With about 90 minutes to go until the 2022 NBA trade deadline last Thursday, the trajectory of the Philadelphia 76ers' season changed dramatically. After a months-long stalemate between player and organization, we finally got the end result of the Ben Simmons saga. The former No. 1 pick was dealt to the Brooklyn Nets along with Seth Curry and Andre Drummond in exchange for James Harden and Paul Millsap.

From the beginning, Daryl Morey made his intentions clear in regards to a Simmons trade. Until a deal came about that increased the Sixers' odds of competing for a championship, he was going to remain patient. This approach was met with a lot of criticism, but Morey's gamble paid off tremendously.

Instead of selling low and acquiring a handful of role players, the Sixers landed a high-level talent to pair alongside Joel Embiid. The All-Star center is in the midst of his second straight MVP-caliber season and will now be flanked by a former winner of the award. Following this mega-deal, the Sixers have put themselves back in the mix of teams who could potentially win it all this season.

Before the Sixers faced off against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, Doc Rivers touched on the addition of the All-Star guard. Most notably, he gave his thoughts on if the team now has enough talent to make a run at a championship.

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“I think so. That's something we will find out. We did it with the belief we do, obviously. Losing [Andre Drummond], we're going to probably look at the buyout market. The quicker we can get together, the better,” said Rivers.

With the addition of Harden, the Sixers certainly have the talent to compete in the postseason. Not only do they have a top-tier duo in Embiid and Harden, but a strong supporting cast as well. Flanking those two with players such as Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, Danny Green, Matisse Thybulle, and others gives Philly a well-balanced group on both ends of the floor.

One thing the Sixers do not have on their side is time. With the regular season quickly coming to a close, this group has limited time to mesh together before the playoffs get underway. This tall task is something Rivers is highly aware of moving forward.

“We don't have a lot of time. The Phoenix's of the world and teams like Milwaukee and Miami have been together. So we just have to get it done quick,” Rivers said Friday.

Moving forward, Rivers has his work cut out for him. Following the All-Star break, there are roughly six weeks of regular-season action left.

The Sixers might be behind the eight ball compared to other contenders, but that should not keep them out of the conversation. With minimal time to put things together, the Sixers have to hit the ground running out of the break if they want to be ready for the postseason.