Fresh off his team earning the No. 3 pick in the lottery, a confident Joel Embiid says the Philadelphia 76ers are almost ready to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers and star LeBron James.
"We're gearing up at the right time. When we start getting good, that's when Cleveland and LeBron will start going down," Embiid said Tuesday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Embiid was the 76ers' representative at the draft lottery. Philadelphia received a top-three draft pick for the fourth straight year by virtue of being able to swap picks with the Sacramento Kings.
The 76ers finished 28-54 this season. While that marked their most wins since 2012-13, it was also 23 wins fewer than the regular-season total posted by the Cavaliers, who are currently playing in the Eastern Conference finals.
Even so, Embiid is trusting the process and believes the 76ers' time is near.
"When I say we are going to be ready to win when the Cavs are going down, that doesn't mean, like, five years," Embiid said. "Next year I think we are going to be ready to win."
Embiid played in 31 games this season, averaging 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game, before his season was cut short by a torn left meniscus. Speaking at ESPN's Upfront presentation Tuesday, Embiid said he was about two to three weeks from returning to the court.
