The Philadelphia 76ers have yet to play a game with Joel Embiid this season. He’s either been injured or suspended. But it may not matter. Maybe the Sixers are just bad.
That was the take of former NBA center Kendrick Perkins, who analyzed Philadelphia’s 2-7 start to the season by suggesting this team could go down as a major failed experiment. As you know, the Sixers added Paul George to Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, also injured, before the season.
“You have to capitalize on the moment, now,” Perkins said on ESPN. “If they don’t make it to the conference finals, at least, I mean that’s the bare minimum — they would be considered one of the biggest failures in NBA history.
“I would put them right up there with the Brooklyn Nets with (Kevin Durant), (Kyrie Irving) and James Harden. They have no choice but to get this right. … I’ve never seen a team that looks so horrible without their superstar on the floor. Joel Embiid means so much to this organization.”
Along with George, the Sixers added playoff-savvy veterans such as Caleb Martin, Eric Gordon, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson this offseason. But so far, those moves haven’t meant a whole lot. In fact, they have yet to move the needle at all.
Granted, there are more than 70 games to go, and again, Embiid hasn’t even stepped on the court yet (as of Monday). So plenty of time remains and plenty of things can and will happen.
But right now, man, the Sixers resemble nothing close to what they thought they would be.
- More 76ers | All coverage from Hoops Wire
Looking for the latest NBA Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow Hoops Wire on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NBA News and Rumors for all 30 teams!
