Section 215
Fansided

Philadelphia 76ers offseason checklist: What needs to be done?

By Chuck Booth

Jan 11, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons (L) practices with center Joel Embiid (R) before a game against the New York Knicks at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 11, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons (L) practices with center Joel Embiid (R) before a game against the New York Knicks at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The upcoming offseason is of the utmost importance for the Philadelphia 76ers.

This is the offseason where the Philadelphia 76ers can end the slide of mediocrity and begin to become a respectable organization. A few tweaks, health, and good fortune can end with the Sixers taking a playoff spot, but how will they get there?

Unleash the beast: The number one priority for the Philadelphia 76ers next season is the health of Joel Embiid. With JoJo in the rotation, the Sixers are a top defensive team with a star to play through on offense as well. As far as Embiid goes, the Philadelphia 76ers will go, for better or worse. There will be tough decisions on the horizon on if Embiid should be given a max contract in the future but a fully healthy season will go a long way towards erasing those doubts.

Add an off-ball shooter to maximize the effectiveness of Ben Simmons: if you’re expecting Simmons to be a scorer for the Sixers, you might want to skip this portion. Simmons will play the point next season because his best attribute right now is his passing. Simmons’ jumper has a long way to go in order to be NBA quality but his passing is a plus skill. Adding a proper scorer next to him either through the draft or free agency will go a long way in building a productive offense.

More from Philadelphia 76ers

Clear the dead wood: We’ve covered in length who needs to go but roster spots will be at a premium for the Philadelphia 76ers. With at least five picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, the competition for spots will be hotly contested. Anyone who isn’t a part of the Sixers’ future should be shipped out as soon as possible.

Pray that Furkan Korkmaz stays in Europe: As an addition to the roster spots conundrum listed above there have been whispers that Furkan Korkmaz is looking to come over this offseason. While he had a great year, he would be best served to spend another year overseas before making the jump to the NBA. If he comes this offseason, the Philadelphia 76ers don’t have space for him or a way to use him. If he developed for another year, the roster scenario could be cleared up as long as Korkmaz is able to make the proper improvements to his game.

Next: Jahlil Okafor: It's Time To Go

While only one of these listed scenarios for the offseason requires an addition to the team, in tandem they’re crucial to securing the long term health of the Philadelphia 76ers organization.