The Philadelphia 76ers are in a wierd, albeit acquainted spot once more this offseason. Regardless of making the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season, the Sixers nonetheless can’t fairly recover from the hump.
Philly has stalled out within the first or second spherical of the postseason in every of the final seven years. Free company and including one other key piece alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey is of the utmost significance.
Rumors of the 76ers’ curiosity in Paul George have circulated for a while however have appeared to take a again seat extra lately. Buying George from the Los Angeles Clippers is perhaps somewhat unrealistic particularly since he has a whopping $48.7 million participant choice for subsequent season.
That is the place a participant like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope may very well be the higher match for Philadelphia. Whereas Caldwell-Pope’s identify doesn’t carry the identical weight in reputation, he was a key piece for 2 championship-winning organizations inside the previous 4 years.
Caldwell-Pope got here up massive for the Lakers in 2020
through the “Orlando bubble” title run, and simply final season, he was a valued function
participant for the Denver Nuggets. He isn’t a star, however
Caldwell-Pop has proved he may give a crew on the cusp that further push wanted
to recover from any beforehand encountered hurdles.
Over the previous few years, Caldwell-Pope has been clutch for the Lakers and Nuggets throughout their deep playoff runs. When in comparison with present Sixer Tobias Harris, it’s like night time and day. Harris has been criticized publicly for developing small in massive video games.
Harris’ point-per-game common dropped from 17.2 within the common season to 9.0 within the postseason. The Sixers have been eradicated by the New York Knicks within the first spherical in six video games. Whereas Caldwell-Pope won’t rating the factors Harris does within the common season, he’s going to make the very best of his alternatives.
In two seasons with the Nuggets, Caldwell-Pope has shot 41.5 % from three-point vary. He will not be a focus on a regular basis, however Caldwell-Pope appears to have a knack for letting the sport come to him and taking benefit when it does. Teaming him up with a wholesome Embiid and Maxey may very well be the best system for these Sixers to lastly break unfastened.
