In a shocking chain of events, the Milwaukee Bucks impressively acquired former Pacers staple Myles Turner to the tune of a four-year contract, which will reportedly see the 29-year-old center earn around $107 million.
However, the deal did not come without a ruthless consequence, resulting in the Bucks waiving nine-time All-Star Damian Lillard and opting to spread the remaining $113 million of his contract over five years. Not only does this leave Milwaukee with a financial burden, but the teething process that Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo had to endure will recommence as the 'Greek Freak' figures out his tactical relationship with Turner.
Eastern Conference franchises will have a glaring opportunity to steal a march on their Wisconsin-based rivals during a potentially troubling opening period of the 2025-26 NBA season — an opportunity that could hugely favor the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Philadelphia 76ers are ready to run it back and dominate
Classifying the 2024-25 season as an apocalyptic disaster would be an understatement. The 76ers ended the year with an embarrassing 24-58 record despite being tipped as potential Eastern Conference finalists, especially after signing former LA Clippers forward Paul George to a four-year, $212 million max contract.
Nevertheless, team president Daryl Morey is determined to make his star troika a roaring success even if it results in him having to find new employers. Many will be skeptical that Philly’s 'Big Three' will have the desired effect on the franchise’s' championship ambitions due to their inability to stay healthy, with all three stars only managing to feature in the same lineup on 15 occasions.
Although only seven of these 15 games ended in wins, it provides a familiar foundation that franchises such as the Bucks will not have. Despite brutally missing out on re-signing fan favourite Guerschon Yabusele to the New York Knicks, it appears that this roster will be heading into the new year with a sense of continuity after a conveyor belt of superstars during Morey's tenure.
Even though Eric Gordon declined his $3.5 million player option, the guard has now accepted a one-year veteran minimum contract equating to $3.6 million and will be added to the Sixers roster for the 2025/26 season. Both Andre Drummond and Kelly Oubre Jr. will also return this year after exercising their player options, which will see the pair earn around $5 million and $8.4 million, respectively.
The 76ers‘ adjustment period should be over
Even during an underwhelming year that was plagued by injury and teething issues, George still managed to put up a reasonable 16.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, suggesting that with a year of acclimating and adjusting, the 35-year-old should remain be a vital piece of the puzzle.
The potential of this trio is unquestionable. Embiid and Maxey's chemistry was established during the 2023/24 season as Philadelphia registered a 29-7 record when the pair were both in the starting lineup, in comparison to a 16-27 record when they were not. A devastating pick-and-roll motion became a regular fixture in the duo's offensive game plan, with Embiid and Maxey averaging 34.7 and 25.6 points per game, respectively.
If Paul George has truly adjusted to the reality of being the third offensive option in Philly, then this 'Big Three' could explode and take a weakened Eastern Conference by storm. With Jayson Tatum missing for the foreseeable future for the Celtics with a ruptured Achilles and the Pacers' catalyst, Tyrese Haliburton, suffering the same fate, these two teams should be out of contention. This is before circling back to the issues that the Bucks could encounter.
A championship is not simply won by manufacturing the best roster with a set of familiar players - Lady Luck plays a major contributing factor, a lady who has not blessed Philadelphia with her kindness over recent years. Yet, if this trio finds a way to stay healthy, they are in a superior position to other franchises that seem to have had to pivot on their ambitions.