radsoxfan said:
Agree with the sentiment, but aren't they likely to add Embiid, Saric (is he coming?), and a top 3 pick this year?
In the East, they might not be that terrible. Maybe.
They'll add Embiid a high pick and Saric is still a maybe, it's certainly possible, but he may need to stick to his second year of his contract and come the year after.
Next year they won't be good but they will not be at the bottom if Embiid is healthy. Which is the big if.
It's going to be seeing how Noel and Embiid play together and how whoever they pick this year fits.
I would expect them to offer max contracts to people who will likely not be interested but the Spurs etc. I doubt they throw too much money around this offseason, but anyone young and worth the max with the cap about to spike they could be involved with.
But I can't imagine any real star would consider going to Philly yet. In a year if Embiid is healthy and looking good, Saric coming, another couple of picks I could see some people wanting in. But think this year is too soon.
Everything about Philly right now is about Embiid. If he's ok that team is going places. If he can't stay healthy they have some pieces but no stud. If Embiid can be a stud they can use Noel and Saric around him. I think the Laker pick will still be useful next year, only top 3 protected and I expect them to struggle, if not be this bad. OKC is not ideal, they'll get it next year but it's likely not going to be very useful. The Heat pick is random one. This looked all year like it was coming. They could be a lot better in the still bad east. That is the painful one.
Still some minor nice part is that if someone jumps into the top 3 from outside the top 10 the Sixers are likely hurt by that but will get the Heat pick if they're pushed out to 11. Same for the Lakers, if the lottery is mental and teams outside the top three jump in this hurts the sixers but if two teams jump them the lakers pick (assuming it's not them of course) could still transfer.
In short the Sixers have some potential hedges if the lottery goes weird. It's still possible for them to end up with 1 6 and 11 - not likely but possible.