off with a franchise player already in place.

Definitely taking over a decent situation in Philly, for sure. Bynum is an absolute monster, very few players are better. Surrounded by the right talent, and he could lead you to the promised land. Just have a lot to do in terms of getting pieces that fit.