The free agency period in the NBA is very short and the 76ers are definitely going for it this year. They took a significant risk in signing 34-year-old Paul George to a four-year contract. He has been a good player for a long time for the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder. I am nervous about him signing this contract though because he suffered a serious leg injury while getting ready for the 2016 Olympics. He has done a great job recovering from this, but you never know how long he is going to last. The Sixers also picked up backup center Andre Drummond. He was on the team in previous years and did a good job. I wish they had been able to keep him on team two years ago. They need a strong backup center for Joel Embiid so that he doesn’t have to play every minute of every game. The 76ers need to keep him healthy for April and May in the playoff period. The team was also able to keep Kelly Oubre Jr. and sign veteran Eric Gordon to a one-year contract.
I think the Sixers are in the top three of the Eastern Conference now along with the defending champion Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. We will have to wait until October when the games actually start to see if my predictions play out.
The Phillies have three starting players in the All-Star game in Texas in two weeks. I don’t know if Bryce Harper is going to be able to play due to his hamstring injury, but he definitely deserves to be acknowledged. Trea Turner has done a great job coming back from his own injury and playing well despite having no rehab games under his belt. He has been hitting very well for the past three weeks. The most deserving player for the Phillies is third baseman Alec Bohm. He has over 70 RBIs just a week before the break and he has played very well in the field as well. I also think Zack Wheeler is going to represent the Phillies pitchers and might actually get to start the game for the NL All-Stars.
The Wimbledon tennis tournament has begun. I think the two favorites to win the tournament will be Carlos Alvarez from Spain and Coco Gauff from the U.S. on the women’s side. Novak Djokovic is playing this Wimbledon, but he is coming off a knee surgery just three weeks ago. So I will be surprised if he can win all seven matches to win the championship. Gauff seems very determined and she’s played quite well in the first two rounds.
They moved up the start of the tournament by one week because most of the players are going to stay in Europe to get ready for the Olympics, which starts July 26.
Happy Independence Day to everyone.
-
A 2002 Cape grad and 2007 UD grad, Lewes resident Sumner Spence is one of the Cape area's biggest sports fans. Although he’s used a wheelchair his entire life, he has lived vicariously through his sports-playing father, brother, and friends, who gave him his love of sports. He hopes to provide new and interesting perspectives on the sports stories and issues of the day. Email Sumner at sumspence@gmail.com.
