Something that the Thunder (and now Lakers) did that the Sixers didn’t do was actually draft players who played different positions. The Thunder drafted Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, and Harden — that’s a PF, PG, C, and SG. The Lakers drafted Randle, Clarkson, Russell, and Ingram — that’s a PF, SG, PG, and SF. The Sixers have three centers and two power forwards, basically, they have five guys to play two positions (to their credit, they did also manage to draft a point guard, and then promptly traded him when he showed the slightest bit of improvement). That’s bad team building by the Sixers.

And as for having cap space, that only helps when chasing free agents (trades still have to have close to matching salaries). When was the last time a big time free agent (in any of the four major sports) said “you know what, I’m going to go to Philadelphia!”? Elton Brand in 2008? Anyone else, ever?