This season has been full of disappointments. From the shutdown due to the pandemic, to the Phoenix Suns going undefeated in the bubble and missing the playoffs, to T.J Warren taking everything personal and turning into Michael Jordan and still getting swept. Oh, and to the New York Knicks getting the eighth pick in the upcoming draft.

I think everyone would agree if I say that one of the biggest disappointments in the NBA has been the Philadelphia 76ers.

In the offseason, Philly lost All-Star combo-guard Jimmy Butler and sharpshooter J.J. Redick, two veterans that capable of being making an impact on and off the court. However, they got veteran big man Al Horford and two-way guard in Josh Richardson. They also gave Tobias Harris a big contract, assuming that he’d be at the very least be a border-line all-star level this season.

Oh, and they kept head coach Brett Brown. More on that later.

On paper, the line-up of Ben Simmons, Richardson, Harris, Horford and Joel Embiid looked impressive and tough. That’s why it’s not a surprise that a lot of people were expecting them to reach great heights this season.

I admit, I expected a lot from them as well. I even had them to making the Eastern Conference Finals this season.

But a lot of things happened out once the season started.

Shooting like Simmons

When the 76ers lost Butler and Redick in the offseason, they relied on Horford, Harris and Richardson to be their designated shooters since Simmons and Embiid would be dominating on the inside. In the regular season, as a team they shot 36.8% from beyond the arc, which wasn’t great but wasn’t horrible. However, things got rough in the playoffs.

Out of all the 16 teams, Philadelphia was the worst three-point shooting team. They shot 26.4% from deep.

Lack of Leadership

Last season, the 76ers made it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals not just because of their very competitive line-up but because of the leadership of Butler. The team looked pretty lost most of this season.

A lot were expecting Philly to be one of the top three teams in the East but they only locked in the sixth seed with a 43-30 record. In the playoffs, the team looked confused on how to win without Simmons and how to bounce back from a loss in the playoffs.

Down season for Embiid

Last season Embiid averaged 27.5 points on 48.4% shooting with 13.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game, a statline for a future all-time great big-man that was expected to have better numbers this season.

Instead, the big man from Cameroon only put up 23 points per game in 47.7% shooting with 11.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. In just a season, Embiid went from an MVP candidate to the most disappointing player for the season.

Expected to be one of the top players in the league, Embiid failed to step up and become the great big man he was expected to be. His inability to carry a team was exposed in the playoffs after losing Simmons to an injury.

No, not having a star beside you is not an excuse anymore. Remember the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James’ finals season with them? Great expectations are expected from great players. Even the greats got disappointed at him.

Need for an Elite Coach

Brett Brown should’ve been fired before the season. The news that he was finally let go must be music to Sixers fans’ ears.

If your former star player has this to say about you, you butt should be out of the door.

Brown lacks control, leadership and toughness. He’s a good filler coach but he’s not a championship coach. He cannot lead a team to a title and prime example of it is this season.

Questions Linger

After getting swept in the first round against the Boston Celtics. Big question now is, what now?

For the great Adrian Wojnarowski, big changes clearly need to be made.

And I agree, I do think changes will be made because they need it.

It’s started with the sacking Brett Brown. The 76ers have to hire a coach that can handle a star like Embiid who loses focus at times and plays basketball the wrong way by shooting too many threes. A leader that can check the egos of the players by the door and a respectable one that will command the team at all times.

I believe Horford would have to take a role off the bench role next season as he would still be a great mentor for Embiid as a veteran. But they would have to add a third star on the squad considering Simmons will be out for some time. Embiid would need another star to rely on, one that can space the floor and knock down threes. Acquiring a Bradley Beal should be a priority in the offseason.

It’s not yet time for the 76ers fans to think that this is it for their team, but the weaknesses of the current core, talented as it may be, are glaring.

Big changes have to happen if this team wants to be in the title mix. Let’s see how the break goes for them.