The Philadelphia 76ers made their offseason moves rather quickly. They gained financial flexibility when James Harden opted out of his $47.3 million player option and went to work.
Philadelphia stole PJ Tucker from the rival Miami Heat early in free agency and brought in Danuel House Jr. on a deal after he played for the Utah Jazz. With their defensive ability and their 3-point shooting, Tucker and House Jr. are expected to play very important roles for Philadelphia.
Now that Harden has re-signed, the Sixers are considered one of the winners of the offseason. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst had this to say about Philadelphia and the moves it made:
Because of the contract that Harden signed and the maneuvers they made, they were able to add three significant pieces to their roster. PJ Tucker, De’Anthony Melton, Danuel House without subtracting any. Danny Green was traded, but he was going to be out for it the whole season or pretty close to it. So again, you look at the sort of the same thing. They have their stars back and they’re adding to it and that’s why you you feel good about them stepping forward.
Of course, the moves they made come with a risk. Tucker is 37 years old, and there is no guarantee he will be the same player he was with the Heat. However, on paper, the additions the Sixers made should make them serious contenders in the East.
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However, the Boston Celtics made the NBA Finals and they improved this offseason as well. The Milwaukee Bucks are going to be there again with Khris Middleton back healthy. The Brooklyn Nets are an obvious wild card, but they have a ton of talent. The Heat lost Tucker, but they always seem to find a way to stick their nose in the conversation as well.
Either way, the Sixers will be in the mix to reach the finals for the first time since 2001. They arguably have their best roster during the Joel Embiid era.
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