Georges Niang Views Sixers as NBA Title Contenders

Free agency was a frenzy for most of the league but rather quiet for the Sixers. With their core locked up long-term, Daryl Morey did not have much cap

Free agency was a frenzy for most of the league but rather quiet for the Sixers. With their core locked up long-term, Daryl Morey did not have much cap flexibility at his disposal. 

Instead, the Sixers focused on filling holes to keep the roster in a position to compete in the Eastern Conference. One of the small moves Morey made was signing Georges Niang to a two-year deal. 

Niang is a sharpshooting forward who spent the last four seasons with the Utah Jazz. The 27-year-old is coming off his third-straight season of shooting over 40% from beyond the arc. His efficient shooting should help with the spacing issues the second unit saw at times this past season. 

During a recent AMA for Bleacher Report, Niang gave his thoughts on the team's chances to compete for a title. 

"The pieces we have in Philly are definitely good enough to win a championship. I think guys are motivated and hungry to get back and make that goal a reality," said Niang. 

There is still no telling what the Sixers' roster will look like when the season begins. With things heating up in the Ben Simmons saga, there might be some new faces in Philly by the start of training camp. Despite the Simmons situation hanging over their head, the Sixers should feel they can still be a threat in the East. 

Joel Embiid is coming off the best season of his career and is currently one of the most dominant forces in the league. He appears mentally and physically ready to lead the team deep into the postseason. Tobias Harris is also playing his best basketball and showed last season that his game still has room to grow. 

Competing in the East will be no small task this season. Brooklyn, Milwaukee, and Miami stacked up this offseason and also view themselves as contenders. 

It's still too soon to say where the Sixers rank in the East because their roster is not set in stone, but they are sure to remain in the conversation of teams that could win a title this upcoming season. 

Kevin McCormick covers the Philadelphia 76ers for South Jersey's 97.3 ESPN and Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @KevinMcCNBA.