BOS will be better than PHI this season.

[Neurotic Guy]

I don?t think it?s going to work in Philly. Too many big egos. I feel like JB and Embiid are going to clash. Will have my popcorn ready. 

Unfortunately, I can't see how it doesn't work if Embiid is healthy.

[Birdman]

I said Boston will have better record. Embiid not gotta play a whole year & their bench not that good

[Donoghus]

Wise guys seem to think so.

DK as the Celtics O/U at 51.5 while Sixers are at 48.5

[Vermont Green]

We need a shorthand for Mitchell Robinson. Name is too long. Surname is too long. First name is too long.

MR4?

He picked the #4 jersey for BOS.

Brickmaster?

If the injuries continue, maybe he can be referred to as MRI.

I like that, but my main concern is his FT "touch".  How about we call him "Clank" until he starts hitting at least 60%?

[Vermont Green]

As to PHI, on paper, if healthy, and all that, they look pretty good:

Maxey
Edgecombe
Brown
Wade (I guess, or Barlow?)
Embiid

Brown as a forward is probably well suited for him.  He will need to rebound more than he did in Boston.  Wade is pretty soft as a PF and Embiid will miss half the season.  They don't really have any depth at PF and C.

I guess I like BOS better than PHI.

[Donoghus]

Sixers gonna have some major front court issues when Embiid inevitably goes down for an extended period this season.

[Phantom255x]

First, depends if Lebron goes there.

Second, yeah it's possible in the regular season, but come playoff time Sixers are gonna beat this team again. They still have too much talent and then there's the "Playoff P" factor 

[Goldstar88]

I don?t think it?s going to work in Philly. Too many big egos. I feel like JB and Embiid are going to clash. Will have my popcorn ready. 

Unfortunately, I can't see how it doesn't work if Embiid is healthy.

That?s what people said about the Nets when they had KD, Harden and Kyrie. Chemistry matters. Who is going to be willing to sacrifice for Philly? There is only one ball.

[Roy H.]

Philly outgoing: George; Grimes; Oubre; Drummond; Lowry; Watford

Philly incoming:  Brown; Simons; Philon; Wade; Hukporti

They're sort of lucky that we bailed them out with the Brown trade.  Otherwise that off-season seems like a downgrade.

[Who]

Wise guys seem to think so.

DK as the Celtics O/U at 51.5 while Sixers are at 48.5

I would take the under on that Philly win total. Embiid will need to be healthy for half the season or more for Philly to sniff that win total.

[Vermont Green]

First, depends if Lebron goes there.

Second, yeah it's possible in the regular season, but come playoff time Sixers are gonna beat this team again. They still have too much talent and then there's the "Playoff P" factor 

Good point, if LeBron goes there and is their starting PF, the team looks much better.  But Embiid still needs to be healthy (and LeBron) for them to be a true contender.  I doubt LeBron takes that risk

[Ed Hollison]

Problems with the Sixers are primarily:

1) Not enough shooting and spacing when you've got Brown and Edgecomb (neither of whom are particularly scary from 3) and Embiid on the floor at the same time.

2) Defense. Edgecomb is the only plus defender in their starting lineup and they are going to give up a ton of points.

Not saying they'll be bad, but those are enough to cap their upside this season in my opinion.

[michigan adam]

I?d like to feel comfortable with PG playing 25 minutes and scoring 12-15. Unfortunately he?ll be blasted for so dramatically underperforming his contract and underperforming compared to JB. But if he can be an efficient rotation guy im good with that.  Maybe he?s in the closing lineup with DW, PP, JT, and Q.

It's a realistic expectation, but yeah, paying $50 million for less than Anfernee Simons production wouldn't be satisfying to me. Particularly because we could have afforded to keep Brown, sign Robinson and sign Simons.

I agree, however comparing Simons to George last season doesn't look so bad
Simons - 24.9min/g combining Bos & Chi, 14.3pts, 2.5reb, 2.4assists, .5steals, .381% from 3, 6.9 3PA
George - 30.7min/g............................... 17.3pts, 5.3reb, 3.6assists, 1.7steals, .392% from 3, 6.9 3PA

You fell in the trap of many nba fans.  Only comparing half of the game. While yes PG did not average a whole lot more stats last year( although he was really the 3rd or 4th option much of the year), PG played MUCH better defense than AS.  They are not really comparable their D was so different.

[Neurotic Guy]

I don?t think it?s going to work in Philly. Too many big egos. I feel like JB and Embiid are going to clash. Will have my popcorn ready. 

Unfortunately, I can't see how it doesn't work if Embiid is healthy.

That?s what people said about the Nets when they had KD, Harden and Kyrie. Chemistry matters. Who is going to be willing to sacrifice for Philly? There is only one ball.

Yes chemistry matters but Harden and Kyrie are repetitive chemistry busters and KD is often displeased. I don?t really see Brown, Maxie or Edgecombe in that light. All three have sacrificed for team.  You may think JB won?t take a backseat after being the driver last year, but I don?t see JB becoming a problem. It?s all about Embiid imo.

[aefgogreen]

Three weeks later and I think I somehow hate the trade even more than I did when it happened.

HOWEVER, Im still willing to bet the Celtics will be a better team that the Sixers this year.

PHI is going to have four guys who all think they are the best player on the team. When has that ever worked out well? I look at them and I see the 2018-19 Celtics - a group of talented guys who cant actually function as a unit. I think Brad, having had first-hand experience with a team like that, looks at the Sixers and sees the same thing I do. Also, outside of Embiid - who will likely miss half the seasons due to injuries per usual - they probably have the worst frontcourt in the entire NBA. Dean Wade (who is also constantly missing time due to injuries), Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona, Ariel Hukporti. Woof. The Celtics have a much more balanced roster imo.

On the Boston side of things, they are essentially swapping out Brown for Tatum and adding George and Mitchell into the mix (probably sparingly in the regular season in order to save them for the playoffs). They probably win the same or just under the same amount of games as last season - Have to factor in the east being alot better this year.

Im not trying to jusify the trade. The return is still embarrassing and inexcusable. Im just saying, after a few weeks of thinking this over, I dont think this trade is as bad for the Celtics or as good for the Sixers in the short term as many may have initially thought.

I don't think they have 4 competing to be #1. Edgecomb should know he's not there yet and Embiid should understand that if he can't do back-to-backs, they can't make him the man.  As for JB and Maxey, it may be a situation where one leads the team in scoring (JB) and one gets the big shot at the end of the game (Maxey). With so many scoreres on the team, Maxey should take on more of a PG role.