I don't want to jinx anything. I certainly do not want to jump to any conclusions. But in writing this retrospective—this trip down a simultaneously thrilling, cringeworthy, and joy-filled memory lane—I am marking a major point in the history of my sports fandom.
By writing this article, I personally consider the Process to be in its very final stage. Yes, this is a very subjective statement. For some, the Process ended when the Sixers had their first winning season since tanking. For some, it's ongoing. For TJ McConnell, it ended when the team lost to the Celtics in the 2018 playoffs.
But for me, especially after the acquisitions of Al Horford and Josh Richardson, this is the year where everything comes together and the Process officially wraps up.
In an attempt to wrap a neat bow around this trying era, I will rank every player who somehow made an impact on the Process, be it through his playing performance, a transaction that he was involved in, or any of a multitude of other factors.
To make this undertaking somewhat possible, I'll be grouping every player into their appropriate tiers of importance. These tiers are crucial in the development of this list; ranking each and every one of the 92—yes, ninety-two—players over a six-year span individually just isn't a viable concept. To put that in perspective, the Warriors have sent just over 50 players out on the floor in that same span. There are a lot of names that came in and out of the Sixers organization in order to fulfill Sam Hinkie's vision.
Furthermore, I'm not sure I'd be able to make up my mind while deliberating over which mediocre swingman deserves to be No. 77 on the list as opposed to No. 76. Thus, the process (no pun intended) of tiering will hopefully make this more digestible.
It's an incredibly exciting time to be a Sixers fan, and it's only right that we take a look back on all the pieces that made the team's current situation possible.
Stats listed are the player's per-game averages while on the Sixers in between 2013-14 and the present. All stats courtesy of Basketball Reference.
Unrankables, but worth noting:
Andrew Bynum
One of the many key components to the outright tank that seemed to start so long ago was the infamous acquisition of Andrew Bynum. The big man seemed to be a budding star after a breakout season in Los Angeles, but his injury woes prevented him from ever stepping foot on the court in Philadelphia. Had he played and been a good center… who knows? The only thing we know is that the Sixers (probably) don't go bowling as a team anymore.
Jrue Holiday
Though Jrue never played for the Sixers during the "Process" years, the decision to trade him to the Pelicans in return for Nerlens Noel and the pick that would become Elfrid Payton (who would then be traded for a boatload of other assets) really helped to ignite the process that would become, well, the Process.
Danny Granger, Andrei Kirilenko, and others
We can also recognize those "key" additions to the team that, like Bynum, never stepped on the court. Along with Frank Gore, their Philadelphia careers are ironically difficult to forget because of how incredibly brief and inactive they were.
2019 Offseason Additions and Rookies
Guys like Al Horford, Josh Richardson, and the rest of the current squad are incredibly important to everything panning out. But, since nothing has come of their presence on the team yet, they won't be graded in this list.
Tier 12 - Mr. Irrelevants: 92-65
These guys never really had significant careers in the NBA, as is the case with a good portion of the players on this list. But while some of the guys later in the countdown actually contributed in a somewhat notable fashion, these ones brought little or no excitement to the loyal fans in Philly or anywhere that they've played. Most of them were waived at the end of their trial run in Philly, and most are out of the league at this point. Thus - in no specific order - here is the lowest tier of Process-era Sixers.
Lorenzo Brown (2.5 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 1.6 apg, -0.3 WS)
Brandon Davies (3.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.4 WS)
Darius Johnson-Odom (0.0 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 0.3 apg)
Arnett Moultrie (3.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.2 apg, 0.0 WS)
Darius Morris (6.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 2.6 apg, 0.1 WS)
James Nunnally (2.9 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.0 WS)
Daniel Orton (3.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.3 WS)
Adonis Thomas (3.5 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.0 apg, 0.0 WS)
Jarvis Varnado (4.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.8 WS)
Casper Ware* (5.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 1.1 apg, 0.2 WS)
Ware was traded for Marquis Teague (who was waived) and a 2019 pick who became Admiral Schofield. Schofield was traded alongside Jonathon Simmons for some cash. So, in a way, Ware contributed to the team's expenses more than most guys in the section of this list.
