The Philadelphia 76ers signed Paul George this offseason on a four-year, $212 million contract. With that signing, many believe that the Sixers have now become one of the strongest teams in the league with a Big 3 at their core. The trio of PG-13, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey is expected to do wonders for the team in the 2024-25 season.
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However, NBA legend Udonis Haslem pumped the brakes on the Sixers’ hype train.
He believes that bringing in a Wing scorer like George has only strengthened their offense. But the team still lacks depth on the defensive end.
On an episode of his podcast The OGs, the 44-year-old gave his honest take on teams in the East and detailed the good and bad that he sees in Philly.
UD said that George will bring a lot to the table as far as helping his new team is concerned. He believes that the 76ers can benefit a lot from a player who shoots over 44% from the field. PG-13 also shoots over 38% from the three-point line, which will help him complement Maxey and Embiid’s game.
But it’s the defensive end that’s a problem, as per the Heat legend. Even though George is an elite perimeter defender, UD said,
“I see the moves that Philly has made and offensively I’m encouraged, but defensively, I don’t know. Once again, Joel Embiid has habits that he needs to figure out. Is he the greatest player in the NBA? It’s a question…”
“But if he had better habits, it wouldn’t be a question who’s the best player in the NBA, in my opinion.”
The bottom line for the 76ers is the same that it has been for a long time. If they want to do well in a season, they will need Embiid at his best at all times.
Even though the additions and player development are worth appreciating, their success will depend on the 30-year-old. And the trio of Joel, Maxey and PG will also have to be invested on the defensive end of the floor. The three have to divide offensive and defensive duties to lead their team to the promised land.
Embiid will be the key factor for the 76ers
Embiid’s health and fitness have been a long-standing issue and the 76ers fans will be praying that Embiid remains in great shape throughout the season. The stats show that a healthy Embiid can do wonders for the franchise.
According to StatMuse, Embiid played 66 games in the 2022-23 regular season. He won his first league MVP title that year and helped Philly clinch a playoff birth as the 76ers led the league in three-point percentage (38.7%) and free throw percentage (83.5%). Then they swept the Nets in the first round and ended up losing the Conference Semifinals to the Celtics.
The following year, Embiid only played 39 games in the regular season and the team struggled initially to find a playoff berth. They defeated the Heat in the play-ins to secure a spot but crashed out of the postseason in the first round.
Even though Embiid has a bit more help around this season, he will still have to do the majority of the heavy lifting if the 76ers wish to disrupt the order in the league.
