The Philadelphia 76ers dropped their 50th game of the season on Wednesday, March 26. The loss came against the Washington Wizards, who snapped a five-game losing streak to win 119-114.
When speaking to the media after the game, head coach Nick Nurse noted how Washington baited the Sixers during the opening quarters. He believes Philadelphia took some uncharacteristic shots due to how the Wizards were sagging off the three-point line.
“I thought there were a lot of wide-open shots in the first quarter,” Nurse said. “They were almost begging us to take threes. It seemed like we had to take them. We didn’t hit any of them early, and they were out in transition. We chased it uphill for most of the game. Closed it down a couple of times, got away from us again.”
The Sixers struggled from the perimeter all night. They went 14-of-46 from deep, giving them a 30.4% conversion rate. The Wizards clearly came into the contest with a gameplan and immediately saw the benefits of daring this Sixers team to shoot. Of course, when a roster is as decimated by injuries as this Sixers one is, it’s hard not to envision some shooting struggles throughout a night.
Sixers Could Lose Guerschon Yabusele in Offseason
According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, Guerschon Yabusele could be heading for the exit door during the summer.
“Guerschon Yabusele has been one of their few bright spots this season. He signed a one-year, veteran-minimum contract with the Sixers after his breakout run at the 2024 Olympics last summer,” Pincus wrote. “Philly probably needs to use some or all of its mid-level exception to keep him beyond this year. The good news is that Quentin Grimes, whom the Sixers acquired before the trade deadline from the Dallas Mavericks, will be a restricted free agent. Philadelphia can and should match offers to retain him.”
Yabusele signed a one-year veteran minimum deal with the Sixers after impressing during the 2024 Paris Olympics. His impressive production in the NBA will certainly lead to him getting a pay rise this summer. However, it’s unclear whether the Sixers will be a team willing to open its chequebook to keep Yabusele around.
Sixers Encourages to Embrace a Rebuild
According to former NBA champion Paul Pierce, who was speaking on a recent episode of the KG Certified podcast, the Sixers should explore a full-scale rebuild once the season draws to a close.
“What’s going on in Philly right now is a disaster,” Pierce said. “If I’m the owner? Everybody’s gone! I’m talking about all the way down…Over the process. I’m over it. Fresh air for everybody. Embiid needs fresh air. Paul George, Daryl Morey needs some fresh air. Nick Nurse needs some fresh air. [Nick Nurse] is cool, but he needs some fresh air.”
It’s hard not to at least entertain the notion of the Sixers leaning into a rebuild. When looking around the Eastern Conference, both the Wizards and Detroit Pistons have a clear path and are taking big strides forward. The Indiana Pacers are now a legitimate threat, too. All three of those teams tore their rosters down and rebuilt for the future. Perhaps Daryl Morey will consider hitting the reset button in the coming months.
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