By Jonah Drew

Record: 53-29

The 76ers had a very typical 76ers season last season. Joel Embiid was absolutely dominant when he was healthy and on the court but like every year, he struggled with injuries. When the 76ers had Joel Embiid, they were a whopping 31-8, without him, just 16-27. Goes to show just how good Joel Embiid is when healthy. The Sixers made probably the biggest move of the offseason, going out and signing Paul George to a 4 year, 212 Million Dollar contract. I love this move, it was clear after they were bounced by the Knicks in the first round that they needed more self creation outside of Embiid and Maxey. Paul George can provide that, the ability to explode and go for 30+ on any given night while not dominating the ball. Even at his age, he can still provide good point of attack, which was also a need coming into this offseason. Hopefully some of the load being taken off of Joel Embiid’s shoulders by Paul George will help him obtain a clean bill of help. There was also some addition by subtraction, the 76ers finally got off of Tobias Harris’ god awful contract. I would like to see his spare minutes allocated to a combination of KJ Martin and Ricky Council. 2 young athletic wings who could provide some spark off the bench. I like the addition of Caleb Martin, he is a quality do it all wing who complements the Big 3 well. I do have my concerns about him playing the 4 though, the inability to help Embiid on the glass was an issue last year, with Martin starting at the 4, that issue could be even more prevalent. I do like the veteran acquisitions of Kyle Lowry and Andre Drummond. Outside of the leadership they bring off the court, which is vital, they both will be impactful on the court. Lowry can orchestrate the offense while not taking boneheaded shots like Reggie Jackson. Drummond can provide solid Non-Embiid minutes, as opposed to Paul Reed who was frankly unplayable for stretches. This team has potential to be one of the best in basketball if the ball bounces their way.

MVP: Joel Embiid

It has become a trend to hate on Joel Embiid and I just will not stand for it. Is it annoying watching him flop? Absolutely. Can he be a bit “Cringey” at times? Sure. But do either of these things make him not a Top 5 player in basketball and not one of the most skilled bigs we have ever seen? Of course not. As I previously stated, with a healthy Embiid, the 76ers went 31-8, with an improved roster around him, watch out. From an individual standpoint, Joel Embiid was comically elite. He was putting up 35/11/6 on 53%/39%/88% splits. That is one of the better offensive stretches we have seen this century but you won’t hear about it because it is Joel Embiid. Looking deeper, is in the 99th percentile in Post up impact, Mid range talent, and Catch and Shoot shot making efficiency. Embiid is as elite of a 3 level scorer we have in today’s game. He is also a 98th percentile rim protector. You name it, Joel Embiid is great at it, just an absurd basketball player.

DPOY: Kelly Oubre

Kelly Oubre continues to be one of the more underappreciated players in the game. The 76ers got him on a major bargain this past offseason, paying him 26 million across 2 years. Oubre was a key cog down the stretch for philly last season, he was one of the main reasons that Knicks series was so tightly contested. He gave Jalen Brunson a hard time when almost nobody could. Oubre’s combination of length and quickness makes him a nightmare for guards and wings alike. He is an uber aggresive defensive player, not afraid to get up into anybody or take risks going for steals. Unsuprisingly, this is a blessing and a curse. He is in the 89th percentile in pick pocket rating, the 83rd percentile in passing lane defense, and the 81st percentile in defensive playmaking. On the other hand, he is also in the 83rd percentile in stable fouls per 75. This fearlessness comes with it’s drawbacks but the way I see it, the good outweighs the bad.

Breakout: Ricky Council IV

Ricky Council was one of my favorite under the radar players to watch this past season and I was very dissapointed to see him iced out of the rotation in the playoffs. He is an exhilirating athletic young wing who can jump out of the gym. He can also shoot the rock, albeit on low volume, he was shot 36.6% from beyond the arc. He was comfortably above average on the offensive end, posting a 2.1 OBPM but he struggled a bit on the defensive end. I expect that to change, he is plenty capable of being a solid defender. One thing he was great at on the defensive end though was passing lane defense, ranking in the 81st percentile in that area. If he can continue this it will allow him to get out in transition which is where he flourishes. If given the opportunity Council could pop in 2024.

Sources

Basketball Index

Basketball Reference

ESPN

nba.com

Statmuse