76ers Named NBA’s Best Offseason After Paul George Deal: ‘They’ve Gone to the Next Level’ | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats and Rumors

The Philadelphia 76ers had an epic offseason, acquiring Paul George, Caleb Martin, Eric Gordon, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson as free agents, drafting Jared McCain and re-signing Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Kyle Lowry, among other moves.

And the rest of the NBA took notice.

In an ESPN poll of 18 coaches, scouts and executives from across the league, the Philadelphia 76ers were named the team with the best offseason (eight votes), beating out the New York Knicks (five), Oklahoma City Thunder (three) and Boston Celtics (two).

“They’ve moved to the next level,” the Eastern Conference team’s GM told ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “We’ll see if that’s enough, but you’ve moved from point A to point B.”

The acquisition of George alone was enough to propel the Philadelphia team into the No. 1 overall spot, according to one West executive, “especially because of what it could have looked like” had the Sixers failed to acquire a star using all the salary-cap space they had accrued before the summer.

Of course, the injury histories of Joel Embiid and George will have a huge impact on the team’s overall growth. And while the Sixers have excellent potential starting wing options in George, Oubre, and Martin, the potential second unit is mostly made up of smaller guards (Lowry, Gordon, Jackson, McCain).

Perhaps the Sixers will go with Lowry or Gordon and bring Oubre or Martin off the bench. Nick Nurse will have a good problem to deal with as he finally tries to get Embiid and these Sixers to the second round.