3. Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers have been one of the biggest surprises in the Eastern Conference this season. Without James Harden, it’s almost as if the Sixers have gotten better. Tyrese Maxey has made the final jump to stardom and Joel Embiid seems determined to prove that he is the best player in the NBA. Even with a new head coach, everything seems to be working out for the Sixers. But as we saw in their matchup against the Celtics, the Sixers may be one piece away from being a real title contender.
Even though it would make some sense, especially after the Harden trade, I don’t think Zach LaVine will be the target for the Sixers at the NBA Trade Deadline. I imagine that Sixers general manager Daryl Morey has his sights set a bit higher. Whether or not he is able to pull off an in-season move remains to be seen.
But even if the Sixers stand pat for the year, this is a deep enough team that they can realistically cause some problems in the playoffs. Could they beat the likes of the star-studded Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics? Who knows. But they’ll have a puncher’s chance as long as Maxey and Embiid continue to play at such a high level.