NBA Power Rankings 3: Giannis for MVP and bold predictions for every team

Preseason Record: 2-2

The Philadelphia 76ers have been at the epicenter of a media maelstrom all offseason as the Ben Simmons saga has played out. No one expected Simmons to end his holdout so soon, and absolutely no one, including the Sixers, would have predicted Simmons would just show up outside the arena and text the GM to let him in. Philly always manages to create a soap opera; remember when their former GM was discovered to have a multitude of burner accounts?

Even with Simmons back in the building (or at least just outside) there are a number of directions in which this could go. Simmons could suit up and play hard, as he always does, and the 76ers could keep him in-house. He could play well and help the team trade him. He could play but purposefully be terrible, like James Harden last season. Finally, he or the team could create a reason for him to be present but sitting out.

Hang tight a moment for the prediction, but it would be criminal to get out of the preseason without mentioning Isaiah Joe. The former Arkansas shooting guard has been lights out in the preseason, leading the team in scoring and hitting 59.3 percent of his 6.8 3-pointers per game. His fellow 2020 second-rounder, Paul Reed, has been a multi-category monster himself. In 22.1 minutes per game, he is averaging 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks. No player reached those numbers last season. Even without Simmons, this group has some intriguing players on the rise.

Bold Prediction: Ben Simmons plays at least 50 games for the 76ers. The talented forward seems to have thin skin, which is not a great thing playing in Philadelphia, but he also seems to have a great work ethic and motor. He always plays hard, and the bet here is he continues to do so. There are going to be some chemistry issues, but they don’t have to derail the season. Morey will field offers but ultimately decide to wait until next offseason to find one he likes the most, hoping Simmons redeems his trade value even further in the interim.