4. Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers have been the butt of jokes over the past seven years, but this team’s days as a punchline are numbered.
Thanks to the play of Joel Embiid, who was even better than advertised, the outlook for this team is the best it has been in years. This summer they’ll like add another top pick, as well as a healthy Ben Simmons — the top pick in the 2016 NBA Draft who missed this enter season because of injury.
This team has built an identity. Some of their assets are turning into good, and even potentially great, players. The 76ers have suffered but all that suffering is about to pay off.