Tobias Harris or Paul George? Are the Philadelphia 76ers the ones to blame?

Tobias Harris or Paul George? Are the Philadelphia 76ers the ones to blame?

It’s the off season of trolling, you could say. Tobias Harris having some words for Paul George. The back and forth. We’re going to break it all right down here on Locked on 76ers. You are Locked on 76ers, your daily Philadelphia 76ers podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. What’s going on everybody? Welcome in to Locked on 76ers. We’re your host 76ers beat writer Keith Pompei. I’m Kayla Santiago, sideline reporter for the Delaware Blue Coats. And thank you so much for making Locked on 76ers your first listen every day part of the Locked on Podcast Network. Your team every single day. So Keith Tobias Harris trolling a little bit on Twitter of Paul George’s comments. What do you make of all this? Some offseason drama here between Shelby and PG. you know, I don’t think it was really directed towards uh PG. And and the only reason why I’m going say that is because, you know, these guys are friends. Um, and in the beginning, I remember there was a point where people were trying to talk negatively to PG about Tobias and he took up for him. And what I mean by friends is PG’s personal bodyguard used to be Tobias’s. He basically said, “Hey, you’re coming to Philly. You know, you get this guy. I want this. you this guy is going to work for you and the Sixers hired him the whole nine. So I don’t think it was director worm. I think what P what Tobias did is PG opened up the door and he said what he said in regards they said hey we could have kept Tobias and to me that was a knock at the Sixers like saying okay y’all went ahead and got Paul George and the moment after they won the Super Bowl the day they won the Super Bowl you guys finished 4 and 27. So to me it looked like he was throwing shade at at Paul George. But how I know their relationship and Paul George even said what he said like it’s not a knock to Tobias. I think that was Tobias’s way to throw shade at the 76ers for the fact that how bad they were and he had a way better season. That’s how I took it. But it was crazy. I mean, hey, it was a mic drop moment, right? It was. It was. They reminded me of back when Jimmy Butler went to the lock locker room and said, “Tobias over me.” Tobias probably thinking, “PG over me right now.” And it’s interesting because listen, Paul George had a really bad year of the 76ers. Philadelphia had a bad year all around. PG didn’t really do what he was expected to do. The fit with Joel Embiid didn’t work of what we saw, the limited time with them as well. But I think a lot of people forget and fans too just how much they wanted Tobias Harris out the door and then Tobias Harris goes with the Pistons. They have a pretty decent playoff run in the first round and all of a sudden it’s oh okay well maybe people do miss Tobias coming back. It’s so interesting because everybody wanted him out the door Keith. Now people are saying after one year a limited time PG who they don’t want PG on this team anymore. limited sample size, but it was definitely an interesting back and forth. Yeah, it was interesting. And but the thing is like, you know, will Tobias get the last laugh, right? I mean, you know, what is it? We we’ll figure out. Tobias has another year left on his contract with Detroit. The way he’s playing, you know, he’ll probably remain in the league after that. You know, Paul George has three years left. So, it’s going to be one of those things where we’ll figure it out. But, you know, you look at the numbers. You know, Paul George had one of his worst seasons. You know, Tobias, you know, from a point standpoint, it was one of his lowest points per game standpoint, but he shot the ball well. Um, and also he became the leader. He became the the leader of that team, the vocal leader. So, he had an input and he will go down as a guy who helped them have one of the not one of but the the biggest turnaround in in NBA history. So Tobias is winning right now, but it’s kind of like let’s say it’s a mile race. He won the first 400 meters. Let’s see what happens next year at the halfway point and then a couple years from now. But yeah, it’s it’s crazy. But I you know what? I’ve been waiting for Tobias to come back and do the mic drop. You know what I mean? You just have. I love it. Yeah, it’s it’s great. It’s great. I think too Tobias showed that a different side of him right in this playoffs. And this is something that we talked about when they were in it. Tobias being in the huddle directing guys, talking to guys, telling them where to go. We didn’t see as much of that with the 76ers or when he tried to maybe he didn’t have the best performance overall. But at the same time, you saw a different side of Tobias Harris. So, as soon as that gets put out, Tobias does have something to say about Paul George. For me, when I look at the Sixers, I’m hoping that Paul George has the last laugh because you put a lot of money into this. You’re putting a lot of promise. You have a top three pick coming up in the NBA draft. Paul George