As we all know, the Sixers never got to make the big splash they wanted to this offseason. However, they did make some moves that I am a fan of. In the process, the Sixers were able to get rid of some dead weight. Guys like Justin Anderson, TLC, and Holmes didn’t have a role on this team. Those guys are who they are, and I don’t expect them to get much better than where they’re at right now.
In addition, they also lost Belinelli and Ilyasova. I firmly believe that Chandler and Muscala are upgrades over Marco and Ersan. Belinelli is absolutely a better three point shooter. However, Chandler can shoot the three for average and brings much better defense to the table. His athleticism and defense will be a very welcomed addition to the Sixers bench. With Muscala, you are basically getting the same player you had with Illyasova. The only difference being, Muscala is younger and more consistent. People forget how much Illyasova struggled down the stretch and in the playoffs this past season. So much so that by the Celtics series, I would cringe every time he would take a step back three.
Last but not least, we can’t forget about rookie Zhaire Smith. While his numbers didn’t pop out, I came away impressed after watching him in summer league. He knows how to get open without the ball and he has a high basketball. While he struggles a bit on the defensive end, I don’t expect that to be a huge issue as his career progresses. He has the perfect physical tools to become a great defender in the NBA. With time, I expect him to become a defender.
It is hard to measure how much better the Sixers are than last year. I would tell you that at the very least, they are slightly better. Muscala and Ersan are basically wash. Chandler and Zhaire are upgrades over Belinelli and TLC/Anderson. Then you have guys like Fultz, Simmons, Dario and Embiid he are still getting better every single day.
