The Philadelphia 76ers were convincingly beaten by the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of their second-round series, marking the fourth time in the last five seasons that the 76ers have lost in the second round.
Joel Embiid criticized the roster around himself and said that he and James Harden can’t win alone, a sentiment Damian Lillard did not appreciate, as he said ‘huh?’ to Embiid’s quote.
Huh ? https://t.co/asvJnAzHlr
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) May 15, 2023
Funnily enough, both Embiid and Harden were among the worst Philly players in Game 7. Harden had just 9 points on 27.3% shooting while Embiid had 15 points on 27.8% shooting. Tobias Harris, PJ Tucker, and Tyrese Maxey all were better on the night, so the criticism is quite shocking.
What Are The Next Steps For Philadelphia?
The 76ers have managed their cap situation relatively well. If James Harden opts out of his contract and leaves as a free agent, the 76ers have enough movable pieces to create enough space to sign a replacement. Given Harden’s production level in the playoffs, the 76ers can easily replace him by giving Tyrese Maxey a bigger role and adding another rotational guard for some versatility.
The team will likely cut Dewayne Dedmon and get $4.5 million off the books next season due to his non-guaranteed contract. The 76ers can also trade Tobias Harris’s contract, as it is expiring and could be of value to some tanking and under-the-cap teams. If the 76ers throw in a pick or two, they can hope to replicate what the Lakers did in terms of adding multiple players for the cost of Russell Westbrook’s contract.
Embiid shouldn’t have sold his team out but there will be likely changes around the squad in the summer, which will likely include the departure of Harden, but it could be for the betterment of the team itself.
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