Pros and Cons: Sixers vs. Hornets
The first of two games in Charlotte.
Adam Aaronson, whose legal name is Sixers Adam (@SixersAdam on Twitter), covers the Sixers for The Rights To Ricky Sanchez. He believes cantaloupe is the best food in existence, and is brought to you by the Official Realtor of The Process, Adam Ksebe.
Hello and welcome back to Pros and Cons! Tonight, the Sixers played their first of two consecutive games in Charlotte against the Hornets. As I do in these game recaps every now and then, I’m going to discuss some longer-term views beyond this game before we get into tonight’s action.
Evaluating the Hornets as a Ben Simmons trade destination
As we all continue to obsess over theoretical trade packages for Simmons, I want to discuss the Hornets, a team who I continue to believe is underrated in terms of putting together a viable offer.
The Sixers continue to insist that they will only trade Simmons for a bona fide star. But by the time February arrives, if he’s still on the roster, I believe he will be dealt at the trade deadline for whatever the best package is. So, let’s talk about Charlotte.
LaMelo Ball, obviously, will be off-limits in any discussions between the two teams. But after that, the Hornets have a lot of noteworthy pieces that could intrigue the Sixers.
The single best player the Sixers could get would probably be Gordon Hayward. He’s not the All-Star he once was, but he would be an absolutely wonderful fit for this team. His combination of scoring ability, ball-handling and shot creation would make him the best secondary ball-handler the Sixers have had since Jimmy Butler’s departure.
Another option is Terry Rozier, who averaged more than 20 points per game last season and shot 8.3 three-pointers per game. While he doesn’t give the creation that Hayward does, his elite shooting alone makes him a reasonable candidate to be part of a trade.
The final role player who could be part of a deal is Kelly Oubre, Jr. Oubre has improved as a shooter throughout his career, and would give the Sixers some much-needed size and depth on the wing.Â
While all three of these players could conceivably be part of a deal, it’s not all the Hornets have to offer. They have young talent, too -- and all of their draft picks are intact starting in 2023.Â
Miles Bridges has had an excellent season in what is a contract year. Charlotte very well may be intent on retaining him when he hits restricted free agency, but he is due for a massive payday, and team owner Michael Jordan has frequently shown a hesitance to near the luxury tax line.
One more piece who makes sense is PJ Washington, a stretch four who would fit very well alongside Joel Embiid, and someone who fits an archetype of player that Embiid has always enjoyed playing with. Additionally, Washington logs minutes at the five regularly, making him a possible long-term solution in multiple respects.
Given the personnel available on both sides tonight and the constant noise surrounding Simmons, I felt this possibility was worth recognizing tonight. Now, let’s get to the game we just watched.
Pro: Joel Embiid, destroyer of worlds
Boy was it nice to watch Embiid dominate again. Embiid had it all going on, scoring at all three levels and frequently getting to the line against Charlotte’s depleted big-man rotation.
Aside from the ends of the Minnesota and Atlanta games, his offense hasn’t been quite as good as we are accustomed to it being since returning from COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
You couldn’t have asked for much more from Embiid. He was pivotal in securing the overtime win after what was a marvelous regulation performance. For him to put up 43 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists on just 20 field goal attempts is absolutely absurd. Tonight, we saw what it looks like when a superstar is in their best form.
Pro: Isaiah Joe takes advantage of an opportunity
Joe’s role this season has been very inconsistent, with him constantly being put into and then removed from the rotation. But with Tyrese Maxey out tonight and Furkan Korkmaz handling the backup point guard minutes, Joe was called upon and delivered.
Not only is it encouraging that Joe was able to knock down some shots, but his demeanor on the court seemed different than usual to me. At times earlier in the season he looked a bit timid, but tonight he seemed much more confident in himself. He was aggressive in seeking out good looks and decisive with the ball in his hands. He made a few avoidable mistakes, particularly with the ball in his hands -- but all in all, I was pleased with Joe’s performance.