ESPN analyst actually makes an intelligent and non-hyped statement!!!

[slightly biased bias fan]

I can't believe my ears! Ryen Russillo, when asked about how good the 76ers would be this season, he had this to say:

"They're probably going to stink, okay...like we need to get over the excitement of these new pieces. (is asked to define stink) 30 games (wins) maybe...in what world have we just penciled in a team when two guys have never played before, in Fultz and Simmons.... and Embiid...who is still a giant question mark. If I was the 6ers I would trade Embiid, I am not giving him this massive contract...I love it, I love the excitement, I think of the 6ers as one of these organisations that should be good, like the 80's ones we grew up with...like it's the 6ers! I have this endearing thing with Philadelphia 76ers but the excitement from what they have done with the front office...like young teams aren't good in this league and two guys haven't even played in it yet and the other guy can't even stay on the court...like when people ask me about the Lakers, the 6ers...I understand the excitement but you should be looking at the lottery in 2018."

[CelticsElite]

Our 3rd unit destroyed their starters. Sixers are so overrated.

[trickybilly]

Another team to pop below the Nets

[tazzmaniac]

Trade Embiid?  He sounds like an idiot. 

[slightly biased bias fan]

Trade Embiid?  He sounds like an idiot.

No, he makes a logical point. If Embiid has this bad of an injury history, this young then what does it bode for his future? Having a 5 year max contract for someone who can't get on the floor can be franchise suicide. A healthy Embiid is a superstar but he hasn't proved any type of worth for a max contract, people use the Ralph Sampson comparison for Embiid but Sampson played 4 years of College and three 75 + game seasons before missing major time, Embiid has played 31 games in 4 years. Trading Embiid now would be at a potential high point...his view may not be popular but far from idiotic.

[slamtheking]

Trade Embiid?  He sounds like an idiot.

No, he makes a logical point. If Embiid has this bad of an injury history, this young then what does it bode for his future? Having a 5 year max contract for someone who can't get on the floor can be franchise suicide. A healthy Embiid is a superstar but he hasn't proved any type of worth for a max contract, people use the Ralph Sampson comparison for Embiid but Sampson played 4 years of College and three 75 + game seasons before missing major time, Embiid has played 31 games in 4 years. Trading Embiid now would be at a potential high point...his view may not be popular but far from idiotic.

I think another fair comparison would be Oden.  if Embiid was playing preseason games, this deal would have probably been less questionable but he can't even get on the court now. 


wish the best for the kid personally (which with that deal, he just got the best) but my hatred of how the Sixers turned the league into a mockery with their blatant tanking has me wishing he never sees the court again.

[Erik]

Embiid has low trade value. Why would they trade him? Might as well see how it goes and waive him if he's still injured.

[liam]

Trade Embiid?  He sounds like an idiot.

No, he makes a logical point. If Embiid has this bad of an injury history, this young then what does it bode for his future? Having a 5 year max contract for someone who can't get on the floor can be franchise suicide. A healthy Embiid is a superstar but he hasn't proved any type of worth for a max contract, people use the Ralph Sampson comparison for Embiid but Sampson played 4 years of College and three 75 + game seasons before missing major time, Embiid has played 31 games in 4 years. Trading Embiid now would be at a potential high point...his view may not be popular but far from idiotic.

Yeah but, who would trade for him? If The Sixers are selling on him the team that's getting must know that it's a huge risk and you have to match that massive salary...

[fairweatherfan]

I dunno, "They're gonna stink, they should go trade the guy they just signed to a massive extension" kinda sounds like a shallow hot take to me, even though I agree they're more likely to be bad than make the playoffs.

[Big333223]

He might be right, they might stink, but who does he think is trading for Embiid and his $148 million contract? I'm kind of blown away that he got that much money.

[PhoSita]

I dunno about trading Embiid, but giving him the extension when he's only played 30ish games in 3 seasons seems premature.

I would have dared other teams to offer him a full max.  But perhaps that was a foregone conclusion, I dunno.

If it's true they were able to make his contract basically half-guaranteed with all of the performance and games-played incentives loaded into it, then it's probably a good deal.


As for the rest of it, I definitely agree that the Sixers are more likely to win 30 games than end up above .500.  Embiid would need to play 60-70 games to keep such an inexperienced team in the running for the playoffs, and that does not seem likely or smart for the Sixers.

Steady improvement and experience playing together for the core.  Developing a positive culture of development and hard work.  Those should be the goals for the Sixers this year, not the playoffs.  They still lack talent outside of Simmons, Embiid, Fultz, Saric.

[Celtics4ever]

ESPN analyst actually makes an intelligent and non-hyped statement!!!

The first of the last two decades?

[Roy H.]

ESPN analyst actually makes an intelligent and non-hyped statement!!!

The first of the last two decades?

It's a little sad. ESPN has consistently had some very good, and even great, analysts.  It's not that they haven't been able to find people really good at their jobs.

Instead, once they've got those people, they shove them to the side (or more recently, fire those people) in order to focus on hot takes and politics.

ESPN had a choice: do you want Jemelle Hill or Jason Stark? Mark Stein or First Take?  They made a clear choice, and that choice sucks.

[tazzmaniac]

Trade Embiid?  He sounds like an idiot.

No, he makes a logical point. If Embiid has this bad of an injury history, this young then what does it bode for his future? Having a 5 year max contract for someone who can't get on the floor can be franchise suicide. A healthy Embiid is a superstar but he hasn't proved any type of worth for a max contract, people use the Ralph Sampson comparison for Embiid but Sampson played 4 years of College and three 75 + game seasons before missing major time, Embiid has played 31 games in 4 years. Trading Embiid now would be at a potential high point...his view may not be popular but far from idiotic.

I think another fair comparison would be Oden.  if Embiid was playing preseason games, this deal would have probably been less questionable but he can't even get on the court now. 


wish the best for the kid personally (which with that deal, he just got the best) but my hatred of how the Sixers turned the league into a mockery with their blatant tanking has me wishing he never sees the court again.

Wishing Embiid never sees the court again is a rather vile statement.  There should be no place for that kind of talk on here. 

Embiid has been rehabbing and working out at the Sixers training facility for months.  He was cleared for full court 5 on 5 last week and is now listed as probable for the Nets preseason game on Wednesday.   

[CelticSooner]

Doesn't matter how talented a young team is it takes time even in a weak Eastern conference. Their goal should be to win 35 games this season. Embiid won't play half the season again due either to injury or caution so that takes away their one true best player.