has to be the last laugh because expectations. Yes, Tobias Harris got a lot of money and there’s a lot of people in this league that get max contracts that probably do not deserve it. But to me, Keith, at this point, Paul George has much higher expectations than Tobias Harris did in his role. Yes and no. I I think yeah, because of his role, but when you talk to Paul George, they brought him in here to be the third option. That’s the same as what Tobias was, right? Um but but yeah, I mean, here’s the thing. I think I think when we talk about Tobias Harris’s contract, I think, you know, it’s a matter of the 76ers had to pay Tobias. And the reason why they had to pay him is because they gave up so much to acquire him. They didn’t know if they were going to keep Jimmy Butler or not. So all of a sudden if Jimmy Lew walks and Jimmy says what he says, you kept the bias over me. Jimmy knows that’s not true. It was Ben Simmons. Ben Simmons didn’t want to play with Jimmy Butler no more, right? So they they made that decision. So the deal is when you when or I shouldn’t say he didn’t want to play with him, he wanted to have the ball in his hands. He wanted to do this. He wanted all that. Right? So the thing is when Tobias was if Tobias would have walked and the Sixers gave up Landry Shamut, they gave up all those draft picks and one of the teams that Tobias was considering was the Clippers to go back there and other things. It would have been a bad look for the 76ers. So I feel like Tobias was in the right situation at the right time which led him to getting paid right. So yeah there’s higher I mean so I I you know with with Paul George being the top free agent there was like the expectations I will say yeah in a way he was supposed to lead you to a championship whereas Tobias was looked upon as a championship piece but not a guy that’s going to lead you to it. I mean, I I I guess what you say. I I would agree with it when you when you think of it that way, but at the same time, I don’t think Paul George was coming in here thinking that he was going to be the man. He thought that he was going to be a co-star. So when you look at that, you say to yourself, the Sixers paid a guy $211.5 million to be a co-star, to not be the alpha, but to be uh a secondary option, a guy who can help out from time to time. That’s a lot of money for that. A lot. and to be the three on the big three too when you’re looking at in terms of scoring options Joel Embiid Tyrese Maxi and Paul George being that third scoring option and two when you look at Paul George’s situation we talk about having this l last laugh laugh you also put into perspective that the 76ers have this coming year to really turn this around right Daryl my has this year to figure out if he’s going to keep his job or not what’s going to happen with Joel Embiid what’s going to happen even with the health of Paul George as well so there’s also a lot lying on Paul George at this moment going into next year and it is just so interesting the back and forth as you alluded to. The guys respect each other but a little bit of offseason drama never left the 76ers and they just had to reel it back in a little bit when things are going well from their end getting number three pick and everything in between as well. So the back and forth by Paul George. I’m hoping for Philadelphia that Paul George gets the last laugh because they’re going to need it next season in a year where a lot is depending on the health and success of Dwell Embiid Paul George or Sarah Murray as well. So people might lose their jobs if they don’t do well next year. So we’ll wait and see. But Tobias Harris, Paul George, let us know what you guys think in the comments about the back and forth. I’m curious any fans too comment if you actually miss Tobias Harris because we know a lot of you guys were trying to push him out the door and all of a sudden now you’re saying oh Tobias Harris Paul George let us know in the comments how you are currently feeling and one thing we do know is 76ers are not in the playoffs but the playoffs are heating up the Pacers the Knicks in the Eastern Conference and then of course on the other side the Timberwolves and OKC we will touch on that a little bit and lessons we have learned that implement the 76ers when we come back on the other side right here on Locked on 76 News. And NBA fans, you know what time it is. Playoff season means big performances and even bigger rewards. Door Dash is bringing you the heat with a slam dunk deal for Dash Pash members during the 2025 NBA playoffs. It’s called They Swoosh, You Score. 