As the Philadelphia 76ers head into the 2022-23 season, the expectation is they will be in the running to win the Eastern Conference. It makes sense considering the talent they have.
Led by Joel Embiid and James Harden, the Sixers made moves in the offseason that addressed their depth issues. They brought in PJ Tucker, Danuel House Jr. and De’Anthony Melton in order to help the Sixers take the next step forward.
However, who’s the most important player on the roster? That might be Harden as he begins his first full season with the Sixers after being acquired at the deadline in February.
Bleacher Report put together a list of the most important player on each roster and for the Sixers, the site singled out Harden:
Harden will need to find the balance of his scoring and when to get his teammates involved. The Sixers have a ton of talented players headlined by two-time MVP runner up Joel Embiid, young upstart Tyrese Maxey and the skilled Tobias Harris. Understanding who to get involved with and when is what Harden needs to do.
There have been whispers this offseason that Harden is taking his conditioning seriously. Doc Rivers all but confirmed that in a recent visit to the VC Show with Vince Carter “He works out with our development guys, and they report back that he’s in great shape”.
The Sixers need a locked in Harden to compete for the title. If they get that, Philadelphia has a strong chance at a deep playoff run.
It’s hard to disagree with this sentiment. The Sixers really need Harden to be at his best for them to have a chance in the 2023 postseason. While Embiid is Philadelphia’s best player, the player who really needs to take his game to another level is Harden in order to contend for a title.
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