NBA preseason hasn't even started yet, and already, ESPN is underrating the Philadelphia 76ers. ESPN recently ranked the top 100 players in the NBA, and not one of the Sixers finished in the top 10.
That's all the more surprising since they have four All-Stars in their starting lineup. Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid make up the Sixers' super team, but none of them actually ranked in the top 10.
That's questionable considering that Brown finished third in MVP voting last season and Maxey made All-NBA. Even LeBron James, at age 41, is still one of the best players in the NBA. Then there is Embiid. Yes, he is always questionable to play. But when he is healthy, he is still a top-10-caliber player.
The Sixers being underrated to start this season may end up coming back to bite ESPN and the rest of the NBA.
ESPN wastes little time underestimating LeBron and the Sixers
ESPN previously predicted the Sixers would win just 50 games, only eight games more than they did last season. That's surprising because they added Brown and LeBron to the mix and the band on their bench.
Also, relying less on it could lead to him having better health and could make the Sixers better in the long run. It's hard to imagine them winning less than 55 games next season, and they should be a strong contender to make the Western and Eastern Conference finals.
Even so, it seems that many ESPN analysts have underestimated the Sixers twice this offseason. We will soon get to see for ourselves, with this Sixers set to tip off their first preseason game with their new core on October 5th. There are still a lot of questions to be answered, however.
The Sixers have a lot of unanswered questions that need answering
LeBron is expected to play more point guard this season, which should free up Maxey to be an off-ball sniper. That could be huge for Maxey and allow LeBron to contribute without scoring. Of course, there are concerns about how top prospect VJ Edgecombe, who will have to share the ball with four all-stars.
He might have to take a step back in the short term, allowing the Sixers to integrate their new stars. There's also a question about how Embiid will be maximized. LeBron has never played with a player like Embiid who can dominate in the post.
Perhaps the biggest question mark is health. LeBron and Embiid seem likely to miss at least 30 games apiece due to load management or nagging injuries. Even so, they still have Maxey and Brown to pick up the slack and shoulder the load during the games that LeBron or Embiid sits out.
That alone could give the Sixers a massive edge. If they can answer all the question marks surrounding their team, then Philadelphia could prove ESPN wrong next season.
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