The Philadelphia 76ers' roster is championship-caliber, but a non-star must rise up when it matters most to win a title.
An X-factor is arguably the most important piece of Philadelphia's lineup outside of the Big Three—Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George. The Sixers found theirs in free agency this summer, according to NBA analyst Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report.
It's ex-Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin.
"Caleb Martin is a bargain at four years and $35 million regardless of which version of the gritty combo forward shows up to join the Philadelphia 76ers," Hughes wrote. "But if it's the 2021-22 edition, or the one who was an indispensable piece of the Miami Heat's 2023 run to the Finals, the Sixers will have a surefire fifth closer in the fold for what they hope is their own deep playoff surge."
Martin spent the last three seasons in Miami, where he averaged 9.6 points and 4.4 rebounds on 46.3% shooting. The most convincing case for Martin acting as their X-factor is the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. The 28-year-old thrived against the Boston Celtics, helping veteran star Jimmy Butler haul Miami to the Finals.
It's unknown how Martin will take on this role, considering he's expected to play the majority of his minutes as a 6-foot-5 power forward.
If not Martin, Philadelphia holds plenty of potential X-factors thanks to the monster offseason orchestrated by Daryl Morey.
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