The Philadelphia 76ers are the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference? Well, maybe. The 76ers shook things up this offseason in a big way. It’s a legit question to ask whether they’re improved or not. The 76ers lost some scoring punch but add a lot of size. What should we make of it? Well, no worries, let’s break down the Philadelphia 76ers season preview!
Key Additions: Al Horford, Josh Richardson, Matisse Thybulle
Al Horford was the big fish the 76ers landed in free agency. Horford inked a 4-year deal worth $109 million. The window to win is NOW. Horford is aging by the second and the back half of that contract probably gets ugly fast. Josh Richardson comes over in the Jimmy Butler trade. I actually think there’s a chance he provides an upgrade over JJ Reddick. He’s the much better defender if nothing else. Mattise Thybulle is the first round pick from Washington. Plus defense, bad shooting. He’s looked good in the preseason so maybe Philly found something.
Key Departures: Jimmy Butler, Boban Marjanovic, JJ Reddick
I’m worried about the Butler loss. For a team that really struggles to score at times, Butler was the dawg at the end of games to close. I think Philly will really miss him in crunch time. JJ Reddick also had great chemistry with Joel Embiid on those pick and pop plays. I wonder if Richardson can move around the 3-point line like Reddick did.
Potential Starting Lineup: Ben Simmons, Josh Richardson, Tobias Harris, Al Horford, Joel Embiid
I have to be honest, I’m not as high on the 76ers as everyone else. I think they’re slow and lack shooting. They are everything that goes against the modern NBA. I don’t see how it works. What does Al Horford even provide? If he’s not being a playmaker and scoring, what value does he have? Feels like a duplicate to Ben Simmons. Speaking of Simmons. I think it has become clear that him and Joel Embiid do not work. Maybe I’m wrong. I really don’t have high hopes for this squad.
