The 2017-18 NBA season finally might be the breakout season for the Philadelphia 76ers. They’re as locked and loaded as it gets. After notching top-pick-after-top-pick for a few years now, they’re finally ready for war.

If there seems to be too much talent in the above photo, it’s because it is and that’s only half the package. The Sixers sport a potential starting lineup of Joel Embiid at the 5 and Dario Saric at the 4. Deadly front-court, check. They have Markelle Fultz and seasoned veteran J.J. Redick at the 1 and 2. Deadly back-court, check. As if there was a need for anything else, we got Ben Simmons doing everything and guys like Jahlil Okafor and Amir Johnson in the barracks.

The Philadelphia 76ers basically have no ceiling. Sky is the limit for them. But everything is not sunshine and rainbows. While Simmons has got all the medical clearance needed to play basketball at the highest level, Embiid is still recovering from a torn left meniscus that cut his season short last year. Simmons and Embiid need every bit of luck they can find in the world.

“I think we should make a good run at the playoffs.” NBA Hall-of-Famer and Philadelphia sports legend Julius Erving on the current Sixers team.

As fans of the sport of basketball, we should be optimistic about such a team. It can’t be all that bad. Dario Saric was all over the stats in the absence of Embiid last season. Okafor is an old school centre, as rugged as they come. They got a great locker room guy in Redick and phenoms in Simmons and Fultz. If they can make even half of what’s expected of them, we’ll get a peek into the bright future of NBA basketball.

Check out another brilliant piece on the Philadelphia 76ers by ES here.