From Joel Embiid proved to be a generational talent Philadelphia 76ers They are trying to build a championship team around them. In that span spanning more than five years, the Sixers have had players of their caliber Jimmy Butler, Al Horford, Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz, JJ Redick and James Harden, the last to leave in a transfer. The balance to date is summarized in a MVP for Embiid and a insurmountable wall that prevented them from advancing from the Conference Semi-Finals. Results that call into question the sports management from Philadelphia, but also the African star.
James Harden’s departure from the Sixers can only be seen as good news from the franchise’s perspective.
First of all, because of the moment it appears, with 79 regular season games ahead to be able to build the team from scratch. Secondly, for the return received, bolstering the three and four positions, which have always been the weakest position on Embiid’s teams. Finally, because of that the soap opera is over without going past the awkwardness of Harden playing in a place he didn’t want to be, with the athletic implications that could have.
However, it is impossible to ignore the obvious. Yesterday the Philadelphia 76ers had a star like James Harden and today he is their second best player Tyrese Maxey. Maybe the latter was true for a while, but losing the player who fed Joel Embiid balls better and better in his 7 NBA seasons will be hard to handle.
More | James Harden to LA Clippers: Philadelphia 76ers transfer, players and details
This gap will hardly be filled by a Maxey whose profile is closer to that of a combo-guard explosive and overflowing from that of a traditional point guard paired with a heliocentric center.
Nick Nurse He faces a Gordian link whose outcome could be very detrimental to the Sixers’ cause. Another playoff failure would put the organization ahead of a more than likely transfer request for Joel Embiid, who after winning his long-awaited MVP would be more focused on chasing a ring than continuing his history in Philadelphia.
But until we get to that hypothetical future, all eyes after the James Harden signing aren’t on the 76ers, but rather, Joel Embiid.
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More pressure, more expectations and less leeway: Joel Embiid’s new reality
No player had more low post (300) and high post possessions (434) combined last season in the entire NBA than Joel Embiid. The nationalized American player is an offensive system in his own right, an offensive safety you can feed the ball to and wait for the points to rain. Only then can it be understood that the infielder is the third most points (5806) playing 800 and 1600 less minutes than the two in front of him on the list. That sum of numbers should be enough to conclude that the 76ers, despite Harden’s bye, won’t do too badly.
But because no victory lasts forever, no great performance lasts forever. And maybe, The best example is who just got transferred to the LA Clippers.
Just as it seems list of names From Philadelphia, more reliance on Joel Embiid can be predicted, which means more wear and more attention from opposing defenses. Without Harden, the 76ers lose a player who provided the star with points where he didn’t have to give it his all to score. ONE instant lock It was enough for the insiders to concede a header and score a free jumper. The difference in the profile offered by Maxey and the limitations of other operators such as Harris or Melton They inevitably lead to a stagnant Philly offense and an even greater fixation on Embiid.
More | How James Harden’s signing affects the LA Clippers and how he fits in with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George
This heliocentric system is a double trap for the Sixers star. No matter how good an increase in his offensive usage, more touches in the low post, and ultimately better stats might sound for him, they will end up affecting him physically during the Regular Phase. What does this mean? What should rest of more games, with the risk of losing that entails, but also that in the Playoffs he will be more vulnerable.
All of these factors combine to create more pressure and higher expectations for Joel Embiid, who has yet to prove that he is more than just an individual player. The playoffs are the order of the day for the reigning MVP because He is the player with the most All-NBA selections (6) who has never played in the Conference Finals.
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What does the roster and rotation of the Philadelphia 76ers look like after the transfer of James Harden
| Guards | Outdoor spaces | Interiors |
| Tyrese Maxey | Tobias Harris | Joel Embiid |
| De Anthony Melton | Kelly Oubre Jr. | Robert Covington |
| Pat Beverly | Nicholas Batum | Marcus Morris |
| Jaden Springer | Daniel House | Mo Baba |
| Javonte Smart | Furkan Korkmaz | Paul Reed |
| Terquavion Smith | KJ Martin |
