The Philadelphia 76ers have a new starting lineup this season. With the team adding Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, they have a much more explosive team. Brown was the best player on the Celtics a year ago and is a former Finals MVP. James is perhaps the greatest player in NBA history.
With those two additions, the Sixers have their sights set on a championship this season. They looked good in their first preseason game together, as James played his first game with the team on Thursday. However, ESPN believes they have a specific hole that could keep them from winning a title.
76ers’ Biggest Hole is at Backup Center
Ben Golliver of ESPN believes that the biggest problem for Philadelphia is the backup center position. Joel Embiid is the biggest injury risk in the league. Over the last two seasons, he has played just 57 games combined. He was also not healthy for most of the second-round series against the Knicks in last year’s postseason.
“James could potentially step in to play center in small ball lineups, but 76ers coach Nick Nurse will want to limit the wear and tear on the 41-year-old star during the regular season. Assuming the 76ers live up to expectations as one of the East’s top contenders, they should spend trade season scouring the center market,” Golliver wrote.
Dominick Barlow and Adem Bona are the only backup centers the 76ers have. That doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence for a team with championship aspirations. There’s a chance that James could end up playing some backup center, but he is also an injury risk.
As Golliver noted, there is a chance that Philly looks around for some big man help at the trade deadline to fix that hole. Of course, that will be dependent on who is available. The Sixers do have some trade assets they could use in order to acquire a backup center.
The Sixers Will Prioritize Postseason Success over Regular Season Wins
The 76ers are going to make sure that they manage both Embiid and James throughout the regular season. Last season, James played only 60 games. At his age, the 76ers are more worried about figuring out a way to keep him healthy for April when the playoffs begin.
The same can be said for Embiid. His knees are chronically injured, and he has gotten skinnier in an effort to stay healthier and protect his knees. It remains to be seen how well that will prepare him for this season. Adding James and Brown gives them a little bit of insurance, but not enough.
Last year, Philadelphia had the 16th-ranked offense in the NBA. Expect that number to be higher as long as James and Embiid play at least 50 games together. Of course, they are more worried about having a top-rated offense in the postseason, which is what this roster is built to do.
76ers’ Biggest Hole That Could Keep Them From a Title Revealed