Hoops Habit
Fansided

A Bradley Beal, 4-team mega-trade involving the Philadelphia 76ers

By Simon Smith

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 6: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards looks on against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at Capital One Arena on April 6, 2018 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 6: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards looks on against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at Capital One Arena on April 6, 2018 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 6
Next
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Philadelphia 76ers

When thinking of the Sixers, one of the first things that comes to mind is their proficiency at the defensive end of the floor.

Last season, the Sixers ranked third with a defensive rating of 102.0, well up on their 17th overall ranking the previous season. Naturally, the presence of Embiid for 63 games made an enormous difference, as did the continued improvement of swingman Robert Covington. As a result, Covington was selected to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team, while Embiid was rewarded with Second Team honors.

Additionally, Embiid was selected as an All-Star, marking the first time a Sixer made the annual event since Jrue Holiday in 2013. Furthermore, first-year sensation Ben Simmons exceeded all expectations, and is the favorite to take Rookie of the Year honors at the NBA Awards Show on June 25.

Also, there was veteran shooting guard J.J. Redick, who in his 12th season in the league recorded a career year by averaging 17.1 points per game while hitting at a 42 percentclip from long range on 6.6 attempts per game.

One of the main question marks moving forward revolves around their ability to re-sign some key free agents. In addition to Redick, midseason acquisitions Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova made an enormous impact, with their experience and poise coming to the forefront. However, despite having considerable salary cap space entering the offseason, re-signing these key pieces is far from a guarantee.

Then there is the issue of Markelle Fultz, the 2017 No. 1 overall pick, who played in just 14 games due to shoulder complications courtesy of a change in shooting motion prior to the season. Presently, Fultz is working with renowned shooting coach Drew Hansen, which is naturally music to the ears of all Sixers fans. However, with Simmons’ enormous impact last season, the Sixers will need to decide if they persist with Fultz moving forward considering the shooting woes of both players.