Can the duo Joel Embiid & James Harden bring a title to the Sixers?

The history of the Sixers is rich in championships and legendary players. However, it has been nearly forty years since they last brought home a title to the city. The rebuilding, better known as the “The Process,” is yet to wield the returns the fans of Philly have been clamoring for. 

On a bright note, the Sixers are poised now more than ever to seize the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Embiid is coming off a year after winning his first scoring title with 30.4 points per game. Notably, he had his highest total of games played in any season (68) for his six-year career. His health has been one of the overarching concerns for the Sixers. 

In last year’s playoffs, Embiid suffered injuries that would leave him out of two games in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Miami Heat. The Sixers would lose the series in six games. It is tantamount that Embiid keeps healthy if the Sixers stand any chance in the formidable Eastern Conference. His reckless style of play needs to be addressed within the team. It will be up to Coach Doc Rivers and the staff to find ways to keep Embiid healthy.

The other duo member, James Harden, is the type of player Embiid can thrive with. Though Harden put up admirable numbers in his 21 games played with the Sixers, his playoff numbers dropped precipitously. Harden has much to prove for his legacy, and this is perhaps his best chance after signing a new 2 year/68-million team-friendly contract with the Sixers. 

Harden’s team-friendly contract allowed Daryl Morey, president of basketball operations, to bring in veterans P.J. Tucker and Daniel House. Both of them played alongside Harden in Houston, where Morey was also the president of basketball operations. 

Tucker, 37 years old, has proved naysayers wrong with continued productivity late into his career. After winning a championship with the Bucks in 2021 and having an effective year with the Miami Heat this past year, there’s no reason not to believe Tucker will play an invaluable role with the Sixers.

The Sixers should be quite optimistic with their offseason moves, but the true optimism aside from Embiid and Harden lies with Tyrese Maxey. Maxey, the 21st overall pick in 2020, has been an absolute steal in the draft. His sophomore numbers in the league blossomed due to the Ben Simmons sit out.

The Sixers are projected to finish 3rd in the Eastern Conference by ESPN. While questions swirl around the Kevin Durant trade rumors, the Sixers should be delighted for the upcoming season. They bolstered their starting lineup with the addition of Tucker, rounded at their bench depth with House, and acquired De’Anthnony Melton via trade with the Grizzlies.

The Sixers are an intriguing team. With expectations high, a few questions still need to be addressed. Can Embiid curb his enthusiasm by not throwing his body around the court and remain healthy this year? Will Harden be prime Harden from the Houston years? Will Doc Rivers prove the Celtics championship in 2008 wasn’t an anomaly?

It’s hard not to root for “The Process” as the jovial and charismatic Embiid is the face of their franchise. In an era of 3pt shooters and spacing, it would be spectacular to see a team win with a prolific Center manning the middle. Embiid and Nikola Jokić are prime examples of the Centers in the NBA evolving with today’s game. We all know Philly’s fans are devoted and passionate about their teams. Here’s hoping the Sixers bring home their fourth title forty years after their last one in 1983.

Will the Celtics take the lead in overall NBA championships this year and win their 18th title?

The storied Celtics are deep-rooted in NBA lore. Yet, they haven’t won a championship in 14 years since the big three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. This year, however, the Celtics are at the precipice of a dynastic run. 

The offseason veteran additions of Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari may prove to be excellent moves predicated on their health. Brad Steven, the General Manager for the Celtics, shrewdly acquired both Brogdon and Gallinari to an already championship-caliber team. 

Brogdon bolsters the Celtics’ backcourt immensely. He can do it all: score, assist, rebound, and defend. He is one of the few players in NBA history to have logged a 50/40/90 shooting recently in 2019. Moreover, Gallinari brings top-notch 3pt shooting with a career of 38.2% from behind the arc. He will provide spacing and scoring for the Celtics’ second unit.

The Celtics are currently the favored team to win the championship among betting lines. Brad Stevens has proven to be quite shrewd as he had big shoes to fill after Danny Ainge retired. Coach Ime Udoka has a plethora of lineup strategies with the depth of this year’s roster. 

If the Celtics keep their current roster intact, they should prove to be quite formidable. The dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will continue to wreak havoc. Al Horford brings the veteran moxie while Robert Williams III brings the energy and defense. Marcus Smart, the reigning defensive player of the year, will not have to shoulder so much responsibility now that Brogdon and Derrick White form a 3-headed guard rotation. 

Four of their starters out of their projected starting lineup were all drafted by the Celtics. In an age of player movement, it is easy to root for a team who has built the foundation of its roster via the draft. The success of the Celtics, Milwaukie Bucks, and Golden State Warriors are setting an example for teams to value how they build their rosters.

I am excited to see how the maturation of the Celtics pans out after such a successful run for first-year coach Ime Udoka. With a healthy Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers, they will have their hands full. Certainly, we cannot count out the Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, and Miami Heat. Here’s hoping the Celtics remain resolute and give their core team the chance to build a dynasty. 

What if Portland could turn back the clock and redeem their 2007 draft night woes and finally obtain Kevin Durant?

