Hope dangles on a string like slow-spinning redemption is a lyric from Dashboard Confessional’s ‘Vindicated’. It became famous because of Spider-Man 2. I began this blog post with it for obvious reasons. We’re days away from a fairly consequential day in the history of the Philadelphia 76ers. Right now, things are bleak. On Monday night they could become even bleaker.

But that word. Hope. It’s within grasp. 

Since 2018, I’ve written an end of season obituary. Rinse and repeat. But this year was different for obvious reasons. They never had a chance. That is a terrible thing to realize. Dead on arrival. 

During exit interviews, Tyrese Maxey said, “the only positive that I do take away is the only way we can go from here is up.” 

Your 2024-2025 Sixers! It can’t possibly be worse.

I won’t be the first to say, that’s not necessarily the case. Joel Embiid played 19 games, and mostly looked pedestrian. Paul George turned 35 last week. And then a lottery pick may belong to Oklahoma City around 7:20 p.m. on Monday. 

Of course, there is a 10 percent chance Cooper Flagg will be a Sixer. There is a greater than 60 percent chance they keep the pick, which will mean nearly everything for their chances moving forward. 

Some resemblance of slow-spinning redemption. 

Watching these NBA playoffs has been quite the experience in a brutal way. I will gladly take the heartbreak and the failing to get over the hump rather than irrelevance. 

I feel for Embiid on many levels. This idea that they will be able to trade him is far fetched. Nobody will offer anything of substance. Their best bet is the surgery is exactly what he needs. 

The draft lottery was something I didn’t think I’d have to care about for a long time. Conversely, the last time the Sixers picked in the lottery was the first time I wrote an end of season obituary. They, as you may recall, drafted Mikal Bridges only to trade him minutes later. That was the 10th pick, one they acquired for Michael Carter-Williams at the 2015 trade deadline. 

The previous four lotteries before the Bridges trade meant a great deal. I mean I gathered with friends to watch. I wrote silly blog posts about Andrew Wiggins or D’Angelo Russell. Overall, things went well as far as where the Sixers ended up on lottery night. Third in 2014, third in 2015, first in 2016, and third (thanks but also no thanks to the Sacramento Kings pick swap) in 2017, which of course they used a future first to move to first where they picked Markelle Fultz. Yes, this certainly has been a fun time. The lottery odds have shifted since, which will make this a truly nauseating night. As long as two teams outside of the top 6 don’t jump into the top 4, the Sixers keep the pick. 

I will write something longer after the lottery since right now it’s just the unknown.

Here’s to keeping the pick.

Here’s to that four letter word.