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It’s crazy. everybody able to get out there and that’s something that you take and you kind of if you’re any really other NBA team but especially Philadelphia looking out how you want to construct that roster prepare you for next season. Yeah, that’s the biggest thing right there. Um I mean here’s the thing when you look at the 76ers and you look at how they constructed it and and you look at you know OKC, let’s just talk about OKC for a moment. um you know they they basically did the same thing that the Sixers did in regards to they had a multi-year tank. They acquired people um they used asset they you used their cap space to acquire players you know um to take on salary in exchange for draft picks right but when you look at it they got it right you know I mean they they basically you know they they said to uh they said to the Clippers okay if you want to give us SDA you know go ahead but we going to need some picks, too. And Clippers did it right. They and and and that goes in line with the Tobias trade because they used what they got for Tobias and gave it to OKC. Well, then next thing you know, they go out and they get Chad Hunger Hunger or then they get the Jaylen Williams, both of them, right? And now you look at it and you say to yourself, then then other guys who were waved and and and things like that. So, you look at it and you say to yourself, “Okay, well, there’s no way that they’re going to be able to keep all these guys because they’re all going to be up for contracts.” Well, when you look at it, to be honest with you, um Chad Hungren is is heading into the final year of his deal. Jaylen Williams is heading into the final year of his deal, but then they become restricted free agents the year afterwards, right? Well, at that point is when Lou Dort comes off the books, right? And that’s when um Harkinstein comes off the books, but they’re going to have so much cap space available. So, and they’re going to have these bird rights. So, then the following year after that is when you have to pay Shay. So, it’s kind of like staggered where guys are coming off the books and then other guys are going to have to pay them. And I think that they’re set up to have a have a dynasty because of the way they did it. Now, the reason why it works is because where the Sixers went out there and drafted Nerland Noel and then drafted, you know, Joel Embiid and then drafted Jalil Okafer and then traded for like Nick Stskis. You know, they had a lot of then, you know, they also they also got Dario Saridge. So, they did all these things where they made a lot of misses. Well, these people got it right. And I’m here to tell you, Jaylen Williams is making 4.7 million. I wish I was making 4.7, but he’s only making $4.7 million this year for NBA terms, which is a bargain. Next year, he’s going to make $6 million. So, you’re looking at this like, “Wow, you mean to tell me you got a third team allNBA guy who who is uh you know who who’s in addition to that like you know who who was like a second team all defensive, right? Allstar, all that.” When you look at all that, you’re saying to yourself, “This is ridiculous how right they may got it done.” And then you look at Indiana Pacers, the same thing. You know, they getting guys at bargains. They’re getting dudes who other teams gave up on. It’s just crazy. That’s what the Sixers have to do. They got to make sure they get these things right. They have to. And it’s interesting, too, because it even comes down to this draft coming up. Now granted, I don’t think that there’s a lot of ways you can go wrong in this draft if you stick with the number three pick, unless they’re looking at trades, whatever that may be, but there’s really two guys there that you look at. If one guy in particular to me and Ace Bailey Harper for some crazy reason falls down to three, which I don’t believe he will, then you pick him. But that choice is fairly easy if you’re looking at the top three. In addition to that, not only are you looking at drafting these guys that you want to have potential, and we can go back and to the history books of the 76 early history, we could say, drafting Markeel Folultz, getting up to get that pick. If you’re going to draft these guys and you want to invest in them as well, you got to play them and you also got to play them right. That all becomes a part of it because we touched on this before. The last thing you need is a number three pick coming in and not being implemented into the offense, not being implemented into the game plan. You not only have to get this pick right, you have to get this off season right, you have to implement these guys right away to be able to bring this all together because OK, see what I’m seeing right now is crazy. when you can go nine 10 deep into a playoff game and everybody can come in and make an impact. This team looks like they’re unbeatable right now, especially in the Western Conference Finals. So, the 76ers, I agree with you, Keith, they absolutely have to get it right. And there’s a lot they have to get right over time going into this next season. That is a really big season for a lot of different people in that organization. Well, and and you also look at it right now when we talk about um you know, getting it right and doing certain things. You look at the Indiana Pacers and you look at OKC, you know, both teams, they do go deep in the playoffs. Now, typically what they say is, you know, you might play nine to 10 guys in the regular season, right? The first round of playoffs, you may go nine deep. The second round of the playoffs, you know, we’re