The Philadelphia 76ers are driven by an undisputed common goal.
There were a couple major themes at Philadelphia 76ers media day. One was defense, and how the team views success on that end. One was asking Ben Simmons relentlessly about his jumper. On the whole, however, one theme stood above the rest — championship aspirations.
It’s abundantly clear what the Sixers expect in 2019-20. They want to win, and they want to win now. The Raptors series is fresh in the mind of those returning. The new arrivals — Al Horford and Kyle O’Quinn, specifically — are desperate to contend for a title.
When Ben Simmons spoke about personal goals, his response was simple. He doesn’t care. Simmons views everything through the lens of winning basketball games, placing the emphasis on bettering the team, not inflating his resume.
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"“Every other individual accolade comes along with doing your job. You can’t go out and say you want to win certain things unless it’s going to help the team win.” — Ben Simmons"
Joel Embiid was much the same, although he did express a desire to win MVP. Both he and Simmons mentioned Defensive Player of the Year as potential goals, with Simmons saying it’s the only individual award he cares for.
"“Going into this year, one of the things we have to focus on is winning that one-seed. That’s going to take 60 and over in wins, and I know that same success also helps me when it comes to my goal as Defensive Player of the Year and MVP. My whole mindset is focused on winning.” — Joel Embiid"
Watching Kawhi Leonard‘s shot play hopscotch on the rim was an excruciating experience for the players more than anyone else. Embiid’s emotion after the game was palpable, and it’s clear his motivation was on a different level this summer. He lost 20 pounds.
Horford identified defense and winning as core reasons behind his decision to join the Sixers. Philadelphia was close last season and Horford is entering his 13th year in the league. At 33, there’s a limited window of opportunity for him to contribute to a championship run.
"“I know we can win. I want to win. And that’s why I came back to Philly.” — James Ennis III"
James Ennis went as far as to say the chance to win was his reason for returning. The Sixers were a proper application of physics away from having a genuine championship opportunity. That’s hard to pass up, even for Ennis, who had more equitable contract offers on the table this summer.
The Sixers are largely expected to contend in the East, with Milwaukee posing the most clear and imminent threat. The West is a bloodbath, which might play into Philadelphia’s hands in a theoretical NBA Finals showdown. Whoever wins the West will have gone through a lot.
For a rundown of important quotes regarding Philadelphia’s expectations and aspirations for next season, check out Rich Hofmann’s piece at The Athletic (assuming you have a subscription). He provides context for different quotes, and does a great job tying ideas and themes together. You can also check out the quotebook at Sixers.com.