For years, the Philadelphia 76ers have been credited for having one of the most talented starting lineups in the NBA. As they always carried two All-Stars with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, the supporting cast was always impressive, whether the other prospects were a perfect fit or not.
In Philadelphia, health and depth were always a concern when the postseason rolled around. As injuries piled up over time and the bench disappointed, the Sixers got eliminated during the second round or earlier in previous years.
Last season was the same story. A lineup of Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, James Harden, Danny Green, and Tobias Harris was primed to compete with anyone, but a lack of depth didn’t do the Sixers any favors. While many factors played into the Sixers’ second-round loss to the Miami Heat in 2022, the 76ers knew what they needed to do to improve, and on paper, it seems they did that over the summer.
In the trade market, the Sixers landed a young veteran guard out of Memphis in De’Anthony Melton. They snagged PJ Tucker, Daniel House Jr., and Montrezl Harrell through free agency. Not to mention, the Sixers also retained James Harden on a discount deal, which gave them the freedom to make most of their key moves this offseason.
Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz now considers the Sixers a top-five team in terms of depth. While ranking some of the NBA’s deepest rosters, the Sixers check in at four, just in front of the Detroit Pistons and trailing only the Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, and the Los Angeles Clippers.
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Deep on Paper
“Thanks to James Harden taking a pay cut this summer, the 76ers were able to add some significant help to an already formidable roster.”
Swartz highlighted the new additions Tucker, House, and Melton, as keys to Philadelphia’s defensive improvement. There was also mention of Matisse Thybulle, who will likely garner a permanent bench role after starting in 50 games last year.
Finally, Philly’s late offseason acquisition of Montrezl Harrell intrigued BRas Andre Drummond was hard to replace after the Philly-Brooklyn blockbuster last season.
The Sixers thought they could survive with DeAndre Jordan and Paul Millsap behind Embiid, but they quickly discovered that the two seasoned veterans were far away from their primes.
While Paul Reed showed promise in limited minutes during the postseason, the young former second-round pick still has a lot to prove. On the other hand, Harrell is a proven backup big with a significant sixth-man accolade to his name.
On paper, the Sixers look more talented and much deeper. The front office did its job over the summer. Now, it’s almost time for the players to put in their work.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
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