Since draft day, 76ers star Joel Embiid has been fighting to bring home his first NBA championship. Thus far, the 2023 MVP has yet to reach the Conference Finals, but there is hope that his best days are yet to come. Speaking on his podcast, however, former Wizards star Gilbert Arenas suggests that the title window has already closed for the 76ers.
“You lost the window, the window’s gone. [Sixers] had Jimmy [Butler], [Joel] Embiid, Tobias [Harris], JJ Redick was still there, and Ben Simmons,” said Arenas. “Now you got a number one option, a great number two option, and then you got Ben Simmons doing his thing. That was your championship team that you’re supposed to build on. From there it just went downhill.”
SIXER FANS,
YA 🏆CHAMPIONSHIP WINDOW IS COOKED.
BUILD WIT MAXEY. 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️ pic.twitter.com/UiWlsohSl5
— Gil’s Arena (@GilsArenaShow) October 12, 2023
Despite having a strong collection of talent over the years, Philly has fallen short time and time again in their quest to find success in the Joel Embiid era. With practically nothing to show for “the Process,” uncertainty is the only feeling left in Philadelphia and James Harden’s latest antics have only fueled more doubt about the future.
Trading Butler Was A Huge Mistake
In a now infamous video, Jimmy Butler called out the 76ers for choosing Tobias Harris over him in the 2019 offseason. Despite finishing 3rd in the East that year, the team never reached its potential thanks to disconnects in the locker room and various altercations between Butler and his teammates. At the time, the thinking was that Harris was a better fit around the young core of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, but that idea was proven wrong the very next season. As the 76ers took a step back in the East, Butler led the Heat to amazing prosperity and proved that the 76ers made the wrong move by letting him go.
By all accounts, trading Jimmy in the summer of 2019 was the beginning of the end for the 76ers, and while they continued to be competitive in the East, they never fully recovered from his departure. Now, the team is without any co-star, and it’s up to Joel Embiid to carry the franchise all on his own.
Will The Sixers Trade Embiid?
It’s no secret that Joel Embiid wants to win a championship, and after capturing the MVP in 2023, he proved that he has the talent to get it done. But no player can do it alone, and Embiid is pretty much on an island out there in Philadelphia. If something doesn’t happen soon, Embiid could start to grow restless with his situation, and a trade may be inevitable before too long. For now, there’s nothing for him to do but wait and let everything play out.
“It’s been unfortunate what’s been going on, but the goal is to be together and try to win a championship,” said Embiid on his disgruntled co-star. “As far as for myself, that’s all I’m focused on. I just want to win. Whatever it takes and whatever puts us in a position… that’s all I care about.”
With Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and head coach Nick Nurse, it’s not all bad for the 76ers, and there is some certainty that they can win some games this season. But without the proper star power, you’d be hard-pressed to find any expert who puts the 76ers in the same tier as the Celtics, Bucks, or Miami Heat as presently constructed. These are certainly strange and difficult times for the 76ers franchise, and all eyes are on Embiid as he attempts to play through all the noise.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
