The Sixers are coming off an impressive offseason in which they successfully worked the margins to improve their complementary players. While a tampering investigation is still hanging over the franchise, the bottom line is they brought back James Harden on a more team-friendly deal and some familiar teammates from his Houston days along with him. This was the first offseason that Daryl Morey was able to fully put his mark on the team and did so successfully. The team has failed to advance past the second round of the playoffs since 2001 and will be looking to break this streak this season.
Philly was far from the only team to improve this offseason and will have stiff competition moving forward. With the flurry of offseason madness mostly over, expectations are beginning to be set. Here are three way too early predictions for what to expect from the franchise.
3 way too early bold Sixers predictions for 2022-23 NBA season
3)De'Anthony Melton will be the most important bench player
One move that has continually flown under the radar this offseason is the trade for De'Anthony Melton. During draft night the Sixers elected to ship off the 23rd overall pick and Danny Green in exchange for the springy guard. The lack of bench production has been a massive area of concern for the Sixers in recent years. The notable dropoff between the first and second unit has caused the Sixers a great deal of trouble in both the regular season and playoffs.
Adding De'Anthony Melton will help solve this in a major way. The 24-year-old has eye-popping athleticism and fills a role that has been absent on the Sixers. His 6'9″ wingspan makes him a force on the defensive side of the ball and he has a more well-rounded game than most of the Sixers' previous bench options. Expect Melton to serve as the versatile piece the bench unit was missing and become a key member of the rotation.
Last season with the Grizzlies Melton averaged 10.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.4 steals in his 22.7 minutes per game. It should not be a surprise if he eclipses all of these totals this season.
2)Tyrese Maxey will average more points than James Harden
All eyes will be on James Harden heading into this season. The 32-year-old has done everything possible to endear himself to his teammates and the city of Philadelphia this offseason. From sacrificing $15 million by declining his player option to seemingly taking his offseason diet and training more seriously, the former MVP is ready to make a statement this year.
While there is plenty of reason for optimism about the version of James Harden the Sixers will get this season, it should not fully overshadow the blossoming star beside him. Tyrese Maxey is improving at one of the most rapid rates in NBA history and is set to be a massive part of the Sixers this year. The Kentucky guard increased his scoring from 8.0 points per game as a rookie to 17.5 points per game last season. The biggest red flag surrounding Maxey ahead of the 2020 NBA Draft was his shooting ability. In just his second year in the NBA the 21-year-old finished 3rd in the NBA in three-point percentage by knocking down 42.7% of his attempts.
Both James Harden and Tyrese Maxey are set to be important parts of the Sixers this season. There is hope for James Harden to have improved isolation ability and additional pop with the ball in his hands, but playmaking is likely the best attribute in his game at this stage in his career. Tyrese Maxey became even more assertive last season following the addition of James Harden. The playmaking responsibilities that Harden took from Maxey allowed him to flourish as a scorer. Expect this to continue this season and for Maxey to establish himself as a valuable part of the Sixers' big three on a national scale.
1)Joel Embiid Wins MVP
The moving of the goalposts for what voters look for in a potential MVP has been a source of frustration for Joel Embiid and Sixers fans everywhere. The Sixers star has now been runner-up in the award in back-to-back seasons. Despite helping the team navigate through the Ben Simmons situation, winning the scoring title, and being the most important player on both sides of the floor for the Sixers- Embiid was unable to secure the award again last season.
It is tough to pick an area in which Joel Embiid needs to improve on. The superstar has added new layers to his game every year in the NBA and has established himself as a premiere talent. The changing standards of MVP could work in favor of Embiid this year as voters could be looking for a new name. Even with the emergence of Tyrese Maxey and the addition of James Harden, Joel Embiid remains the focal point of the team. Expect him to prove this and earn a long overdue MVP award as a result.
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