Getty Doc Rivers is getting ready to enter his third season as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Philadelphia 76ers have had a whirlwind offseason, one that overhauled their roster and inserted tougher players. They are determined to bring a more serious brand of basketball to the court next season.
Head coach Doc Rivers, in lockstep with team president Daryl Morey, has talked about changing the culture in Philly for two years running. Now the franchise is taking a bold step toward that end goal. The Sixers will travel to Charleston, South Carolina for training camp, according to ESPN’s Marc J. Spears. Wait, what?
Yes, a culture-changing trip is planned to help with team bonding. Spears revealed the news during a recent appearance on the NBA Today (h/t VCP Hoops). Here is what the plugged-in reporter said:
Well, Doc Rivers told me this morning that the discount that James Harden gave the Sixers allowed them to get P.J. Tucker and Danuel House, and in that process, they also got De’Anthony Melton. They got tougher. They got more serious. And they got some bench depth. Harden has actually been working out with Sam Cassell, you saw those recent pictures of them, he looks like he’s in great shape.
76ers assistant coach Sam Cassell didn’t hold back during a workout with Tyrese Maxey and James Harden 🔥
(via @JHarden13)
Rivers is trying to draw inspiration from something he did while coaching the Boston Celtics in 2008. He took that legendary squad to Italy for training camp en route to a world championship. More from Spears below:
The Sixers are doing this again with Doc, or they are doing it for the first time. They’re going to Charleston, South Carolina to get away from family, to concentrate on basketball, and each other as a team, get their camaraderie. And, along with basketball, Doc wants them to work on American history, to learn some American history. They are probably going to go to a slave museum and learn about the Gullah culture out there in South Carolina.
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Best Lineup of the Joel Embiid Era
ESPN’s Zach Lowe called the 2022-23 edition of the Philadelphia 76ers the “best of the Joel Embiid era.” Strong words. Especially when remembering the 2019 squad that graced the cover of Sports Illustrated.
.@sixers starting five on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Are you kidding me?!! Get excited for the final 24 games of the regular season & beyond.
There’s no question the Sixers are much improved following a flurry of summer moves. How much better? Bleacher Report thinks the Sixers have the third-best roster in the entire league. Grant Hughes put them right behind the Golden State Warriors (No. 1) and Boston Celtics (No. 2). His projected starting five features James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, P.J. Tucker, Joel Embiid.
“The thought of defending a Harden-Embiid pick-and-roll with Maxey blowing past closeouts on the weak side while Harris and Tucker space out the three-point line should give opposing coaches indigestion,” wrote Hughes. “And the added stretch provided by Tucker’s renowned gunning from the short corners will keep help from crashing down on Embiid when he rumbles to the cup.”
P.J. Tucker is the corner 3 king and he’s reuniting with the guy who set up a ton of them, James Harden.
A deep dive into his fit with the Sixers: t.co/ErgffNpU3W
Banner Offseason for Philadelphia
CBS Sports handed the Sixers an A grade for what they called a “banner offseason for Philadelphia.” Colin Ward-Henninger cited the additions of Tucker and Melton, along with Harden’s willingness to take a pay cut. He also gave props to the sneaky good signing of Danuel House.
“House is familiar with Harden and Tucker from his days in Houston, providing a 3-and-D option off the bench,” Ward-Henninger wrote. “Given the way things ended in the postseason, the Sixers must be thrilled with where they are right now.”