Julius Erving on 76ers' rebuilding plans: 'The talk was about 7 years'
Patience is a virtue when rebuilding an NBA franchise. Rarely do teams enjoy magical overnight turnarounds, barring a massive trade (such as the Boston Celtics acquiring Kevin Garnett) or a once-in-a-lifetime draft pick (like the San Antonio Spurs selecting Tim Duncan).
The Philadelphia 76ers have won a combined 37 games over the past two seasons, just two more than they had during the lockout-shortened 2011-12 campaign. The plan for rehabilitation is through the draft, making several trips to the lottery, and strengthening the roster with top-level talent.
Julius Erving, an 11-time NBA All-Star and franchise icon, is waiting patiently as the team he once suited up for builds towards a more prosperous future. During an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio, the 65-year-old revealed the timeline he was given for the 76ers to become an upper-echelon organization once again.
"When they (Josh Harris and David Blitzer) acquired the team in 2012 maybe, I think the talk was about seven years," said Erving. "Seven years. So, I think it's still on that same timeline."
When asked whether that seven-year blueprint meant merely qualifying for the postseason, Erving replied: "No. To be good. To be formidable. To be a contender. That's probably 18-19."
It's been hit-or-miss with the 76ers and some of their recent draft picks. Center Joel Embiid, taken third overall in 2014, missed the entire regular season with a broken navicular bone in his foot. The team recently announced that the Kansas Jayhawks alumnus may also miss all of the 2015-16 season after undergoing bone graft surgery.
Philadelphia may have been on to something with Michael Carter-Williams, who won NBA Rookie of the Year after being selected with the No. 11 pick in 2011, although he was ultimately moved to the Milwaukee Bucks prior to the trade deadline last year in a three-team deal involving the Phoenix Suns.
Jahlil Okafor, a 6-foot-11 center out of Duke, could be the diamond in the rough who puts Philadelphia over the top. With Embiid on the sidelines, 19-year-old Okafor will join second-year big Nerlens Noel in the frontcourt, providing the low-post presence on offense as Noel brings the rim protection.
Two teams in the Eastern Conference (Boston and the Brooklyn Nets) qualified for the postseason with records below .500, which lowers the ceiling in terms of how many wins the 76ers would need to become a playoff-caliber squad.
With the NBA Championship being the ultimate goal of any franchise, Philadelphia can always find solace in the recent success of the Golden State Warriors, who needed six seasons after drafting reigning MVP Steph Curry before hoisting the 2015 Larry O'Brien trophy.
- With h/t to Pro Basketball Talk