The 2015–16 Philadelphia 76ers season was the team's 77th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the second-worst season in franchise history, one game better than their 9–73 mark in the 1972–73 season, and was also the second straight season that Joel Embiid, the third pick in the 2014 NBA draft, would not suit up for the 76ers due to a leg injury. On November 27, 2015, with a 116–114 loss to the Houston Rockets, Philadelphia broke the record for the longest losing streak in American professional sports history with 27 straight losses spanning the 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons (the previous record of 26 was held by the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers). The losing streak would reach 28 games (including 18 straight losses to start the season, tying the record for longest opening season losing streak with the 2009–10 New Jersey Nets) before the 76ers recorded their first victory, at home against the Los Angeles Lakers, which was also Kobe Bryant's last game against the 76ers in Philadelphia. Philadelphia would also hire former Phoenix Suns owner, coach, general manager, and four-time NBA Executive of the Year winner Jerry Colangelo on December 7, 2015, as their Chairman of Basketball Operations. Eleven days later, former Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike D'Antoni would join the team as an associate head coach. Near the end of the season, general manager Sam Hinkie would announce his resignation from his position, being replaced by Jerry's son Bryan Colangelo before the end of the season. Jerry would also announce his personal demotion from his original position afterwards.
The 76ers finished just one game shy of tying the NBA record for most losses in a season, set by the Sixers themselves during their 1972–73 season when they went 9–73. They became only the second team after the Vancouver Grizzlies between 1995–96 and 1997–98 to endure three consecutive 82-game seasons with fewer than twenty wins. However, it would be the season where Sam Hinkie's goal of "The Process" came into full fruition since the 76ers earned the #1 selection in the 2016 NBA draft, with which they selected Ben Simmons.
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College / Team 1 3 Jahlil Okafor C Duke 2 35 Willy Hernangómez C Baloncesto Sevilla (Spain) 2 37 Richaun Holmes PF / C Bowling Green 2 47 Artūras Gudaitis C Žalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania) 2 58 J. P. Tokoto SG North Carolina 2 60 Luka Mitrović PF Crvena Zvezda (Serbia)
Preseason game log
Preseason
|- style="background:#fbb;" | 1 | October 6 | @ Washington | 95–129 | Canaan, Noel (13) | Jerami Grant (8) | Isaiah Canaan (6) | Verizon Center11,670 | 0–1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 2 | October 8 | Cleveland | 115–114 | Jerami Grant (19) | Nerlens Noel (15) | Robert Covington (6) | Wells Fargo Center8,229 | 1–1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 3 | October 10 | Brooklyn | 97–95 | Robert Covington (23) | Robert Covington (8) | Isaiah Canaan (8) | Times Union Center6,737 | 2–1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 4 | October 12 | @ New York | 88–94 | Isaiah Canaan (18) | Christian Wood (10) | Aldemir, Grant, McRae, Wilbekin (2) | Madison Square Garden19,255 | 2–2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 5 | October 16 | Washington | 118–127 | Scottie Wilbekin (21) | Furkan Aldemir (14) | T. J. McConnell (10) | Wells Fargo Center10,798 | 2–3 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 6 | October 18 | @ Brooklyn | 91–92 | Nerlens Noel (15) | Nerlens Noel (11) | Nerlens Noel (5) | Barclays Center10,756 | 2–4 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 7 | October 23 | @ Boston | 65–81 | Jahlil Okafor (12) | Nerlens Noel (9) | Canaan, Jackson (3) | Verizon Wireless Arena8,403 | 2–5
Regular season game log
|-bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 1 | October 28 | @ Boston | | Jahlil Okafor (26) | Nerlens Noel (12) | T. J. McConnell (4) | TD Garden18,624 | 0–1 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 2 | October 30 | Utah | | Grant, Stauskas (12) | Nerlens Noel (10) | T. J. McConnell (4) | Wells Fargo Center17,122 | 0–2
|- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 3 | November 2 | Cleveland | | Jahlil Okafor (24) | Nerlens Noel (8) | T. J. McConnell (12) | Wells Fargo Center18,094 | 0–3 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 4 | November 4 | @ Milwaukee | | Jahlil Okafor (21) | Nerlens Noel (12) | T. J. McConnell (12) | BMO Harris Bradley Center12,437 | 0–4 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 5 | November 6 | @ Cleveland | | Noel, Okafor (18) | Nerlens Noel (12) | Canaan, McConnell (4) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 0–5 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 6 | November 7 | Orlando | | Isaiah Canaan (23) | T. J. McConnell (8) | T. J. McConnell (9) | Wells Fargo Center15,207 | 0–6 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 7 | November 9 | Chicago | | Jahlil Okafor (21) | Jahlil Okafor (15) | T. J. McConnell (8) | Wells Fargo Center13,879 | 0–7 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 8 | November 11 | Toronto | | Jahlil Okafor (26) | Jerami Grant (10) | T. J. McConnell (13) | Wells Fargo Center12,744 | 0–8 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 9 | November 13 | @ Oklahoma City | | Christian Wood (15) | Nerlens Noel (11) | McConnell, Stauskas (3) | Chesapeake Energy Arena18,203 | 0–9 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 10 | November 14 | @ San Antonio | | Jahlil Okafor (21) | Jahlil Okafor (12) | Phil Pressey (6) | AT&T Center18,717 | 0–10 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 11 | November 16 | Dallas | | Jahlil Okafor (19) | Nerlens Noel (12) | T. J. McConnell (6) | Wells Fargo Center11,555 | 0–11 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 12 | November 18 | Indiana | | T. J. McConnell (16) | Hollis Thompson (9) | Phil Pressey (5) | Wells Fargo Center11,080 | 0–12 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 13 | November 20 | @ Charlotte | | Nerlens Noel (16) | Nerlens Noel (16) | T. J. McConnell (6) | Time Warner Cable Arena17,926 | 0–13 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 14 | November 21 | @ Miami | | Isaiah Canaan (22) | Jahlil Okafor (11) | T. J. McConnell (5) | American Airlines Arena19,673 | 0–14 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 15 | November 23 | @ Minnesota | | Jahlil Okafor (25) | Jahlil Okafor (12) | T. J. McConnell (8) | Target Center11,382 | 0–15 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 16 | November 25 | @ Boston | | Jahlil Okafor (19) | Robert Covington (14) | Phil Pressey (4) | TD Garden17,588 | 0–16 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 17 | November 27 | @ Houston | | Robert Covington (28) | Robert Covington (7) | T. J. McConnell (6) | Toyota Center17,306 | 0–17 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 18 | November 29 | @ Memphis | | Isaiah Canaan (16) | Jahlil Okafor (13) | T. J. McConnell (6) | FedEx Forum15,322 | 0–18
|- bgcolor=#bbffbb | 19 | December 1 * | L.A. Lakers | | Robert Covington (23) | Nerlens Noel (9) | T. J. McConnell (6) | Wells Fargo Center20,510 | 1–18 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 20 | December 2 | @ New York | | Hollis Thompson (13) | Nerlens Noel (6) | Canaan, Covington (3) | Madison Square Garden19,812 | 1–19 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 21 | December 5 | Denver | | Robert Covington (18) | Robert Covington (10) | T. J. McConnell (6) | Wells Fargo Center14,367 | 1–20 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 22 | December 7 | San Antonio | | Covington, Noel, Stauskas (13) | Covington, Noel (6) | Isaiah Canaan (5) | Wells Fargo Center14,449 | 1–21 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 23 | December 10 | @ Brooklyn | | Jahlil Okafor (22) | Jahlil Okafor (10) | Nik Stauskas (5) | Barclays Center13,266 | 1–22 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 24 | December 11 | Detroit | | Jahlil Okafor (22) | Nerlens Noel (10) | Kendall Marshall (6) | Wells Fargo Center14,020 | 1–23 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 25 | December 13 | @ Toronto | | Jahlil Okafor (23) | Jahlil Okafor (14) | Kendall Marshall (5) | Air Canada Centre19,800 | 1–24 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 26 | December 14 | @ Chicago | | Jahlil Okafor (22) | Jahlil Okafor (8) | Hollis Thompson (4) | United Center21,166 | 1–25 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 27 | December 16 | @ Atlanta | | Isaiah Canaan (24) | Holmes, Okafor (7) | Covington, Marshall, McConnell (4) | Philips Arena14,827 | 1–26 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 28 | December 18 | New York | | Jahlil Okafor (20) | Hollis Thompson (7) | Canaan, McConnell, Marshall, Wroten (3) | Wells Fargo Center17,880 | 1–27 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 29 | December 20 | @ Cleveland | | Nerlens Noel (15) | Nerlens Noel (12) | Kendall Marshall (5) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 1–28 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 30 | December 22 | Memphis | | Jahlil Okafor (18) | Covington, Noel (8) | Tony Wroten (7) | Wells Fargo Center15,552 | 1–29 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 31 | December 23 | @ Milwaukee | | Jahlil Okafor (17) | Jahlil Okafor (8) | Kendall Marshall (7) | BMO Harris Bradley Center15,754 | 1–30 |- bgcolor=#bbffbb | 32 | December 26 | @ Phoenix | | Isaiah Canaan (22) | Nerlens Noel (11) | Ish Smith (5) | Talking Stick Resort Arena17,548 | 2–30 |- bgcolor=#ffbbbb | 33 | December 28 | @ Utah | | Ish Smith (22) | Nerlens Noel (6) | Ish Smith (11) | Vivint Smart Home Arena19,911 | 2–31 |- bgcolor=bbffbb | 34 | December 30 | @ Sacramento | | Nerlens Noel (20) | Jerami Grant (11) | Ish Smith (9) | Sleep Train Arena17,317 | 3–31
|- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 35 | January 1 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Nerlens Noel (15) | Nerlens Noel (12) | T. J. McConnell (7) | Staples Center18,997 | 3–32 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 36 | January 2 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Jahlil Okafor (23) | Nerlens Noel (8) | Ish Smith (10) | Staples Center19,212 | 3–33 |- bgcolor=bbffbb | 37 | January 4 | Minnesota | | Ish Smith (21) | Nerlens Noel (9) | Ish Smith (11) | Wells Fargo Center14,013 | 4–33 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 38 | January 7 | Atlanta | | Jahlil Okafor (21) | Nerlens Noel (13) | Ish Smith (7) | Wells Fargo Center12,611 | 4–34 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 39 | January 9 | Toronto | | Ish Smith (28) | Nerlens Noel (8) | T. J. McConnell (8) | Wells Fargo Center14,100 | 4–35 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 40 | January 10 | Cleveland | | Jahlil Okafor (21) | Nerlens Noel (9) | Ish Smith (10) | Wells Fargo Center19,226 | 4–36 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 41 | January 14 | Chicago | | Robert Covington (25) | Covington, Noel (6) | Ish Smith (8) | Wells Fargo Center14,063 | 4–37 |- bgcolor=bbffbb | 42 | January 16 | Portland | | Jahlil Okafor (25) | Jahlil Okafor (10) | T. J. McConnell (7) | Wells Fargo Center15,698 | 5–37 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 43 | January 18 | @ New York | | Jahlil Okafor (20) | Nerlens Noel (16) | Ish Smith (16) | Madison Square Garden19,812 | 5–38 |- bgcolor=bbffbb | 44 | January 20 | @ Orlando | | Jahlil Okafor (20) | Robert Covington (11) | Ish Smith (11) | Amway Center17,746 | 6–38 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 45 | January 24 | Boston | | Robert Covington (25) | Nerlens Noel (9) | Ish Smith (4) | Wells Fargo Center9,722 | 6–39 |- bgcolor=bbffbb | 46 | January 26 | Phoenix | | Ish Smith (20) | Nerlens Noel (9) | Ish Smith (9) | Wells Fargo Center10,851 | 7–39 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 47 | January 27 | @ Detroit | | Jerami Grant (21) | Covington, Grant (8) | McConnell, Smith (6) | The Palace of Auburn Hills13,712 | 7–40 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 48 | January 30 * | Golden State | | Isaiah Canaan (18) | Robert Covington (13) | Ish Smith (9) | Wells Fargo Center20,798 | 7–41
|- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 49 | February 3 | Atlanta | | Nik Stauskas (17) | Nerlens Noel (7) | Ish Smith (7) | Wells Fargo Center10,429 | 7–42 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 50 | February 5 | @ Washington | | Ish Smith (22) | Nerlens Noel (8) | Ish Smith (5) | Verizon Center17,305 | 7–43 |- bgcolor=bbffbb | 51 | February 6 | Brooklyn | | Jahlil Okafor (22) | Jahlil Okafor (17) | T. J. McConnell (6) | Wells Fargo Center18,847 | 8–43 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 52 | February 8 | L.A. Clippers | | Smith, Thompson (16) | Jerami Grant (11) | Ish Smith (5) | Wells Fargo Center13,310 | 8–44 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 53 | February 10 | Sacramento | | Robert Covington (29) | Jahlil Okafor (10) | Ish Smith (10) | Wells Fargo Center12,501 | 8–45 |- bgcolor="bbcaff" |colspan="9" | 2016 All-Star Break |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 54 | February 19 | @ New Orleans | | Nerlens Noel (24) | Nerlens Noel (9) | Ish Smith (7) | Smoothie King Center16,953 | 8–46 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 55 | February 21 | @ Dallas | | Jahlil Okafor (31) | Jahlil Okafor (8) | T. J. McConnell (6) | American Airlines Center20,194 | 8–47 |- bgcolor=ffbbbb | 56 | February 23 | Orlando | | Ish Smith (22)