Philadelphia 76ers star big man Joel Embiid does it all. He steps out and knocks down jumpers. He punishes mismatches on the low block. He gets to the free-throw line and knocks them down consistently. He is an elite defender. He can score at all three levels and he does it at an efficient rate.

Paul George and Embiid together also form a strong defensive frontcourt. George had led the league in steals in 2019 with 2.2 per game. He has also been named to two all-defensive first teams (2014, 2019) and two all-defensive second teams (2013, 2016).

Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George comes in ranked as the 20th-best player in the NBA heading into the new season.

The 2024-25 season is approaching quickly and now's the time to take stock of the NBA and predict how things are going to shake out in the preseason. The Eastern Conference figures to be extremely competitive as teams look to take down the defending champion Boston Celtics.