ESPN Ford’s Gives Sixers at A- for Offseason

Maybe the Philadelphia 76ers haven't been very entertaining on the floor the past three seasons, but because in part of their inept records (just 47 wins over three seasons), excitement is here for the 2016-2017 season which could push the team toward a increase in wins.

Just because this has been a multiple-tier process, this offseason was still a very big part of that process.

Adding a couple of veterans, landing the No. 1 overall pick and wooing 2014 pick Dario Saric over to the NBA has made ESPN’s Chad Ford give the Sixers a A-minus grade for this offseason.

The key part of the offseason?

Landing the No. 1 overall pick and grabbing a potential franchise changer in Simmons.

Sam Hinkie's rebuilding plan was based primarily on landing a potential superstar either at the top of the draft or through a collection of assets. Just weeks after he left the team, the 76ers won the lottery and the right to select Ben Simmons. Mission accomplished -- just a little too late.

Simmons is really what this summer was all about. The Sixers got the most talented player in the draft -- a player who has superstar potential as an athletic, 6-foot-10 passing savant if he hits his ceiling.

In free agency, Philadelphia brought in Jerryd Bayless, Gerald Henderson and Sergio Rodriguez to steady the young roster and the point-guard position.

The rest of the additions will help the Sixers win more games than last year, but the net result should still be one of the two or three worst records in the league. Saric, Bayless, Henderson, Rodriguez and Luwawu aren't necessarily long-term pieces. Still, at least the Sixers have hope now. And if Joel Embiid can finally step on the court, stay healthy and play up to his potential, the Sixers suddenly have two major building blocks while retaining tons of assets and flexibility.

It's going to be a while before fans see the results on the court, but the Sixers are finally moving in the right direction.

Add in the Saric, along with 2014 No. 3 overall pick Joel Embiid and the Sixers have a lot of excitement entering the season.  While the season shouldn't be about the win-loss record, rather how big of a step forward the organization can take and how all the young talent will come together.