NBA 2016 Offseason News, Trades and Signings: Struggling Sixers Bolstered by Joel Embiid Return
Can the 7 foot bigman help put the pieces back together in Philly?
Philadelphia's biggest what-if—both physically and figuratively—is finally ready to help his team out of the bottom heap.
Joel Embiid, who missed his rookie and sophomore years in the NBA, had confirmed he feels 100 percent as he prepares for the coming season.
Embiid told the crowd at the Sixers' Beach Bash Saturday that he had been working a lot with the team, and even had playing time with his fellow players.
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With a roster teeming with rising talent, including a much-hyped franchise piece in Ben Simmons, NBA's dunce might find itself cracking a playoff berth sooner than expected.
Record lows
It is rare for the struggling Philadelphia 76ers to see a sliver of hope in the NBA. Following upset after upset since the departures of Allen Iverson and Andre Iguodala, the team has hit full rebuilding mode and banks on their young talent.
Luckily for Philly diehards, the Sixers struck gold over the past four drafts, notably picking athletic defender Nerlens Noel in 2013 and versatile offensive bigman Jahlil Okafor in 2015 who both showed tremendous upside in an otherwise bland team. Thankfully, the Sixers also got to pick first overall in the 2016 draft, promptly getting their hands on potential superstar Simmons from LSU.
However, they still have a lot of work to do in terms of team play. The franchise that won the 1983 title, graced by names such as Wilt Chamberlain, Moses Malone and Julius Erving, won only 10 games last season. The record was only one game shy from the worst, which was set by the Sixers themselves in 1973.
Moreover, they only won seven games at home, and set the NBA record—and in all of American professional sports—for the longest losing streak at 28 over the last two seasons. The situation is dire, and the Sixers are desperate for a reprieve. This year, they might just get one.
Two years in the making
Upon his return, Embiid might still be a risky card to play for Coach Brett Brown, but it's a risk worth taking.
The former Kansas bigman was hailed Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in his only college season, averaging 2.6 blocks in the 23 games he played in 2013-14. The fact that he was a mobile 7 foot 250 pound monster with a 7'4 wingspan certainly pestered his opponents inside.
However, he was forced to miss the Big 12 tournament due to a stress fracture in his back. Against the odds, Philadelphia still picked him third overall in the 2014 draft, only to lose him to foot surgery for the next two seasons.
Nevertheless, he had been showing up to training days and events, showing that fans can hold on to Brown's promise of Embiid playing this preseason.
The Sixers will tip-off the preseason at Boston on October 4, 7:00 p.m. Tickets are now available at MullinsCenter.com and Ticketmaster outlets.
