The City of Brotherly Love makes a quick recovery! In the 2023 off-season, the Philadelphia 76ers looked all over the place after the James Harden uncertainty. And ultimately entered the season without the veteran guard, putting the weight entirely on Joel Embiid. As a result, the former MVP missed out on a chunk of games and couldn’t carry the team deep into the playoffs. Nevertheless, the team showed promise. However, things have taken a turn in a matter of months. Thanks to Daryl Morey for building a protective ring around Embiid.

After Harden’s exit, Tyrese Maxey picked up the No.2 role, and the team put on a dominant show in the regular season. However, it wasn’t enough. The Cameroonian big man had a lot of weight on his shoulder, eventually succumbing to an injury, playing only 39 games in the regular season. On the other hand, this situation also exposed Embiid’s recurring weaknesses on the court.

Moreover, Jason Timpf, a senior NBA analyst, predicted the situation would end before the start of the new season, as he credited Daryl Morey. According to Timpf, the Sixers’ President of basketball operation has made the necessary roster changes to cover the big man’s weakness. In the latest episode of Hoops Tonight, he added, “To Daryl Morey’s credit, I think he’s done a really nice job trying to build a roster to help Joel. Tons of regular season support… and tons of postseason support.” Of course, Paul George is a major addition, but there is more to it.

Before we dive deep into Joel Embiid’s ring of protection, let’s address the 30-year-old’s weaknesses. In the words of Timpf, Joel Embiid’s “lack of durability and versatility” requires “a certain style of play on both ends” to make things work. Apart from that, Timpf also addressed the star center’s odd bad nights during the postseason, putting the team in a tough spot.

How did Daryl Morey protect Joel Embiid’s weakness?

No doubt, Joel Embiid is a dominant player on both ends of the court. But, at the same time, he can also have bad nights and weaknesses. For instance, during Team USA’s Paris Olympics campaign, the star initially looked out of rhythm and struggled to make buckets. And it happened to him despite having superstars around him, but once he was back in form, the team looked even more lethal.

This is what Daryl Morey has also done with the Sixers side. The Philly turned out as the clear winners of the off-season roster updates. No, it’s not just because of their Paul George trade. Apart from the All-Star, the team also roped in a set of role players to strengthen the roster. Notably, Jason Timpf classified Morey’s roster updates into two types: regular-season support and postseason support.

The regular-season support

Addressing the regular season, Timpf said, “tons of regular season support like Andre Drummond at Center, a second perimeter star to help eat up usage.” After waiving 6 ‘9 Paul Reed’s contract in the off-season, the team replaced him with a 6 ’11 former Sixers player, Andre Drummond. After playing two seasons as a backup center for the Chicago Bulls, Drummond could definitely reduce some weight off Embiid’s shoulder. This important move will help to secure the big man’s durability.

On the other hand, the team has also roped in some of the impressive perimeter shooters to expand the floor spacing. While Tyrese Maxey has already a lethal strike rate from the arc, the inclusion of Reggie Jackson, Caleb Martin, and Eric Gordon will help the team have a regular supply of buckets. And this move will cover up the star’s lack of versatility.

The postseason support

In reference to the postseason support, Timpf said, “The three-star build, if Embiid’s getting double-teamed, it’s just harder to do that with Paul George and Tyrese Maxi off the ball. If Embiid’s just having a bad matchup or a bad night, which we know is something that can happen to him in the postseason, having that three-star build can help make up for that.” 

Tyrese Maxey, who recently signed a $203.9 million 5-year deal, has an impressive three-point percentage of 39.6. On the other hand, the recent addition of Paul George, with 38.5% 3-pt%, can create enormous space on the floor. Moreover, Jason Timpf once again credits Morey for roping in PG as a catch-and-shoot partner for Tyrese Maxey. Importantly, the duo can cover the odd game whenever Embiid goes out of rhythm.

Nevertheless, Daryl Morey has done the grand task of making the Sixers look threatening on paper. Will these equations effectively work in reality? Let us know in the comments below.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.