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Kyle Lowry is staying in Canada after a frenzied few weeks, including rumors that he was heading to Philadelphia. The Sixers didn’t make a blockbuster deal, but they did significantly improve their team.
George Hill came over in a three-way deal and gives them much-needed depth at the guard spot. He can hold down the fort until Seth Curry returns, then transition into a sharp-shooting bench piece. Hill shot a league-best 46% from deep last year in Milwaukee and shoots 38.4% for his career.
The Sixers had to give up a key reserve in Tony Bradley to get Hill, but it’s a small price to pay in the long run. Dwight Howard commented on what Hill brings to the table, along with what the team is losing in Bradley, after the Sixers’ afternoon shootaround in Los Angeles.
“George Hill, I think he can provide a lot of defensive pressure at the guard position,” Howard told reporters. “Also another savvy veteran who has played for awhile and understands the game. And he’s playing for one reason and that’s to win a championship. So I’m looking forward to having him on our team, looking forward to him making a great impact here in Philadelphia. I can’t wait.”
In addition to Bradley, the Sixers surrendered two future second-round picks along with seldom-used reserves Terrance Ferguson and Vincent Poirier. Howard praised their hard work and effort.
“It’s sad to see Tony and Terrance Ferguson and Vince leave,” Howard said. “I would say those three guys, no matter how many minutes they played, they worked extremely hard every single day. We’re going to miss those guys dearly and I wish them the best.”
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Howard Shared Special Bond with ‘Battery Pack’
Bradley had been a revelation in recent weeks, averaging 14 points and 7.7 boards since taking over for an injured Joel Embiid on March 14. Howard had been serving as a mentor of sorts to the 23-year-old center from Florida. Bradley grew up watching Howard in his prime as an Orlando Magic fan.
“I was very sad to hear about him leaving our team,” Howard said of Bradley. “He actually lived down near Orlando so we have a connection from him watching me play as he was growing up. I remember coming in, just talking to him and saying, ‘Hey Tony, if you want to play in this league you got to be the Energizer Bunny.’ I would call him the battery pack.”
The former first-round pick had been seeing increased minutes since Embiid went down, but he was headed back to the bench in a week or two. Now Bradley gets a chance to be part of a rebuild in Oklahoma City and compete for a bigger role behind aging veteran Al Horford.
“I’ve seen from the beginning of the season until now, his energy and effort has changed,” Howard said, “and he’s been playing out of his mind the last couple of games and I’m so proud of him. Now he has an opportunity to go to Oklahoma City and play big minutes, going to be a blessing in disguise for him.”
Superman Channeling 1983 Sixers Vibes
Some guys have a superstitious fear of dropping the “C” word in a casual conversation. Not Ben Simmons. He mentioned winning a championship earlier this month and now his teammate has jumped on the bandwagon.
Howard, who won a ring last year with the Los Angeles Lakers, thinks the Sixers got one step closer to a title with the addition of Hill. The 35-year-old center wants nothing more than to see a championship parade down Broad Street.
“Making this championship run special, just like the 1983 team, when they won the championship,” Howard said, referring to the 1983 Sixers championship. “We want to bring back some of those vibes and energy from that team. And get another one in Philly which is desperately needed.”
The Sixers (31-13) are well on their way to that stated goal, boasting the best record in the Eastern Conference and second-best mark in the NBA behind the Utah Jazz (32-11). Howard knows it’s a marathon, not a sprint. The group has to stay the course and continue to grind it out every day.
“We just have to stay locked in on what our purpose is and all of us want to win a championship,” Howard said. “It takes a cohesive unit to do that and I think we have the right type of team to do it. And adding a guy like George Hill, who plays excellent defense and is going to facilitate the offense, is going to be great for our team.”
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