Larry Drew (3.2 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 3.1 apg, -0.5 WS)
Drew Gordon (1.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 0.2 apg, -0.1 WS)
Chris Johnson (6.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.3 apg, -0.1 WS)
Malcolm Lee (He played for two minutes as a Sixer - need I say more?)
Malcolm Thomas (2.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.4 apg, 0.1 WS)
Phil Pressey (3.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 3.3 apg, 0.0 WS)
Sonny Weems (2.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 0.3 apg, -0.2 WS)
Christian Wood (3.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.2 apg, 0.3 WS)
Justin Harper (4.0 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 0.7 apg, -0.1 WS)
Shawn Long* (8.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.9 WS)
Long actually played… really well in his limited time with the Sixers. In only 13 minutes per game, he was able to score and rebound at a very high rate and had a very impressive eight-game stretch in only the third week of his NBA career where he averaged 12.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting the three-ball at a 54% rate. He was also traded for a pick and some cash before his NBA career abruptly ended. However… it's just not enough to elevate him to the next level.
Alex Poythress* (10.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.3 WS)
Good numbers, right? Too bad Poythress only suited up for the team for six games in 2017. He may have made a bigger impact, otherwise, but was not re-signed after a brief contract at the end of the season.
Chasson Randle (5.4 ppg, 0.6 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.3 WS)
Demetrius Jackson (3.3 ppg, 0.4 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.3 WS)
James Michael McAdoo (2.7 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 0.0 apg, 0.0 WS)
Jacob Pullen (0.7 ppg, 0.0 rpg, 0.0 apg, 0.0 WS)
James Young (2.8 ppg, 0.3 rpg, 0.3 apg, 0.1 WS)
Justin Patton (1.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.0 WS)
Elliot Williams (6.0 apg, 1.9 rpg, 1.1 apg, 0.3 WS)
Tier 11 - "He was on the Sixers?"
Some of the players on this tier had, or still have, decent careers in the league. Philadelphia, however, was among the least impressive and impactful stops in their respective journeys around the nation. Why are they higher than the names mentioned above? For the spark of excitement, no matter how small, that we felt when we heard a recognizable name was coming to town.
64. Eric Maynor (3.8 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.5 apg, -0.2 WS)
63. Dewayne Dedmon* (3.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 0.3 apg, 0.1 WS)
In a somewhat pseudo-Vucevic situation, Dedmon has developed into a very good player in the league. Going from a pair of 10-day contracts with Philadelphia to a three-year, $40 million deal with the Kings is the mark of an impressive career transformation for Dedmon. Last year, the seven-footer knocked down 83 three-pointers in 64 games en route to a 10.8/7.5/1.4 stat line.
62. Glenn Robinson (4.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.8 rpg, 0.0 WS)
61. Kendall Marshall (3.7 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 2.4 apg, -0.5 WS)
60. Byron Mullens (6.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.4 apg, 0.4 WS)
59. Tiago Splitter (4.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.1 WS)
58. Trevor Booker (4.7 ppg, 3.7 apg, 0.8 apg, 1.7 WS)
57. Thomas Robinson (8.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.0 WS)
56. Tim Frazier* (5.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 7.2 apg, -0.3 WS)
It's pretty crazy that Frazier dished out 11 assists in his NBA debut. What's even crazier, though, is that the Penn State guard's first four games in the league saw him replace an injured Michael Carter-Williams and casually play 35 minutes per contest. 35 minutes per game in the middle of the season for an undrafted free agent to start his career. Those are some dark days.
55. Justin Anderson (7.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.0 apg, 2.1 WS)
54. Javale McGee* (3.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.3 apg, -0.1 WS)
You didn't forget that Javale played for the Sixers, did you? Check out his jam against the Pacers in his debut with the team. That should help jog your memory of his otherwise quiet career in Philly.
