The 76ers have made a big move this offseason by signing free agent Paul George, forming a trio of All-Stars with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
Now, with George on board, Philadelphia aims to compete in the Eastern Conference, which includes the defending champion Celtics and an improved Knicks team.
Before returning to the 76ers, Embiid will play for Team USA in the Paris Olympics. The MVP of 2023 recently talked about his new team and what they hope to achieve in the upcoming season.
During USA Basketball training camp, Embiid reflected on how Philadelphia reached this point and what lies ahead for the team.
“When you have a plan, sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. We still have a long way to go,” Embiid told ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “On paper, it looks promising. But we need to go out on the court and make it happen.”
Embiid’s comments were cautious, recognizing the franchise’s struggles over the years. The Sixers haven’t made it past the Eastern Conference Semifinals since 2001 and have been one win away from the East Finals in 2019, 2021, and 2023 since drafting Embiid in 2014.
Now that they’ve assembled a trio of All-Stars, the pressure is on Philadelphia to break through. Despite his caution, Embiid also discussed how he sees the new group working together.
“It’s important, especially when you have a player who posts up and isolates a lot — I don’t like calling myself a big — you need shooters who are willing to take shots,” Embiid explained. “[George] is a great shooter, hitting 40 to 45 percent on catch-and-shoots; [Maxey] is also a great shooter, both off the dribble and on catch-and-shoots.”
