When the Philadelphia 76ers dropped Game 6 against the Miami Heat in the second round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs, which sent them packing their bags, Sixers center Joel Embiid had nothing but praise for one of its rivals in the series.
“You’re looking at someone like PJ Tucker, a great player,” Embiid said in May. “It’s not about knocking him down shots. It’s about what he does, whether defensively or bouncing the ball. You look, obviously, defensively, he plays with so much energy, believes he can get from point A to point B, and he believes no one can beat him.
Embiid claimed that up until then, the Sixers had never made a “badass” impact like Tucker. Meanwhile, Embiid’s teammates admitted the 76ers also lacked mental toughness in the playoffs, which is another area where a player like Tucker could have helped.
Luckily for Philadelphia, they were able to snag Tucker in free agency. After the veteran forward turned down his option to play with the Heat for next season, he was on his way to testing the free agency market. Within minutes, Tucker signed a multi-year contract with the 76ers.
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Now, young Philadelphia guard Tyrese Maxey is looking forward to playing alongside Tucker, and he talked about Tucker and the other acquisitions during his 1% Skills Camp, which took place in Philadelphia on Saturday morning.
“I think the guys bring toughness,” Maxey said, according to Sixers Wire Ky Carlin. “They bring strength to our team, and it’s going to be great to see them in camp, and I can’t wait to get started.”
“I think they’re definitely going to help us with the mental toughness,” Maxey continued, according to Carlin. “I think they will also help with just the physical strength. The grit and the grind that we have to bring to our team and also, I think guys like PJ, he’s going to bring the championship mentality. I think we’re going to really appreciate him for that.
With the Sixers aiming for an NBA title, bringing in a 37-year-old champion is undoubtedly the right move for a team in winning mode now.
While the Sixers’ title chances ultimately come down to key stars such as Embiid, Maxey, James Harden and Tobias Harris – the added depth through free agency offers more experience and talent than the Sixers had previously.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.