53. Jonathon Simmons (5.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 2.2 apg, 0.5 WS)
52. Alexey Shved* (9.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 2.7 apg (0.9 WS)
Shved was traded for Sergei Lishouk, Ronny Turiaf, and a future 2nd rounder. After a multitude of moves, the Sixers ended up receiving a fair amount of cash from these assets, and after moving more pieces these pieces turned into Furkan Korkmaz, among other pieces. In sum, Shved was utilized as a trade asset and can be considered an overall success as a Process cog.
51. Luc Mbah a Moute (9.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.1 WS)
50. Carl Landry (9.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 0.9 apg, 2.1 WS)
49. Greg Monroe (13.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.4 WS)
48. Mike Muscala (7.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.9 WS)
47. Corey Brewer* (7.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.4 apg, 0.1 WS)
His stats don't do his visit to Philly enough justice. Brewer is a hard worker everywhere he goes, and all I remember about Brewer's time in Philly was just how much effort he gave. I mean, look at this guy! This is the type of play that makes Philly fans go crazy, and for that reason he tops this tier of short-lived Sixers.
Tier 10 - "Oh Yeah, That Guy!"
None of the players listed below have had as good a career as Corey Brewer, or Javale McGee, or some of the other guys mentioned above. But they did the bulk of their work in the NBA during the brutal years of the process, and for that they hold a special place in 76ers fans' hearts when most other NBA fans wouldn't even bat an eye at them.
46. Furkan Aldemir (2.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 0.7 apg, 1.4 WS)
I'm sorry Furkan, but the nickname "Mr. Rebound" should be meant for someone a little bit more prominent in posting that statistic than you were. Sure, he had 11.7 rebounds per 36 minutes. But I still think the league could have saved that one for someone a little bit better. Either way, Aldemir with some cash for Royce White at the beginning of the tank. They didn't give up much and got a decent haul in return.
45. K.J. McDaniels (9.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.6 WS)
High-flying K.J. McDaniels will be remembered most not for one stretch of games, not for one season, but for one play. This one.
44. Sergio Rodriguez (7.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 5.1 apg, 0.7 WS)
An improbable return for the 30-year-old Spaniard eventually placed him in a starting role for parts of the 2016-2017 season for the Sixers. He showed good leadership and just liked to have fun out there.
43. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (6.1 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.6 WS)
Everyone needs a little TLC… but not for too long. He's pretty mediocre. A disappointing first-round pick is likely the label that most of the Philly faithful will forever stick on the French baller.
42. Henry Sims (9.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.3 apg, 4.0 WS)
Sims is in the top 20 Process-era Sixers in games played, but never did anything that great in his time with the team. He was a starting-caliber center for a team that was, well, the talent level of the Sixers.
41. James Anderson (10.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.9 WS)
Anderson started a good amount of games for a horrible team and scored in bunches. A memorable moment of his Philadelphia stint occurred when he hit an impressive, contested buzzer-beater three-pointer to force OT against the Rockets.
Tier 9
These guys are true developments. But, nonetheless, they're a part of the final product that Hinkie's genius and Brand's management have churned out.
40. Haywood Highsmith (1.8 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.4 apg, 0.0 WS)
39. Shake Milton (4.4 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.3 WS)
Tier 8 (recognizable formers)
Whether or not the Sixers are the team with which they're most often associated, these guys carved out a niche in the Philadelphia system and proved valuable to the overall systemic tank that defined the Process years.
38. Boban Marjanovic (8.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.3 WS)
Bobi and Tobi traveled together to the Sixers and the former quickly captured the hearts of Sixers fans. But when the team knew it was time to put together a more lethal frontcourt, it was time for the two to separate. Their Twitter interactions will never be forgotten on the fateful day that saw them part.