probably going to go seven, right? And then, you know, you you could keep it there or what have you because you got to give a couple guys a little bit of rest and you may have situational guys, but these two teams because they’re so deep and they’re young and they’re athletic, whatever, they’re changing the way that we look at the postseason. You know, before the postseason was like a strictly halfcourt game. You bring it in, you pound it in, you throw it back outside, what have you. Nah, they’re changing the whole thing. They really are. And and and and that’s what it is. And you know, you look at it of both both teams. They got a bunch of wings, something the Sixers need and they’re trying to do. But they have a bunch of two-way players, too. you know, guys who and and the crazy part is we don’t even you don’t really give the Indiana Pacers a lot of credit for having these wing guys who can defend, but they’re giving they’re making Jaylen Brunson work for all his points. So, you know, the this is what and this is what Nick Nurse wants, right? He wants these interchangeable guys who can just come in and and drop and and and I gonna say drop knowledge, but you just make a a big impact on the game doing a lot of different things and and interchangeable parts and and that’s what uh OKC and and that’s what um the Pacers are doing. And here’s something else, Kayla. These guys care about winning more than they do individual stats. Exactly. to have great players. You have the great players who are great people. And that’s huge because when you can be unselfish and you can get everybody involved, that’s how you win games. We’ve seen the 76ers not get everybody involved or people not wanting to get involved and that has hurt them so much in the postseason among a ton of other things as well. But we’ll continue about the NBA playoffs in just a moment. And on the other side, want to see how Joel Embiid fits into all of this when we come back right here on Locked on 76ers. So, one thing I’ve been noticing about Indiana in the Eastern Conference Finals, they play at their pace. They like to play quick. They like to run up and down the floor. And I wouldn’t even say worried is the word, but when I look at the 76ers and you know, let’s say everything goes well, they get into the playoffs, everybody’s healthy, the one thing that could hurt them to me when I’m looking at this Eastern Conference right now is the quickness of it. Because yes, Joel Embiid is dominant. Yes, if he’s 100% and not injured, he can be the best player on the floor. But Keith, he does slow the game down for the 76ers. They play a lot quicker with him off the floor. Is that any cause for concern when you look at right now how the Eastern Conference and the NBA playoffs is being played knowing that Joel Embiid does slow things down a little bit when he’s on the floor? You know, I I don’t think it’s a cause for concern if Joel is playing at a high level. I mean, you know, because the thing is, you know, you got to go with your strength. So, when you look at these teams, the teams the Oklahoma City Thunder, you look at uh the Indiana Pacers, you look at um the Minnesota uh Timberwolves and the New York Knicks. Their best players are perimeter players. So, you know, they’re franchise players. So, you go with that, right? You know, call Anthony Town is a big who has like, you know, who could play out in the perimeter. He can do things. You know, the other bigs are kind of sort of like rim protectors who can get up and down. When you have a guy, if Joel is playing at a high level and playing dominant, that’s your strength. He’s going to back you up and he’s going to bang you. He’s going to, you know, frustrate you. And also, he can get out in space and he can hit threes. So, I don’t think it’s a concern because you’re basically playing to your strength. And that’s also what that does is if you notice how the Knicks were basically getting back into the game against the Pacers was when they were slowing it down a little bit. The Pacers were getting less chances to get out and run in the open floor. And you know, so I think that with Joel Embiid being such the guy and and they talk about foul merchants, he’s going to foul you out, right? So with that being said, no, I I don’t think that’s a problem for them. I think it’s it’s all it’s it’s predicated on your makeup of the team. You know what I mean? Yeah. And Right. And you know the thing is to me too and I know not to state the obvious here but Joel Embiid has to be healthy right we know that going into next year. My biggest thing is though he’s got to be healthy. He’s got to be ready to go in for the kill. He’s got to be dominant. He can’t be worried about any type of injury nagging him because if you are going to play around the makeup of your team and you are going to feed and be whether that’s on the perimeter, down at the block, whatever that may be to your best dominant player, he’s got to be ready for that and be 100%. And when you look at his track record and you look at his playoffs and the injuries that he’s had, it’s not too promising. But that’s