NBA: Which team will take the mantle from the Golden State Warriors?

Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are the only team in the league with two all-stars 25 years of age or under in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Add to that, the third starter, in Josh Richardson, who is still only 25 years old, and the Sixers boast the most dynamic young core in the league. The Sixers were a bounce away from forcing overtime in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals last year against the eventual NBA Champion Raptors.

With the additions of Richardson and Al Horford along with the re-signing of Tobias Harris, the Sixers will enter the 2019-20 season as co-favorites to win the Eastern Conference. With two all-stars 25 years or under the Sixers are in position to remain competitive over the next five seasons and well beyond.

Embiid, however, has had perpetual injury problems and Ben Simmons has yet to develop any confidence in his jump shot. The Sixers ceiling and length of time they can run with their core will be squarely on the shoulders of Embiid’s long term health and Simmons’ development into a dominant player who can close out playoff games.

Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks added the De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish, the 4th and 10th overall picks in the 2019 draft, to a young core of Trae Young, the runner up in the 2018-2019 Rookie of the Year voting, John Collins and Kevin Huerter. Trae Young appears headed toward stardom.

The mercurial player shook off a slow start to his rookie campaign to average 23.7 points and 9.2 assists per game in 23 starts after the all-star break last year. In addition to a rising star in Young and young prospects Collins, Reddish, Huerter, and Hunter, the Hawks also have 7 first-round draft picks over the next 5 years.