the tm of suck is aka rebuilding phase.The treadmill of mediocrity is better than the treadmill of suck
the tm of mediocrity is usually a result of impatient roster moves that include trading away future and current assets
to acquire one player who if they fail to live up to the cost you spend on them puts you back at the beginning of the tm of suck.
I would much rather at least see if the season additions of Mobley and Markkanen can change the close game outcomes and get them into games they were never in last season.
Trading either Cavs guards which is probably what it would take to get Simmons is taking a huge leap backwards offensively unless you think they can win games shooting free throws https://sixerswire.usatoday.com/2021/09/09/shaquille-oneal-calls-out-sixers-star-ben-simmons/