BY MARK HALPERN
In sports most offseasons have their high and low points. The highs are usually the draft and the first days of free agency. The low points are every day where nothing happens. One of the teams pundits keep getting excited about are the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers are one of the most consistent regular season teams, and then in the playoffs they fold. This year they came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Celtics, only to get swept by the Knicks in the second round. Remember trusting the process?
The 76ers have had a very active offseason. First was a huge trade with the Boston Celtics in which sent Jaylen Brown to Philly in exchange for Paul George and four draft picks (two firsts and two seconds). Jaylen Brown didn’t get the spotlight in Boston, due to Jayson Tatum. But Brown is a really good player, he’s won a Finals MVP and this season without Tatum for a good chunk averaged 28.7 points per game, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists, while shooting 47.7% from the field and 34.7% from three. The next move repulses me because in my opinion he is just going to be a distraction more than anything. Lebron James has signed a 2 year 8-million-dollar deal. We are all thinking it where is the big money for him. Well let’s face money LeBron doesn’t need the money. That he has plenty but, this will be his probably last and final chance to win another ring (mind you Jordan did it all with the Bulls) to go along with his impressive time in the NBA. I will not say he sucks and is a bad player cause that’s not the case. He was one of the best young talents to enter the game and achieve the things he did. The jumping from team to team trying to prove he is the best and be paired with some of the best (Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Kevin Love, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving) just to name a few. LeBron averaged 20.9 points per game, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists and shot 51.5 % from the field last season.
The Sixers also signed Dean Wade and they quietly signed Ariel Hukaporti from the Knicks and Anfernee Simons. They are also bringing in Kentavious Caldwell -Pope, once his buyout from Memphis is complete. Let’s not forget they will be joining Joel Embiid on this impressive 76er team. Embiid for one of the first times that I can remember has a solid core around him to take some of the heavy lifting off of his weakening knees and ankle problems. With Embiid, Brown, LeBron and Tyrese Maxey it will be difficult for defenses to defend, but who is going to be the primary ball handler?
The Sixers will have to face perennial postseason teams such as the Celtics, the Cavaliers, Hawks and the reigning NBA champions the New York Knicks. The Eastern Conference is going to be a gauntlet, can James overcome it and win another title?
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