The Philadelphia 76ers figure to be among the contenders to come out of the Eastern Conference when the 2022-23 season begins in October as they made some big moves in the offseason to build their depth around Joel Embiid and James Harden.
This new season will also mark the first full season of Harden in Philadelphia after the Sixers made the move at the deadline to acquire him from the Brooklyn Nets. The fact that he has had a full summer to build with his teammates should do wonders for him and the team.
As the season continues to approach, here are the three most important Sixers when it comes to the team’s success:
James Harden
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Yes, Harden. The Beard is going to the Hall of Fame regardless of what happens in Philadelphia, but in order for the Sixers to have a chance at a championship in 2023, they need him to be at his best. He had a full summer to rest his hamstring and build chemistry with his teammates so he has to be able to get back to the level he was before the injury. Especially, in the playoffs. The last we’ve seen of Harden, he took only two shots after halftime in the elimination loss to the Miami Heat.
PJ Tucker
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Tucker was signed to give Philadelphia an edge in the toughness aspect of the game and he can certainly do all of that. At age 37, it will be interesting to see how he performs in the first year of his contract. The Milwaukee Bucks took a gamble that Tucker wouldn’t be able to replicate his performance in 2021 and he then exceeded expectations in Miami. It will be interesting to see if he can do it again in Philadelphia. The Sixers will need him.
De’Anthony Melton
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Melton was acquired in a draft night trade in order to bolster Philadelphia’s bench unit. The Sixers will need him to provide some 3-point shooting as well as a defensive presence to lead the second group when the team’s starters need a rest. There is a lot to like about Melton’s game and he will need to be very good for the Sixers in the upcoming season.
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