37. Jerryd Bayless (8.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.0 WS)
Bayless was a frustrating guard to watch (or not watch, for that matter) because he was oft-injured and otherwise fairly ineffective with the team. Many-a-disgruntled fan pleaded for the team to move away from the veteran, and that's what they did, but not before he played a good chunk of games as the team's primary backup point guard in a competitive year. Perhaps more importantly, he was a small piece in the deal that brought Jimmy Butler to Philly.
36. Wilson Chandler (6.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.5 WS)
It's hard to know whether or not Chandler was brought in to be a veteran fixture on a team looking to make a deep run. It didn't quite work out that way, though, as he too was injury-prone and never quite found his footing. He was traded away in an effort to get Tobias Harris.
35. Jason Richardson (9.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.4 WS)
34. Evan Turner (17.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.7 apg, 0.7 WS)
One of the longest-tenured Sixers to begin the process, he didn't hang around long once it had begun. Still, he scored a lot of points and was one of the few watchable parts of the team's tank. He was traded for Danny Granger and delivered some solid highlights in his final year with the team.
33. Marco Belinelli (13.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.8 WS)
Marco loved to hoist from wherever which fit well into the Sixers' young, dynamic approach once they became a team that could actually win. His buzzer-beater against the Celtics in Game 3 of the 2018 playoffs was a massive moment that made him a true Processor.
32. Lavoy Allen (5.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.1 WS)
Allen was another member of the pre-Process Sixers that drifted into the next era at the end of his Philadelphia run. He was pretty mediocre, which helped to define many of the pieces that were eventually moved off of that team.
31. Gerald Henderson (9.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.6 apg, 2.0 WS)
Henderson started over half of his 72 games as a wing that played with high energy. A true veteran that certainly didn't care too much about winning, he started with the horrendous Bobcats/Hornets and eventually ended his career with the equally miserable Sixers.
30. Spencer Hawes (13.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.6 WS)
Continuing the trend of several guys in this tier, Hawes had been on the team for a couple of years when they were actually trying to make a run. His stay in Philly leaked into the first year of the rebuild, a season in which he put up respectable stats, and the Sixers got a haul after moving him. Henry Sims and a future pick that became Jerami Grant were just two of the pieces the team received in exchange for Hawes.
29. Landry Shamet (8.3 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 1.1 apg, 2.2 WS)
Shamet is a good player, and it would be nice to have him… there's no denying it. But what's even nicer is having Tobias Harris, and that would not have been possible without dealing the sharpshooting Wichita State grad.
Tier 7 (new current guys)
Similar to the group two tiers above this one, these three are all works in progress but figure to become large pieces of the overall franchise after spending more time in development. There have been encouraging (and disencouraging) things to come out of the preseason regarding each respective player, and only time will tell how they turn out.
28. Bolden
27. Korkmaz
26. Zhaire
Tier 6
25. Amir Johnson (4.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.4 apg, 5.2 WS)
The primary backup big of the late Process years, Johnson was a fighter that always gave it his all, even though his all wasn't good enough to stack up with most of the league. Still, it wasn't often that he backed down from a challenge, and for that the Philly faithful can thank him.
24. Isaiah Canaan (11.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2.2 WS)
Nothing against Isaiah Canaan, but he really took advantage of a bad team for a starting point guard opportunity. Nowhere else in the league could he have found a job like this one, and he took advantage of it, often leading the team in scoring albeit on a lofty number of attempts more often than not.
23. Ersan Ilyasova (13.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.8 apg, 4.1 WS)
He defined the calm, cool and collected veteran on a team that was often fast-paced and frantic in their commonly chaotic game scripts. Through a couple of different stints, he memorably hit a three-pointer through contact against his former team.
22. JaKarr Sampson (5.2 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.3 WS)
An athletic forward, Sampson's time as a Sixer wasn't filled with many impressive stats. But as an undrafted free agent, he more than surpassed expectations, and he could get up with the best of them.
21. Richaun Holmes (7.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.0 apg, 8.1 WS)
Speaking of getting up with the best of them, Holmes was a ferocious dunker. Check out this one. And this one…. And this one.
