The pressure has been there. It’s just mounting. Every franchise besides Charlotte, Washington, New York, and New Orleans has made a conference finals more recently than Philadelphia.

The goal isn’t only to make it there, of course, but, shockingly, the only way to win the NBA Finals is to make it to the conference finals. We know nothing matters until the postseason. No team in the NBA needs a deep run like the 76ers. And no player needs it more than Joel Embiid. 

We all knew the importance of this off-season. Bevy of cap space. Tradable first-round picks. The franchise essentially hinged on what Philadelphia accomplished over a two-week time frame this summer. And Daryl Morey delivered.

Paul George alone brings a sheer volume of optimism. A steady and willing three-point shooter who also happens to maintain a strong defensive presence. For the longest time, Philadelphia pigeon-holed the wing position, only really having Jimmy Butler as a truly elite two-way player. George is no longer the MVP candidate from Oklahoma City, but he’s a reigning All-Star who couldn’t fit better alongside Maxey at the point and Embiid as the big. 

This team has a ridiculously high floor as a playoff team. Caleb Martin is a “winning” player who has proven himself on the biggest of stages. Kelly Oubre brings tenacity. The starting five will be incredibly fun to watch. Andre Drummond will grab most defensive (and even a few offensive) rebounds. Kyle Lowry will be better utilized as a back-up guard. Eric Gordon will excel as a floor spacer in a pinch. Reggie Jackson, why not? KJ Martin and Ricky Council IV will battle for minutes. Jared McCain and Adem Bona appear interesting enough based on Summer League. You know Maxey will add to his game, making strides as a better facilitator and overall scorer. Maybe, just maybe, Embiid takes it easier this regular season. I think he has the right mindset. His number one priority this season should be to be as healthy as possible come April. Playing with Team USA this summer should be a positive. On a team filled with All-NBA players, Embiid won’t have a high usage. He can focus on setting screens, rebounding, a two-man game with LeBron James or Stephen Curry and defense. Excelling as an all-around player. 

The roster sits at 13, which leaves two open roster spots, However, Morey already said he plans to keep one open. So, there is at least one potential contributor to be added before training camp in September. In fact, it was late summer last year when they added Oubre. I’m sure there are several top targets that are waiting it out before making decisions. By adding Jackson this week, Philadelphia, you’d think, would seek a wing of some kind.. Some intriguing names include Marcus Morris, Cedi Osman, Gordon Hayward, and Robert Covington. Personally, Osman tops my wish list. 

It’s been talked about ad nauseam, but Philadelphia extended Martin to match any salary in a trade. He can’t be traded until the middle of January, but regardless that gives the 76ers an opportunity to add a real difference maker prior to the deadline. There’s a chance McCain flashes and is used in a trade to preserve some future firsts. His salary coupled with Martin could bring Philadelphia a legitimate player. It’s all hypothetical, of course, but it’s nice to know that options exist to enhance the roster unlike some other contenders. 

There are plenty of examples of previous iterations of a Philadelphia off-season providing a lethal dose of hope, only to end in heartbreak. But, for some forsaken reason, this one feels different. It’s not going to be easy to win the Eastern Conference, let alone the NBA Finals. Boston brought back everybody. Nobody plays harder than New York, and they added more scoring. Milwaukee isn’t going anywhere. And then you have the always challenging Western Conference. When it matters most, Embiid needs to be the guy. 

It’s time.