The Beast from the East Coast
Who will be the beast from the East this upcoming season? A lot of things have changed since Sunday, and even if the trade which is the most expected didn’t happen yet, multiple signs are showing that Kawhi Leonard is headed to the Los Angeles Lakers. Regardless of that, Philadelphia 76ers will be the team to beat in the East next season. There are a few factors that need to be fixed, though, in order for the 76ers to be at the top of the standings. Those factors are Joel Embiid and his fitness, and, of course, Ben Simmons and his shooting skills. If the two of them will work hard in the gym this summer, not even the sky could hold their limits anymore.
If we take a look at their roster, we see that two key players aren’t there anymore, as JJ Reddick and Jimmy G Buckets (the G stands for Gets) left the club and decided to join the Pelicans and the Heat, respectively. This could be a blow for them, as Reddick was providing his masterful 3-point shooting, while Butler was being highly present in both offense and defense for the 76ers. However, the Jimmy Butler trade could’ve been predicted, as we all know that he is the type of player that wants to be the “alpha dog” in a team, so this is the perfect opportunity for him to show what he is capable of.
Furthermore, the organization tried to maintain the defense, so they added Al Horford from the Boston Celtics, this being a huge trade for them, as Al can not only defend very well, but he can score the ball also when needed. Tobias Harris also signed a 5-year contract extension worth $180 million. Josh Richardson came from Miami in the Jimmy Butler trade, and he can give them solid minutes while he is still developing as a man and as a player.
All in all, the 76ers’ roster is looking fresh, with Ben Simmons, Josh Richardson, Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid and Al Horford. If Simmons works on improving his jump-shot, they will play the Finals in the 2019-20 season and will be crowned as beast from the East.
