The Philadelphia 76ers' route to the NBA Finals became much harder on Friday.
The New York Knicks made a stunning trade for Minnesota Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns, further strengthening their starting lineup. The Sixers can undoubtedly still compete with the Knicks' loaded roster, but understand the new challenge they're faced with.
76ers center Andre Drummond weighed in on the move via social media, writing, "Kat to the Knicks [eyes emoji] things just got interesting @NBA."
The anticipated top three teams in the Eastern Conference are the reigning champion Boston Celtics, Knicks, and 76ers. The Sixers are projected to finish third in this group during the regular season, largely due to health, but the acquisition of Towns widens the gap. Philadelphia must now rely further on their depth (Caleb Martin, Drummond, Jared McCain, and Kelly Oubre Jr.) to combat the numerous scoring options on the Celtics and Knicks.
Drummond is expected to serve as the primary backup to Joel Embiid, meaning he'll get some serious reps in the regular season. Towns is far from an ideal matchup for the veteran, as he prefers to strech the floor while Drummond typically stays at home in the paint. Towns knocked down 41.6% of his three-pointers last season on 5.3 attempts per game.
There is one bright spot for the Sixers' frontcourt.
The depth behind Towns is lackluster, at least to start the season with Mitchell Robinson sidelined. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is known for running players more than they're accustomed to, meaning the ex-Wolves center could find himself drained by the postseason.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia has Embiid, Drummond, and Adem Bona to split the minutes.
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