6. Philadelphia 76ers
Falling one excruciating shot short of reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, the Philadelphia 76ers have reloaded for another shot at a deep playoff run.
At the top of their lineup, they have enough talent to compete with anyone. Joel Embiid is an all-time great when he is healthy and can impact the game in every single way. Meanwhile, Ben Simmons is on pace to become a superstar point guard with phenomenal size and court vision.
By trading Jimmy Butler, the 76ers have opened up a more comfortable role for Tobias Harris. The deadly 3-point shooter will have more freedom to operate and control the offense this season. Lastly, Josh Richardson adds extra depth with his specialty as a 3-and-D wing player.
Finally, Al Horford will assist greatly in keeping the show running smoothly. Horford will spend a lot of time at the top of the key, knocking down 3-pointers and setting up his teammates. This allows Embiid to focus primarily on controlling the paint, which is his strongest asset.
Size of Philadelphia’s potential starting 5:
- PG: Ben Simmons – 6’10”
- SG: Josh Richardson – 6’6″
- SF: Tobias Harris – 6’9″
- PF: Al Horford – 6’10”
- C: Joel Embiid – 7’0″
The sheer size of the 76ers is going to give the Golden State Warriors issues. Finding a way to hide Stephen Curry on defense will be very difficult. The biggest advantage the Dubs have is a far superior collection of shooters. However, none of that will matter if they can’t find a way to slow down Embiid.