The Philadelphia 76ers have been the most active team in the NBA offseason so far, entering free agency with just two players on their roster. They had over $80 million in cap space which has been put to good use, most notably being used to sign Paul George to a four-year, $212 million contract.
Tyrese Maxey was a restricted free agent but waited until the team had re-signed Kelly Oubre and acquired Paul George before agreeing on a five-year, $205 million contract of his own. With these notable additions and a returning Paul Reed, the 76ers already seem to have one of the best starting lineups in the NBA.
PG: Tyrese Maxey
SG: Kelly Oubre Jr.
SF: Paul George
PF: Paul Reed
C: Joel Embiid
If the 76ers’ first-round selection Jared McCain turns out to be a productive NBA guard, the 76ers could move him into the starting lineup next to Maxey, moving everyone Oubre and George down a position and sending Reed to the bench. But that’s a gamble to take for a contender, so the 76ers likely will stick to this lineup to start the season.
The 76ers Starting Lineup Provides Two-Way Excellence
The 76ers can craft a starting lineup that many teams in the NBA would envy, given the varying skill sets of the stars they have. We have to start with the big three of the roster, as the 76ers have built the ideal guard-forward-center trio which should maximize chemistry between the three stars.
Tyrese Maxey averaged 25.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 6.2 assists last season, breaking out as an All-Star after James Harden left the franchise, thus increasing his offensive load. His emergence despite being a low first-round pick and well-timed free agency is what allowed the 76ers to hold on to his cap rights while assembling their roster. He got rewarded for his patience and will be the primary ball-handler for the 76ers as they go all-in for a title.
Paul George averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists last season with the Clippers, showcasing his reliable two-way game at the highest level. When the Clippers were healthy, George was a key reason for them sitting atop the West before a mysterious Kawhi Leonard injury brought them crashing down. George has some inconsistencies and is aging as an athletic forward, but his portability in any lineup will make him a Nick Nurse favorite.
Joel Embiid is a former league MVP who saw last season marred with injuries. If he stayed healthy, his averages of 34.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists would lead to an MVP position and possibly another scoring title if he played more than 39 games. He is the superstar of this big three and will be relied upon to deliver when the team needs him most. If his second-round curse doesn’t end with this roster, the perception of his greatness will change.
Kelly Oubre is a solid swingman for the 76ers, who averaged 154 points and 5.0 rebounds on the franchise last season. He is the perfect connector between Maxey and George, being able to provide reliable 3-and-D play next to either one of the stars while also existing as a kick-out option for Joel Embiid on the inside.
Paul Reed might lose his spot based on how the 76ers fill out their lineup, but he’s a big body who can guard both inside and outside, allowing the 76ers to run a double-big lineup with Embiid. He averaged 7.3 points and 6.0 rebounds last season.
They have some great pieces off the bench like Jared McCain coming out of the Draft along with Andre Drummond, who was one of the most in-demand centers for contenders on the market. Eric Gordon had a great year with the Suns and will hope to be a sparkplug scorer for the new-look 76ers as well. Ricky Council IV is unlikely to have a rotational spot but is a solid piece.
Daryl Morey has reimagined this team after the disappointment of recent seasons. Hopefully, they continue hitting on their priority targets to fill out the remaining six roster spots at the minimum they’re required to fill out.
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