Pre-Season NBA Power Rankings

(32-50). Previous: . Philadelphia 76ers. 25. team. 93. <p>The Philadelphia 76ers did more than draft Ben Simmons as the top overall pick of this year’s NBA draft, they’ve found the cornerstone on which to build the team.  Around him, the team has added two red-shirted-delayed players in power forward Dario Saric and center Joel Embiid, and from the draft shooting guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and draft-and-stashed shooting guard Furkan Korkmaz.</p> <p>In free agency, the team lost point guard Ish Smith, hybrid shooter Isaiah Canaan, power forwards Elton Brand and Christian Wood. To compensate, the team signed point guard Sergio Rodriguez, shooter Jerryd Bayless, and shooting guard Gerald Henderson.</p> <p>This is not the same team as last year.  This team will start a season with 15 healthy players for the first time in four years.  This team will have a defined starting point guard on opening day.  This team will have as many as three players with the potential to help carry a championship to the city of Philadelphia.</p> <p>And this year they know it.  The team has made significant strides on the defensive side of the ball in getting Henderson, and in having the potential to bring Nerlens Noel, Richaun Holmes, Jerami Grant, Robert Covington, and T.J. McConnell off the bench.</p> <p>The starters, could include Embiid, Saric, Simmons, Hederson, and Rodriguez, and will feature a fast break passing display that the modern NBA may not have seen before.  This team will get the NBA popularity soaring again.</p> <p><strong>Key Losses:</strong> Ish Smith<br /> <strong>Key Gains:</strong>  Dario Saric, Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons<br /> <strong>Key Statistic</strong>: Shooting accuracy<br /> <strong>NBA Power Rankings:</strong> 25th</p>