Simple question. What's more important? If you could choose to contend every year, get to the Finals once or twice, but ultimately flame out over the course of 6-7 seasons, would you? Or is one championship ring buried in a decade of 8th seed mediocrity and back-end lotto picks all it takes? The obvious answer is "Championship, dawg" but give it some actual thought to whether you'd want to be the Dallas Mavericks for all of Dirk's career or the '03 Marlins.
Or we could just continue being the Sixers and not contend nor win a championship. Good times.
Exercise those brain muscles, puppets, it's the weekend!