14. Philadelphia 76ers
It’s been far from an ideal offseason for the Philadelphia 76ers. This is a team that was one win away from making the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Heading into this season, many believe that the Sixers will be lucky to make it out of the first round of the playoffs this year. A lot of that is because James Harden is unlikely to be on the roster by that time. And short of a miraculous return forming soon, the Sixers are going to take a step in terms of talent as soon as they trade Harden.
Joel Embiid is in the midst of his prime and is coming off a season in which he won the NBA MVP. He’s likely going to pick up where he left off last season. However, it would be unfair to expect Embiid to be able to play at an MVP level while also having to carry the production load that is going to be left by the departure of Harden.
It’s hard to envision the Sixers finishing as a top 4 seed in the East this season without Harden on the roster. As much as the Sixers don’t want to admit it, this may end up being a lost season for Philly and Embiid.