Roundtable: Which former Sixers player to cheer for in NBA Finals
The Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors are in the middle of an Epic NBA Finals. The Philadelphia 76ers have three alumni in this series with Andre Iguodala, Al Horford, and Nik Stauskas being those players.
With Game 4 up next, I along with Jonathan Geib and Sheldon Washington have decided to let readers know which former Sixers player we are rooting for and why. With that being written, let’s begin.
Which former Sixers player to cheer for in NBA Finals: Lucas Johnson
I’m going to go with the unconventional player on this list and go with Al Horford. My initial thought was Nik Stauskas, but after having some time to evaluate it more, Horford feels more deserving.
Must Read. 3 potential free agents with Doc Rivers ties. light
Let’s start with Horford, who is a four-time All-Star and one of the most professional players in the NBA. He was one of the first modern big men in the NBA when he started his career with the Atlanta Hawks.
He left Atlanta and had his first stint with the Celtics where he saw success. However, he left for a big payday in free agency to come to the Sixers. His 76ers career was left wanting more. The trio of Horford, Joel Embiid, and Ben Simmons didn’t work. Horford worked fine with one of the 76ers stars, just not both together. The blame shouldn’t be on Horford for that as players shouldn’t be held accountable for taking money from a poorly run front office at the time.
As a result, he was casted as a player past his prime who can’t contribute anymore and was shipped off to NBA Siberia a.k.a the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Celtics traded for him last offseason and it was exactly what the veteran needed as he has proved he’s still a quality starting big man in the NBA.
Horford has gone through a lot and doesn’t have a championship to show for it. He’s one of the NBA veterans who deserves to retire with a title and that’s why I’m rooting for him.