Loss to Celtics shows need for more weapons
CAMDEN, N.J. » Now that their season is over, the only real question for the Sixers is whether they need a superstar-quality free agent to get to the next level. Don’t expect the Boston Celtics to take a step backward after they eliminated the Sixers, 4-1, with a roster decimated by injuries. When Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward eventually return, guess what?
The more Sixers franchise center Joel Embiid thought about it, the more he warmed up to signing of a star free agent and maybe even a lesser but no less critical 3-and-D guy, who can shoot and defend.
“We felt like we had a pretty good chance,” Embiid said of the series with the Celtics. “We didn’t get to where we wanted to. But you know, adding new free agents can definitely help and there’s a lot of them out there that we can add that are going to help the team. Especially when you’ve got teams in the East like Boston. You kind of feel like you need something, especially after losing to them without those two guys. You feel like you need somebody else. I mean, as long as it’s the right fit.”
LeBron James is at the top of the short list of a lot of Sixers fans, and he’s buds with Ben Simmons. Embiid deflected a question about playing with LBJ, fearing it would be construed as tampering since the celebrated “GOAT” still is under contract to Cleveland.
On the other hand, the Sixers — not just Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers — are expected to get an audience with King James if he becomes available. And if James visits Philly, guess who will be there to show him around besides Simmons?
“I’ll do whatever the team needs me to do to win,” Embiid said. “If the team needs me to recruit, I’ll be there. I want to win.”
The Sixers raised the bar with a 52-win season, including a 16-game winning streak to close it. Their 4-1 win over the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs was close to a shocker.
“We exceeded our expectations,” T.J. McConnell said. “Our goal was just to make the playoffs and we won what, 17 in a row at one point? I’m not sure anyone here thought that we were going to do that at the beginning of the year. The guys that BC brought in helped us tremendously.”
BC is Bryan Colangelo, president of basketball operations and general manger. During the season, he added shooter Marco Belinelli and forward Ersan Ilyasova to a roster with Embiid and Simmons. Belinelli and Ilyasova might not be back if the Sixers give a maximum contract to James or 27-yearold Paul George. Shooter J.J. Redick sure sounds like he’s back, though not at $23 million a year.
Embiid and Simmons need to add a weapon or two to their arsenals over the offseason.
Embiid is looking forward to a future with no minutes or back-to-back game restrictions. The offseason alone will be an adventure as the 280-pound Embiid says he has the freedom to reduce his weight to between 270 and 275 pounds. That could help him pursue the MVP he speaks often of.
Trust 13-year veteran Amir Johnson, who has played on some good teams, when he says that it’s imperative that Embiid and Simmons take their offseason responsibilities seriously.
“The future is bright for those players,” said Johnson, whose contract is up. “They are unbelievable and very skilled. You can say to them as much as you want, that you’ve got to do this or do this or that. But it really has to be up to them. How great do they really want to be? They can elevate their games to another level but it’s definitely going to be up to them to put in the work to be the greatest. Especially for Ben.”
Simmons still needs a suitable shot. He has improved his free-throw shooting.
“I’m not stressing,” Simmons said. “There hasn’t been (an offseason) I haven’t gotten better something.”
If the Sixers can’t get the right big-time free agent despite their abundance of salary cap room, they still might get better by chipping away. Embiid would like to see them court “3-and-D players,” guys that can create their own shot at and shoot the three, and most of all, at the other end be a beast defensively.
“I think that’s what you have to be looking for,” Embiid said. “But I think anybody can help. I don’t know who they’re going to add or who they’re going to go after but whoever they go after, hopefully they come and they’re ready to win a championship.”
The Sixers have the 10th pick in the NBA draft, courtesy of the Los Angeles Lakers, and the 26th.
The talent drops off after the first six choices, which will include Marvin Bagley III and Wendell Carter of Duke.
If the Sixers can’t move up, here’s a suggestion — Zhaire Smith. The hardnosed 6-5 wing player out of Texas Tech has an NBA game. He can elevate higher than anyone on the floor and be the first one down the floor on the break. His dunks are on YouTube.
Though Smith hasn’t hired an agent, it’s a matter of time before he does. He would be a great fit with the Sixers around 10.
Of course, that wouldn’t necessarily make the Sixers better than the Celtics. But a superstar could.