NBA: Ranking the top 10 teams heading into the 2019-20 season

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NBA Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

4. Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers were victims to the Toronto Raptors‘ road to the NBA Finals, where they won their first championship in franchise history. A last-second Kawhi Leonard buzzer-beater in Game 7 of the second-round ripped the hearts out of all Philly fans and sent Toronto to the Conference Finals.

Although the Sixers also lost Jimmy Butler to the Heat in free agency, I believe this year’s Sixers will prove to surpass prior expectations. Tobias Harris is here to stay and acquiring Al Horford from Boston is a nice asset at the 4-spot (might be a bit overpaid though). And when it comes to Butler, he’s a top 15 player in the league but has been known to butt heads and be a locker room cancer so his absence might only make the team grow stronger in chemistry.

Young stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are only going to get better and the Sixers also got Josh Richardson in a sign-and-trade when Butler left. This team looks great on the charts, but it’ll have to prove itself on the courts if they’re to have any real belief in them to go far in the postseason.

I predict Philly to go head-to-head against Milwaukee next season in the Eastern Conference Finals.