what we’re waiting on for coming this year. So, we will wait and see. It’s been an interesting NBA playoff. still weird and I know we’re deep in it now and the Sixers haven’t been in the Eastern Conference Finals in a very long time, but it is still weird not seeing the 76ers in the playoffs in the postseason. Their best news from this off season has been that number three pick. But it is coming down to the wire for the NBA playoffs. And right now, Keith, we got two front runners. I mean, the Thunder, they’re up on the Timberwolves, the Pacers up on the Knicks. Do you see Minnesota or New York coming back in any of these games or are you taking Pacers OKC NBA finals? I’ll make you laugh. I have a cousin who lives in Brooklyn. He’s a Philly transplant. He’s been up there for I want to say 20s something years. So he texts me after the game uh Wednesday night and no Tuesday night and saying Nick and seven. Now, before he was saying Nixon four, Nixon five, Nixon six, now Nixon seven. The dude is hallucinating like, you know what I mean? He he he needs to like, you know, get some fresh air or something or or or or leave that latte alone or whatever it is. Nah, they’re done. They’re cooked. I mean, it it’s kind of like I mean, I think I shouldn’t say done cooked. I think that they’re going to win uh game six uh which is going to be Thursday, right? Um but I think they lose I mean game five, excuse me, but I think they lose in game six in Indiana. Um I don’t see Minnesota coming back and and you know what, who knows? Minnesota may steal one or whatever, but I don’t see it. I I just see that, you know, the two best teams are showing up and and they’re and they’re seeing it. Like we could see gentleman sweeps on both of them, right? Because let’s keep it 100. Like I think OKC lost game three because you know game two was such an emotional roller coaster for them because my man got the award everything. Um and and like everybody was celebrating. They got Rolexes the day before that and I think they thought it was going to be sweet. I did. I think they were like, “Yo, we’re the best team.” And then they got smacked in the mouth in game three, but then they came back. I do not see those teams winning. And then here’s another thing about the Knicks. Carl Anthony Towns got injured late in that game, right? How is that knee going to hold up? That’s a that’s a concern to me. So I think yeah I think for New York too my whole thing is even if for some crazy reason they do come back they might get swept in the NBA finals because they are going to be exhausted from fighting back. They’re not 100%. You alluded to it with Carl Anthony Towns as well. The Pacers I don’t even want to say they surprise me because you know last year they’re in the same position. They have an opportunity to go they get knocked out but the Pacers really just have come to play. They are in it. I still think that OKC, and I said this earlier in the year, I’m taking them as the NBA champion. Just the way that they’ve been able to battle. And the thing about OKC is I said, “Okay, well, they have Hartinstein down low. Ched is a decent player, but I don’t know how he’ll, you know, do against Joic and the other big body centers as well.” And they’ve proved that they don’t need all of that. They have enough players and enough bench to be able to get just about by anybody. So, I’m going to say OKC Indiana as well, and it will be interesting. But let us know in the comments who you think you will have as your NBA champion, and if the Knicks or possibly the Timberwolves can come back. I think we’re both saying we’re liking the front runners right now because they have shown in these series that they deserve to be in the NBA Finals. So, we will wait and see. But, let us know in the comments as well how you’re feeling about the 76ers currently. Draft is coming up. We’ll see what they do with that number three pick and everything in between. Well, thank you guys all so much for tuning in to Locked On 76ers. Thank you so much for making locked on 76ers your first listen today. For your second listen, check out the locked on NBA big board show. You have a chance to see every workout interview and rumor leading up to the NBA draft. Find locked on NBA board on YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast. for Keith Pompei. I’m Kayla Santiago saying so long. Thank you guys all so much for tuning in and joining us. And thank you for staying locked on with the 76ers.

This episode unpacks the dynamics of the 76ers’ playoff journey. Dive into the intriguing interaction between Tobias Harris and Paul George, and explore how the 76ers’ roster construction compares to successful teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers. Keith Pompey and Kayla Santiago analyze the impact of Embiid’s playing style in the fast-paced Eastern Conference and predict the outcomes of key playoff matchups.

Discover how the 76ers can leverage their draft prospects to reshape their future. Don’t miss this chance to gain insider perspectives on the 76ers’ path to success.

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