Predicting the NBA Eastern Conference standings: Philadelphia 76ers
CEILING: 1-seed, NBA champions
FLOOR: Top-5 seed, first round exit
The Sixers are a dumpster fire and a gem all at once. Joel Embiid is a top-10 NBA player and a bonafide MVP candidate. He alone ensures Philadelphia a playoff spot and a chance to mount a serious run. Last season, he alone pretty much ensured them the No. 1 seed and home-court advantage. We know how it all ended.
The vast disparity between ceiling and floor here is simple: we have no clue what happens with Ben Simmons. If he sticks around (somehow), then Philadelphia is probably in a similar spot — top-3 seed, with a very high probability of flaming out in the second round. If he gets traded for Damian Lillard, then Philadelphia arguably becomes Brooklyn’s primary challenger. If he gets traded for something lesser — young pieces and picks, for example — it could simultaneously harm the Sixers’ regular season performance and raise their postseason ceiling. Or, it could flat-out remove them from contention.
The variables are vast and unpredictable, so long as Simmons is on the roster and publicly malcontent. As soon as he gets traded, which does feel inevitable, we will have a much better feel for Philadelphia’s immediate title odds. For now, our predictions must straddle the line between all possible outcomes, and consider just how far Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris are guaranteed to take a team.
With improved depth, a competent regular season coach, and star power, the Sixers have enough to finish high in the standings no matter what happens with Simmons. He could sit out the entire year, and Philadelphia would still waltz into the playoffs. So long as Embiid is healthy and on the floor for 60-70 games, the Sixers are too resilient to crack. That is the hope in Philadelphia, at least. That said, I’m not penciling in an NBA championship just yet.