The Sixer Sense
Fansided

5 reasons why Philadelphia 76ers compete for 2018-19 NBA Championship

By Bret Stuter

PHILADELPHIA,PA - FEBRUARY 12 : T.J. McConnell #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers is interviewed by Molly Sullivan while Joel Embiid #21 and Robert Covington #33 pours water over him in congratulations after a fantastic game against the New York Knicks at Wells Fargo Center on February 12, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA,PA - FEBRUARY 12 : T.J. McConnell #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers is interviewed by Molly Sullivan while Joel Embiid #21 and Robert Covington #33 pours water over him in congratulations after a fantastic game against the New York Knicks at Wells Fargo Center on February 12, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Philadelphia 76ers
PHILADELPHIA,PA – FEBRUARY 12 : T.J. McConnell #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers is interviewed by Molly Sullivan while Joel Embiid #21 and Robert Covington #33 pours water over him in congratulations after a fantastic game against the New York Knicks at Wells Fargo Center on February 12, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2018-2019 season

Still, this team loses Redick, Amir Johnson, Ilyasova, and Belinelli in the off-season. So this team is pretty much a one-and-done as far as playoff appearances, right?  After all, the chemistry of this team is pretty tough to reproduce with just any old free agents. And there is the reality that anyone who comes to this team via the draft will take several years to fully integrate. And that is on a normal team.

For this Philadelphia 76ers club, even seeing a top draft pick in their first season is a major victory.  And those draft picks keep coming. Three players remain overseas and the team is currently holding six draft picks in the 2018 NBA Draft.  Not even in the depths of the rebuild could the team onboard nine players simultaneously. Still, that number is where the team stands right now.

Reassembling a winner

Nine players who could arrive to the NBA next season. Four veterans have expiring contracts.  But the puzzle remains: How can this team replace the 40 points per game vacated by the expiring contracts of their current free agents? Beyond that, the attrition of Redick and Belinelli immediately creates a nightmare hole in the lineup, as the team has struggled to get production from the shooting guard role.

Factor in the thinning of the front court with Ilyasova’s departure and those fatalist/pragmatists will find plenty of reasons to express dismay. After all, getting to the NBA Playoffs in one thing. Advancing all the way to the NBA Championship is something entirely different. Still, anything less than getting close next season will feel unfulfilling for the city and her fans. But things will go well next year. In fact, here are five reasons to expect this Philadelphia 76ers team to compete for an NBA Championship next season.