J. Kyle Mann

But as we kind of tear out the East, I think whatever you determine the line is, like where that line is between the teams above this line are clearly contending and the teams below this line are just missing something really critical.

To me, the Sixers are below that line.

And that's where you would have loved to see even just some depth plays, even just some ways to round out their rotation.

To make it a little more manageable, yeah, to survive Paul George's suspension, as you said, Justin.

But also, when he comes back, to be able to benefit from him with just a smidge more frontcourt depth.

I don't think it really would have taken a lot.

And yet...

It's also hard to pinpoint that exact player.

There just aren't a lot of really good forwards floating in the ether right now.

And the ones that are, we just talk ourselves to death about, like Trey Murphy or Larry Markkinen, for example, who now might just be nailed down in Utah.

And so who is it that we were expecting them to get?

Who was it that was going to change their world over the back part of this season?

I think maybe it's fair to say that that guy just wasn't out there.

I would say so.

Yeah, I think so.

Shades of Darth Maul.

No, absolutely no Darth.

Now, VJ Edgecombe, he might have some Darth Maul in him, you know?

Yeah, I'm cool with it as not just like a way station, but any kind of like temporary step, you know, yeah, positive direction in terms of how many games the Wizards win.

But also like they just didn't give up anything that's going to change their future.