As the NBA world waits with bated breath for the final conclusion of the Kevin Durant saga, might I suggest a “what if” scenario for the Portland Trailblazers? For Portland fans, it is not easy to forget the 2007 NBA draft in which they selected Greg Oden for the #1 pick that year. 

To be fair, when Portland selected Oden, it was not a criticized move by then GM Kevin Pritchard. The effectiveness of the perennial big man could not be understated as the likes of Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan had been wreaking havoc over the previous past nine years, winning 8 of the last 9 championship titles. 

I came across an article posted yesterday by The Ringer: “What’s the Most Interesting Outcome of the Kevin Durant Saga?” I enjoyed the different perspectives by the contribution of The Ringer staff. That inspired me to chime in on my own speculations supposing that the Blazers could somehow acquire Durant in their own trade scenario.

Adam Ahn: Blazers

It would be poetic justice for the Blazers to finally obtain what could have been their 2007 #1 draft pick. With Damian Lillard’s contract extension with Portland, it would help guarantee the duo of Lillard and Durant together at least until the 2024-2025 season. 

With Jusuf Nurkic and Anfernee Simons both signing contract extensions this year, they would be off the table. I pulled up the ESPN NBA Trade Machine to see what the Blazers could possibly offer. In order for the trade to qualify, they would have to trade the newly acquired Jerami Grant in addition to veterans Josh Hart, Nassir Little, and this year’s #7 draft pick Shadeon Sharpe. The Blazers would likely have to offer three first round picks and two pick swaps. 

To fill in the roster, the Blazers could sign Carmelo Anthony, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Josh Jackson off of free agency. It would be a homecoming for Anthony and Aldridge and would instantly bring veteran leadership and scoring off the bench. Jackson would compliment the scoring power and shore up their bench rotation as well. Portland could have a potential starting lineup of Lillard, Gary Payton II, Justise Winslow, Durant, and Nurkic. 

Lillard and Durant would provide the offensive force while Durant would lead Payton II, Winslow, and Nurkic on the defensive side. Portland might do well to utilize Winslow like the Golden State Warriors deploy Draymond Green as a roving defender. A healthy Nurkic would enable Portland to compete against big man teams like the Suns, Pelicans, and Timberwolves. 

Portland would have three of the NBA’s 75th anniversary teams, with two of them still in their primes. When you factor a fully healthy Lillard with a rejuvenated Durant, the Blazers would be a sure-fire pick to make the playoffs. 

Given the history of Lillard and Durant’s clutch abilities, it would be no surprise to see them vie for future championships during their four year run together. It would be up to Blazer General Manager Joe Cronin to bring in the necessary players as the future unfolds. With Lillard and Durant, they would likely attract free agents along the way.

There’s no better way to honor Lillard’s loyalty than to bring in the highly coveted Durant. Rip City fans would reach hysteria making the Moda Center one of the loudest stadiums in the league. Durant would be embraced in the Rose City as they make up for all the years that could have been. 

Draymond Green is the motor that runs the Golden State Warriors 

With a lull in the NBA trade front, the new buzz swirling around among pundits is the upcoming extension for Draymond Green. He has expressed a desire for the Golden State Warriors to sign him to a max extension valued at 164 million for the next five seasons. He would have to turn down his future player option, but this would allow him to re-sign at 120 percent of the current salary.

Steph Curry has reportedly stated he has conveyed to the Warriors front office that he views Klay Thompson, Green, and himself as a vital core moving forward. Bear in mind that the Warriors also desire to retain the young core of Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and James Wiseman as the future unfolds. 

The underlying issue is the mammoth salary and luxury tax payments that would be incurred if the Warriors moved forward with Green’s extension. The precedent has already been set with owner Joe Lacob incurring the largest league-high payroll this past season. However, the question for Lacob is if he is willing to keep the core intact.

I’ve already scanned the headlines popping up regarding Green’s request. I’m surprised to see the tides favoring not resigning Green to the extension. I would contend that the Warriors should absolutely spend whatever necessary to keep the core intact while retaining most of their young prospects.

The trio of Curry, Thompson, and Green have been the driving force for the Warriors’ championship pedigree. Because of the recent injuries these previous couple of years, they were able to draft high picks in Wiseman, Kuminga, and Moody in the lottery. They also struck gold with the 28th pick of Poole in 2019. This leaves the Warriors with the unique situation of having the best of both worlds. 

Green has the respect of his peers as his unique set of skills contributes toward many of the intangibles. However, that doesn’t always show up on the stat sheets.  As long as Steph and Klay are on the court, they are undoubtedly a better team with Green wreaking havoc on the defensive end. His offensive IQ is also something that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. 

The dynasty of the Warriors’ run deserves the chance to continue their annual goal for the Larry O’Brien Trophy. In an age when player movement is the norm, it would be nice to see team owners and organizations being faithful to their players. Some balk at the high price of winning, but the pockets of these owners run deep. 

The Last Dance documentary reminded us a couple of years ago of the shame of not giving Jordan and company the chance to retain their dynasty. Here’s hoping the Warriors do the right thing in extending Green’s well-deserved contract extension.