The Philadelphia 76ers have been the worst team in the NBA for the past three years and it looked like they were about to become a better team heading into the 2016-17 season. However, the latest rumors suggest that the Sixers may "tank" again with Ben Simmons possibly out for the season due to a foot injury.
The Sixers have won a total of 47 games in the last three seasons with a lowly 10-72 record last season. But it did pay off as Philadelphia has drafted a lot of young players in the past three seasons that can help turn the franchise around.
The team got Joel Embiid and Dario Saric in 2014 while adding Jahlil Okafor and Simmons in 2015 and 2016, respectively. However, the first pick of the 2016 NBA draft suffered a fracture of the fifth metatarsal bone of his right foot during the final scrimmage of the team on Friday.
According to NBA.com, Simmons rolled his ankle but an X-ray and MRI on the foot revealed that there is a Jones fracture on his right foot. He is expected to undergo surgery and it will take about three to four months to recover.
However, Keith Pompey of The Inquirer Daily News believes that the Sixers front office should sit out Simmons for the entire 2016-17 season. He mentioned that the 20-year-old should prioritize his health rather than come back and re-injure his foot.
"If there's any concern, Simmons would be better off shutting down until the 2017-18 season. He can't afford to reinjure his foot. Simmons' focus should be only on guaranteeing that he's 100 percent once he returns," Pompey reported.
It should also be noted that the Sixers have held out players who got injured heading into the season. They shut down Nerlens Noel for the entire 2013-14 season due to his knee injury while Joel Embiid has missed the past two years because of a broken foot.
Simmons has the potential to become a great player and a perennial All-Star, and his health should be prioritized. Nevertheless, it gives the Sixers the opportunity to "tank" once again as they prepare for the 2017 NBA Draft.
Next year's class is loaded with talented youngsters such as Markelle Fultz, Dennis Smith, Harry Giles, Jayson Tatum, Josh Jackson, Frank Ntilikina, Marques Bolden, Ivan Rabb, Bam Adebayo, Jarrett Allen, De'Aaron Fox and Jonathan Isaac.
Check out the video below for Simmons' highlights during the 2016 Summer League.