Getty Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates.
Following another second-round exit in the postseason, the Philadelphia 76ers went right to work making improvements to the roster. Daryl Morey’s first move came on draft night when he acquired De’Anthony Melton from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Danny Green. He then reunited with a pair of familiar faces by signing Danuel House Jr. and P.J. Tucker in free agency.
Led by Joel Embiid, James Harden, and Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers have a full cast of defenders and shooters around them. With their newfound depth, expectations continue to increase as they look to fulfill their championship aspirations.
In the Embiid era, the Sixers have failed to make it past the Eastern Conference semifinals. However, one former player is high on them after their flurry of offseason moves. During a recent episode of “Jalen and Jacoby,” Jalen Rose picked the Sixers and Nets to clash in the Eastern Conference finals.
I’m putting the Nets and the Sixers on the clock. Right now, that’s who I anticipate to be in the Eastern Conference finals. I feel like Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid do have S’s on their chest, for superstar. The one thing about being that level of player, we should win because we got you… Philadelphia continues to add to their roster, James Harden is gonna be as motivated as he can be. To me, those teams should have a level of hunger.
Joel Embiid Facing Pressure in 2023
Over the past three years, Joel Embiid has cemented himself as one of the game’s top talents. Along with shattering the injury-prone narrative that’s plagued his career, he’s been a common fixture in MVP discussions.
At 28 years old, the Sixers star is in his prime years. Last season, he posted career-highs in both points (30.6) and assists (4.2) per game. As the franchise star, Embiid will be called on to elevate his game and take the Sixers to the next level. Because of this, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley feels he is among those under the most pressure heading into this season.
So, where does the pressure kick in? Well, he must continue to stay on the floor (his 68 games last season were a career-high) and dominate while he’s out there. Then, he must also simultaneously prepare this franchise for what would be its first NBA title since 1983. If the Sixers are going to make that happen, they might need Embiid to be the best player in the league.
Fans Excited to See Sixers Stars Back in Action
When the Sixers pulled off a mega-deal to acquire James Harden at the trade deadline, it was agreed they instantly had one of the league’s top offensive duos. Even with the All-Star point guard entering the lineup on the fly, he had an instant connection with his new running mate.
This summer, Harden has trained diligently to get himself ready for his first full season in Philly. Seeing the former MVP’s body transformation has fans excited to see the pair of All-Stars take the floor together once again.
Your favorite hooper couldn’t mess with Joel Embiid’s bag…
Things got amplified even more when news broke of former Sixer Ben Simmons potentially playing center for the Brooklyn Nets moving forward. This could result in Embiid getting revenge for all the events that unfolded last season.