20. Ish Smith (13.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 6.7 apg, 0.2 WS)
For a while, I thought we had really uncovered something special in Ish Smith. He was a nightly double-double threat for a while there when he really held the reins of that backcourt, so much so that the team brought him back for a second stint during the Process era in which he played even better basketball.
19. Nik Stauskas (8.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.9 WS)
There was something about Matt Cord letting out an extended "Sauce Castillo" that really made fans forget about the fact that the team was down by whatever amount they were inevitably trailing by. A smaller piece of a much larger overall trade that involved the pick that would become Jayson Tatum (and then Markelle Fultz), he performed pretty well for years as a dangerous deep threat.
Tier 5
There isn't much of an explanation required for how special both of these guys are to the overall formula. Ennis, perhaps stepping just a tad out of his role, said the Sixers would walk into the NBA Finals this season. Sure, it received some backlash, but you gotta love the confidence. He's completely bought into the team's goal, and is returning on some pretty light money. And Mike Scott is just the man. Simple as that. His personality matches the city and his three-point expertise will be highly valued this season.
18. James Ennis (5.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.4 WS)
17. Mike Scott (7.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.7 WS)
Tier 4
16. Michael Carter-Williams (16.0 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 6.7 apg, 0.8 WS)
MCW exploded onto the scene in his first game (22 points, 12 assists, 7 rebounds, 9 steals). Then, he just kind of got old. But his contribution as a trade asset makes his case for this list stronger than does his play, as he was traded for a pick that eventually led to Zhaire Smith and a 2021 draft pick.
15. Nerlens Noel (10.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.6 apg, 9.2 WS)
Noel was the pick that sparked the Process. Acquired through a trade of Elfrid Payton, Jrue Holiday, and Pierre Jackson meant that the team really felt strongly about Noel, or knew that this was the start of a dark, downward spiral into the ultimate tank. Either way, he seemed to be the focal point of the franchise (while delivering some monster jams) until the team realized he just wasn't good enough and shipped him out for a load of assets. And thus began the rebuild.
14. Jahlil Okafor (14.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.2 apg, 2.4 WS)
They missed on this pick. Okafor was fine offensively, but a complete disaster defensively. He so well defines the Process because of the constant trial and error that the team went through in order to make it work (*ahem*...number 12). He was traded with Nick Stauskus in return for Trevor Booker, which is a statement in and of itself about how poorly this pick worked out, but look how they've rebounded… though it's hard to rebound worse than Okafor.
13. Markelle Fultz (7.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.4 apg, 0.5 WS)
If Fultz goes off for the Magic this year, this one isn't going to look great. But for now, it's right that the team moved away from the guy that they seemingly mortgaged their future for just a couple years ago. Only within the Process would such a draft day mistake end up as just a small bump in the road.
12. J.J. Redick (17.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.8 apg, 12.5 WS)
Everyone loved J.J. He worked hard for every minute of every game and perfectly embodied the Philadelphia spirit that makes the boys so fun to watch. Playing through his contract until the very end, Redick's contract ended up being just a smidge too big and we're all sad to see him go. He left us with a bevy of memorable moments, including this perfect example (2:32) of his competitive spirit.
11. Jimmy Butler (18.2 ppg, 5.3 apg, 4.0 apg, 6.6 WS)
It's all a process. And he just wasn't the exact right cog, so we moved on. But it was close. We wouldn't have been a shell of the playoff team that we were without Butler and I refuse to believe otherwise. However hated he is now, he played a major role and there's no denying his impact. Furthermore, we were able to exchange him for Josh Richardson, who is looking more and more like he may fit as the exact piece the team was looking for.
Elton Brand Special Tier
Brand gets his own special ranking, as he wasn't anything great as a player at the end of his career. It's necessary to mention the current GM in these rankings as an unrankable asset to the team's success, because quite honestly, it remains to be seen what his moves will lead to. But if all goes well, Elton's legacy will certainly be one associated with a successful franchise.
