July 11, 2017
There are still a few moves that need to be made and second-tier free agents to be signed (i’s dotted and t’s crossed), but we’re moving toward the conclusion of the NBA offseason and the one month-plus that the league takes a break and cedes the floor to NFL training camps and MLB pennant races.
With that in mind, some national publications are taking stock of the league and publishing brand new power rankings. We here at PhillyVoice love us some power rankings, especially the super meaningless offseason kind!
Hoops Hype’s Bryan Kalbrosky has the Sixers ranked 14th:
Philadelphia has trusted the process long enough for their slogan to finally seem legitimate. Joel Embiid showed flashes of brilliance when he was on the court last season and Ben Simmons looks to shine in his debut season. Meanwhile, No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz will have another scorer in J.J. Redick to establish a strong backcourt threat.
Why it is fair conversation: 76ers missed playoffs by 13 games. They will be better while No. 5 (ATL), 7 (IND), 8 (CHI) had big roster hits.
— Scott Howard-Cooper (@SHowardCooper) July 5, 2017
While CBS Sports’ Matt More has the Sixers slotted 19th:
Yes, Joel Embiid is dominant. Markelle Fultz (despite an ankle sprain) and Ben Simmons should be good. But young teams must learn to win, and it takes time. Free agent vets J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson can't show them the ropes in only one season. They may make the playoffs, but winning must be learned on a squad where many key players aren't old enough to rent a car.
Even Moore, who I think is right to take a conservative tone (rookies don’t usually win!), has the Sixers ranked ahead of 11 teams. That is quite a change from the past few years. Whether we’re talking about the playoffs or any level of improvement (and considering how bad the Eastern Conference is, those two things might go hand in hand), the 2017-18 Philadelphia 76ers are going to have some legit winning expectations placed on them.
I can’t wait to see how Brett Brown and this current Sixers roster handles it.
1. Sigh of relief: In what qualifies as excellent Sixers news, Markelle Fultz’s summer league injury was just a scare. It sounds like he’ll be fine well before training camp.
2. JoJo, Everywhere: I was watching the Home Run Derby last night, and while Aaron Judge was crushing dingers, Joel Embiid was also there.
3. Sixers-Ball Beef: First, LaVar Ball fired back at Joel Embiid. And then Embiid was fined $10,000 by the NBA for his comments.
4. Phillies-Sixers: The Sixers are actually doing better than the Phillies recently. My guess is that unfortunately going to continue for a few years, at least until Manny Machado is a Phillie.
NBA Off-Season Grades: Andrew Sharp, Sports Illustrated
Ranking best NBA offseasons: Brad Botkin, CBS Sports
Botkin ranked Philly sixth, while Sharp liked both the Sixers trade with Boston for Markelle Fultz and their free-agent signings:
Then, rather than overreact to the sudden ground swell of optimism and playoff whispers, the Sixers made short-term bets on J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson that will support their young stars while keeping the team flexible for next summer and beyond. Redick is a perfect player to compliment what they already have, and while he's not the one who'll make them a playoff team—that would be Embiid if he's healthy—he'll make life much easier for Fultz and Simmons as they play their first year in the NBA. The Fultz ankle injury at Summer League was a good reminder to proceed with caution when it comes to any and all Sixers expectations. But still. This was a great summer for a team that was due for good news.
Celtics’ Jaylen Brown to host event for young players at NBA Summer League: Marc Spears, The Undefeated
Speaking of Fultz, it sounds like the Sixers rookie is going to take part in a cool idea that was the brainchild of Brown:
“There are a lot of young guys here, and there is nothing to do in Vegas if you’re under 21,” the 20-year-old Brown told The Undefeated. “I just want to do something. Hang out, talk to them. Build relationships. I’m not 21. [Celtics teammate] Jayson [Tatum] is not 20. A lot of the draft picks are young.
Morning Tip: David Aldridge, NBA.com
Aldridge sees a bright future for this Sixers roster, but he still has some qualms with how it was put together:
I agree, Michael. Embiid is a budding superstar; if he can play a full season or close to one for Philly next year, the 76ers will be in the playoffs, period. I don’t doubt his talent or potential impact. My issue was, and remains, with those Sixers fans who insist that there was no negative impact from the three horrific seasons from 2013-15, when the team went a combined 37-199.
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann
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