Philadelphia 76ers: Ranking their projected starting 5
By Duncan Smith
No. 1 starter for the Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid is The Process personified in Philadelphia, and deservedly so. He’s one of the best centers in the NBA, and any future plans should incorporate him fully as an on-court contributor rather than the centerpiece of a trade. With players around him that can shoot the 3-pointer this coming season, Embiid should be empowered to be more effective than ever as the Sixers look to improve upon their disappointing season from a year ago (or three months ago, more accurately).
No. 2 starter: Ben Simmons
Make no mistake, Ben Simmons is a flawed star, but he’s a star nonetheless. Much like Joel Embiid, he can only benefit from the newly overhauled roster which puts an impetus on shooting. Simmons himself may never become a willing shooter, but let’s not forget that players like Russell Westbrook would be better off avoiding the 3-pointer, and Simmons may simply just be more self-aware than your average NBA star.
He’s also one of the best players in the NBA at creating 3-point opportunities for his teammates, and that was on a team last season that just couldn’t shoot the ball at all. 2020-21 could be a revelatory season for Simmons from a playmaking perspective.