Joel Embiid has been busy in Camden, and the early read on Philadelphia is simple: the big man looks locked in.
According to Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice, Embiid worked out with seven teammates last week at the Sixers’ practice facility. In a couple of photos he posted from those sessions, he appeared slimmer than before. That lines up with what president of basketball operations Mike Gansey said last week when he spoke to reporters about Embiid’s approach with a little more than two months left before the season.
“He’s just been himself, man,” Gansey said. “I mean, I remember when I got the job, I went over there and he’s like, ‘I want to have a great year.
I want to play a lot of games and I want to be back to All-NBA Joel.’ He’s talked the talk and now he’s walking the walk.
He’s lost some weight, you saw the pictures. He’s been in the gym.
He’s been lifting. So he’s doing all the right things and he’s super motivated and we’re very, very excited.”
Philadelphia’s roster changes have been significant, too. Along with landing LeBron James after a long pursuit, the team added Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons and Ariel Hukporti in free agency. Gansey said the front office went into the process with the bench in mind.
“We kind of have a big five,” he said. “But it’s just exciting just because we have so much talent, but our depth - getting Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade, getting Hukporti, along with (Dominick) Barlow, Labaron (Philon Jr.) in the draft.
I’m just really excited to kind of see how it looks, the combinations, the lineups, the versatility we have. And it’s just - when you have the talent, it’s exciting, and trying to figure it out is the hard part.”
Aaronson also broke down the Sixers’ reserves in a mailbag column, ranking them by expected playing time. He described Wade as a “super sub” who should handle the sixth-man role and could slide into the starting five when necessary. Simons’ defense could keep his minutes in check, and his ball-handling won’t be as essential on a roster loaded with players who can create for themselves, but Aaronson said he might be the team’s best shooter.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division, Knicks wing Pacome Dadiet will play for Cote d’Ivoire in this month’s FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. Askounis also noted that Dadiet has previously represented France at the junior level in international competition.
And Phil Pressey is heading back to Maine. Bobby Manning of CLNS Media reports that Pressey has announced he will return as head coach of the Celtics’ G League affiliate after leading the club to its fourth straight playoff appearance last season.
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