The Philadelphia 76ers are on a quest to finally make the NBA Finals behind Joel Embiid. The Sixers are coming into this season with the urgency to make a deep playoff run after trading for James Harden.

Harden taking a massive pay cut shows his willingness to win with the Sixers. His play on the court next season will be the biggest factor, though. He was one of many disappointments in the postseason and has to prove he can be elite in high-pressure games. With some more additions to the roster, Philadelphia is better equipped to withstand the playoffs.

However, even with the additions of P.J. Tucker and De'Anthony Melton, it will take more for the Sixers to become a true threat in the playoffs. The way they use their roster (which could still use a few more tweaks) is more important and will be the ultimate factor in how the 2022-23 season shakes out.

Although the Sixers may be done making huge moves in the offseason, there are still a few needs they can address before the season rolls around.

*Watch NBA Games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*

2 biggest needs Sixers must still address to win 2023 NBA Finals

2. A 3-and-D forward

The Sixers did address their need for a 3-and-D player by signing P.J. Tucker and adding Danuel House as a reserve. However, they could still use some more help on the wings, particularly off the bench.

With Tucker and Tobias Harris likely filling out the forward spots in the starting lineup, Philly is rolling with House, Georges Niang, Matisse Thybulle and Furkan Korkmaz behind them. Although Melton and Paul Reed will be solid reserves, the Sixers could use more firepower off the bench. Their best bet is to find a 3-and-D forward.

Flipping Thybulle for someone with more skills on offense would be helpful for the Sixers, though their options may not be very extensive in the trade market. His inability to improve on that end and poor playoff performance may make him undesirable, but his defense should still give him some trade value.

Philadelphia's roster is far from perfect and is not the ideal supporting cast for Embiid. However, it's worth their while to take this roster into the season and see how it does. The only caveat is if a Kevin Durant trade is a possibility — anyone besides Embiid should be made available in that scenario. If that never comes to fruition, the Sixers' next step is to look at the parts they have assembled and construct the best team they can.

1. A plan on how to maximize Embiid's co-stars

While the other need can be fixed with a roster move or two, this one is simply about the players they already have. The Sixers need a reliable scheme involving Harden, Maxey and Harris to ensure each of them can be reliable in the playoffs.

Embiid's ability to shine in the playoffs (when he isn't battling brutal injuries) is well-known. However, the absence of another reliable star next to him has been the reason Philadelphia continues to disappoint. The Sixers have three players around Embiid that will command the ball a lot and they have to put a plan in place for how to get the most out of each of them.

The Sixers could lean further on Maxey as a scorer and use Harden more as a table setter. Maxey had some brilliant moments in the playoffs and perhaps could be ready for more responsibility heading into year three. Or, Philadelphia could trust that Harden to become a walking 20 points and 10 assists with respectable shooting splits again. Harris will almost certainly not become Embiid's true co-star but he remains a big piece of the team's puzzle. As a scorer/shooter and defender on the wing, he can be highly impactful.

Simply having Harden, Maxey and Harris won't get the Sixers where they want to be. Their talents translating to the postseason is priority number one. A tweak on Doc Rivers' schemes or individual improvements (or both) could do the trick. Before mixing up the core players (again, unless it's for Durant) the Sixers should exhaust all the schemes, roles and rotations they can.

Maxey taking another leap in his game or Harden turning back the clock would be the easy fix but neither can be assumed. The Sixers need to come into the season with an idea of how to make the talent on their roster click. They have the cards to be more successful than last season and simply have to play them the right way.