Every summer, the NBA produces a shiny new superteam that sends fans racing to sportsbook apps and television executives scrambling to rewrite schedules.
This year's winner? The Philadelphia 76ers.
LeBron James is now in Philadelphia. Jaylen Brown has arrived. Tyrese Maxey is entering his prime. Joel Embiid looks slimmer, fitter and, according to social media, ready to "trust the process" all over again. The basketball world has responded the only way it knows how: by declaring the Sixers title contenders.
Count me out.
Not because Philadelphia lacks talent. In pure talent, they may have the most impressive collection of names in the Eastern Conference. A lineup featuring Maxey, Brown, LeBron and Embiid would frighten anyone on paper. But championships are not won on paper. They're won in April, May and June. And that brings us to the elephant in the room. Joel Embiid.
The Sixers' title hopes begin and end with the former MVP. Unfortunately, so do their annual disappointments. Embiid remains one of the league's most dominant players when healthy. The problem is that "when healthy" has become the most fictional phrase in basketball. Last season, he appeared in only 38 games, and he has failed to reach 40 games in each of the last three seasons.
At some point, availability stops being bad luck and starts becoming part of the scouting report. I’m not whether Embiid can dominate. I’m asking whether he can survive.
Then there's LeBron James.
Before the angry emails arrive, let me be clear: LeBron is still brilliant. At 41, he remains one of the smartest players the game has ever seen. His arrival instantly gives Philadelphia credibility, attention and leadership. It also gives them something else: A circus.
Every team LeBron joins becomes a daily reality show. Every lineup decision becomes a debate show segment. Every losing streak becomes a national crisis. Every playoff exit becomes a referendum on his legacy.
The Sixers were already carrying the burden of "The Process." Now they're carrying the burden of LeBron's farewell tour, too. That's a lot of noise for a team still trying to figure out who actually has the keys.
Is it Embiid's team? Maxey's team? LeBron's team? Or Jaylen Brown's opportunity to prove Boston made a mistake? Those questions sound exciting in August. They're exhausting by February.
The bigger concern is that Philadelphia's stars all come with baggage. Embiid's health. LeBron's age. Brown's adjustment to a new role. Even Maxey will have to sacrifice touches and rhythm to accommodate the collection of alpha personalities.
History tells us that assembling stars is the easy part. The hard part is getting them healthy, happy and synchronized when the games actually matter.
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Embiid finally stays healthy. Maybe LeBron discovers a few extra years in the fountain of youth. Maybe Brown and Maxey fit seamlessly.
But if you're asking me today whether Philadelphia should be considered a genuine championship favorite, my answer is simple: The Sixers aren't contenders. They're a fascinating experiment.
And until Joel Embiid proves he can be standing in June instead of rehabbing in July, that's all they'll be.
raffyrledesma@yahoo.com