September 30, 2024
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What does the 2024-25 season have in store for Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and the new-look Sixers?
On Monday, the Sixers will hold their annual Media Day to introduce a roster that has seen tremendous overhaul over the last few months. The next day, they will travel to The Bahamas for a five-day training camp that will set the stage for a six-game preseason slate before the 2024-25 NBA regular season gets underway.
Over the last few weeks, we dove into each and every member of the Sixers' standard NBA roster. For every player, we posed two critical questions — the answers to each will largely determine the fate of each player in 2024-25 — and made a prediction of some kind stemming from those questions.
Now that every player has been covered and the new-look Sixers are officially set to embark on what they hope is a prosperous journey, here is the totality of our Sixers player preview series.
The Sixers owned the No. 16 and No. 41 overall picks in last June's NBA Draft. With only two players under contract at the time, the team had the ability to go in any direction with both picks.
In the first round, the Sixers selected a player many expected them to be interested in: sharpshooting Duke guard Jared McCain, a player with a flare for the dramatic who also has some ominous holes in his game. The next day, they used their second-round pick on Adem Bona, a rim-running center from UCLA with a motor that never stops.
Read about the Sixers' pair of rookies here...
• Sixers player preview: Can Jared McCain contribute to winning as a rookie?
• Sixers player preview: Is Adem Bona ready for the NBA?
As Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey looked to fill out the middle of the team's roster, he added four established veterans — a returning member of the 2023-24 Sixers in Kyle Lowry, a former Sixer in Andre Drummond and NBA mainstay guards Eric Gordon and Reggie Jackson. How much can each of these veterans help the Sixers?
• Sixers player preview: Does Kyle Lowry have what it takes to win a second ring?
• Sixers player preview: How will Andre Drummond stabilize the backup center spot?
• Sixers player preview: How much of a difference can Eric Gordon make?
• Sixers player preview: What does Reggie Jackson have left in the tank?
The Sixers have eight players who appear to be locked into head coach Nick Nurse's rotation to begin the season. Nurse could use a 10-man rotation at some point, but his preference appears to be using nine players, which means one spot remains for the rest of the pack. Nurse is in need of a contributor at the power forward position, putting three players into focus.
MORE: Who will be the Sixers' backup power forward when the 2024-25 season begins?
Ricky Council IV showed immense potential for an undrafted rookie last season, and he enters his first full season on a standard NBA contract hoping to make a name for himself as a full-fledged rotation-caliber player under Nurse. But there will be competition from the returning KJ Martin, who possesses outstanding athleticism and more NBA experience, and a wild card: Guerschon Yabusele, who is betting on himself with an NBA return after a standout showing in the 2024 Olympic Games.
Watching these three players battle for minutes will be a treat:
• Sixers player preview: Is Ricky Council IV ready to meet the moment?
• Sixers player preview: Is KJ Martin more than a trade chip?
• Sixers player preview: Can Guerschon Yabusele leave a mark in his second NBA opportunity?
Nearly the entirety of last season's Sixers roster became free agents over the summer, but there was one role player that Morey and co. prioritized above the others: swingman Kelly Oubre Jr., who starred in plenty of roles and earned the adoration of Philadelphia fans. Oubre is back in the fold, and after beginning 2023-24 as a key reserve, he is expected to be part of Nurse's starting five at the beginning of the season. Oubre will be joined by Caleb Martin, the battle-tested wing who fears no opponent and will bring the Sixers the sort of tenacity they craved after the team pounced on a quality player whose market had cratered in free agency.
• Sixers player preview: How will Kelly Oubre Jr. respond to heightened expectations?
• Sixers player preview: Caleb Martin looks to bring toughness, winning mentality to Philadelphia
Last but not least, the Sixers put together a trio of All-Stars with talent that may be unmatched by any grouping of three teammates across the NBA. Former NBA MVP Joel Embiid has developed a dynamic rapport with 2023-24 All-Star and Most Improved Player Award winner Tyrese Maxey, and now the dominant point guard and center have the perfect wing in between them: nine-time All-Star Paul George, who decided that joining forces with Embiid and Maxey in Philadelphia gave him the best chance to win his first championship.
Can Embiid, Maxey and George become the league's preeminent "Big Three?"
• Sixers player preview: For Joel Embiid, the time must be now
• Sixers player preview: Does Tyrese Maxey have yet another leap to make?
• Sixers player preview: Paul George can rewrite his legacy in Philadelphia
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