New look Sixers rank 7th in The Athletic’s 2022-23 power rankings
The Philadelphia 76ers will look pretty new when they take the floor to open the 2022-23 season. While Joel Embiid, James Harden, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris remain the team’s core, many new pieces will surround them.
The Sixers went to work quickly in the offseason. They traded for De’Anthony Melton on draft night. Then they worked quickly in free agency to bring in PJ Tucker and Danuel House Jr. Those additions are expected to help Philadelphia push forward in the Eastern Conference.
After the moves the Sixers made, The Athletic placed them seventh in its power rankings for the league:
Daryl Morey and Elton Brand had a brilliant offseason. This team had no depth last season after the James Harden trade. Picking up Melton for an injured Danny Green (and a pick) was massive. Tucker getting a three-year deal was a surprise, but a necessary pickup for the Sixers. Danuel House is a really nice role player. If this team is healthy, it’ll be a contender. Joel Embiid is too good not to be. However, we need to see a better Harden than we’ve seen over the last year or so. Great offseason for them though.
The point about Harden is correct. Philadelphia will need to see a better Beard for them to really get over the hump in a tough Eastern Conference. He did average 21 points, 10.5 assists, and 7.1 rebounds as a member of the Sixers after the trade, but he didn’t have the same burst and something was just off as he continued to work his way back from the nagging hamstring injury.
Either way, with the talent the Sixers have assembled on their roster, they should be in the conversation to come out of the East. They will just have to try and overcome some really tough teams like the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks as examples.
List
List of the sidekicks Sixers employed next to superstar Allen Iverson
