3. There’s no clear path toward retooling around Joel Embiid
Let’s say the quiet part out loud; there’s no clear path toward the Philadelphia 76ers’ being able to retool around Joel Embiid. Short of acquiring Damian Lillard via trade this offseason, which seems quite unlikely and pretty much a pipe dream (especially considering their lack of trade assets), it isn’t easy to see how the Sixers are going to be able to add to the team in a way that would make them better than they were this past season.
Even less so if James Harden does end up leaving in free agency. Embiid is a great player. He will likely go down as one of the biggest game-changing generational talents in the NBA in recent history. But he can’t do it alone. In fact, at this point, you can argue that he may not even be able to win at the highest level and on the biggest of stages as a No. 1.
The Sixers have some big decisions to make this offseason. And there’s a very real chance that they may feel it’s in the best interest of the team to simply move one and hit the reset button. The big question, of course, is to what extent exactly?