Tier 3
10. Jerami Grant (8.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.5 apg, 2.5 WS)
Grant has always been an exciting player, and though he was much more raw in Philly, he still provided the hustle that the team needed to play behind in order to have some sort of motivation. An inspiring leader through his play, Grant outplayed his 39th-pick value and had a good amount of highlights that excited the crowd and helped to sell some tickets.
9. Thaddeus Young (17.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.3 apg, 3.5 WS)
The highest-ranked guy of the pre-Process generation that found its way onto a rebuilding team, Thad was just so respectable his whole entire time in Philly. He took his game to another level in his final season and continued to impact the team on his way out. A huge trade chain started with him when he was swapped with Mbah a Moute, Shved, and a 1st round pick (TLC). All in all, after all the swapping, the Sixers gained a considerable amount from moving Thad, and he'll forever be remembered first as a Sixer. He also did this.
8. Hollis Thompson (7.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.1 apg, 6.5 WS)
Boy, are Thompson's stats (which don't seem that impressive to begin with) bolstered by the fact that he stuck it out with the bottom-of-the-barrel Process teams. He played the third-most games of anyone on the team and was kind of a glue that held the team together when there was otherwise nothing keeping them from completely imploding. He's a perfect player to represent this era of Philadelphia basketball.
7. Tony Wroten (13.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.6 apg, -1.4 WS)
Of every single player on this list, Wroten's -1.4 win shares is the lowest. And yet he's No. 7 and it's not hard to see why. He coined the term. Enough said. But we'll throw in this jam for good measure to help exemplify what he brought to the team when they were near impossible to watch.
6. T.J. McConnell (6.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.7 apg, 12.4 WS)
314 games featured T.J. in them during the Process era, which is the most of any player on this list. His ascension into a fan-favorite over the years shows you what the Process has done to the city. It doesn't matter that he's no longer on the team. Fans will always have a place in their heart for this truly-gifted and devoted Processor. Here's a clip to remember him by.
Tier 2
5. Dario Saric (13.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.3 apg, 7.8 WS)
Saric was with the team through the good and the bad, though he only really played for the good teams. He was an important factor in the team's success, too, and paid off after Hinkie risked waiting a couple of years for Saric to develop overseas. Waiting for Saric was just another step of the Process, but it was well-worth it as he quickly assimilated into the team's gameplan as a Swiss - or Croatian - army knife.
4. Tobias Harris (18.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.9 apg, 2.1 WS)
Tobi's first season as a Sixer was a good one. His second season should be even better. He's just entering the peak of his athletic prime, and fits perfectly into an offense where he can facilitate plays, work the catch-and-shoot, or manufacture his own scoring. A truly dangerous weapon, the Sixers believe in Harris (as shown by his contract) to keep on making improvements in his game until he fully develops into a star. He's a Sixer for a long time and it's hard to find someone more devoted to the cause than Harris.
3. Robert Covington (12.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.6 apg, 15.9 WS)
It wasn't always easy to watch Covington play. His great plays were mitigated by some truly baffling ones, but it's this mixture of all-star level production and benchable liability that made Covington such a fundamental part of this rebuild. He played through the good and the bad (mostly the bad), and regardless of the playing environment, he became one of the most respected three-and-D wings in the league. When he pulled out plays like these, it was hard to ignore his devotion to the team.
Tier 1
2. Ben Simmons (16.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 7.9 apg, 17.5 WS)
Hate him or love him, you should probably learn to love him. You should love him not only because he's not going anywhere, but because he is a supremely talented, once-in-a-generation talent. He doesn't have a jumper - yet - but hasn't needed one to completely stymy opposing defenses at times and put up insane stats. He's young, he's ready to win, and he has the supporting cast to do it.
1. Joel Embiid (24.3 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 3.2 apg, 16.8 WS)
It literally couldn't be anyone else. I figure that this is the one spot that won't catch any flak or disagreement among the Sixers community here at WIP. He literally is the Process. And this year is one where he can prove that he's the guy that was meant to handle the responsibility of perhaps the greatest rebuild in sports history.
