Summary judgments: Alex Caruso and Bruce Brown for the Sixers, Jeremiah Trotter and Jevon Bullard for the Eagles, optimism galore

Corrections, clarifications, and updates to the record as we look forward to pitchers and catchers ....

The most impressive thing about Joel Embiid’s 70-point outburst against the Spurs is that he did it in a game where Furkan Korkmaz was the Sixers’ backup point guard. No offense to Furk. He has his strengths. But they do not include And1 Mix Tape production. If there’s any scenario where your team is asking for meaningful ballhandling minutes out of a 6-foot-7 spot-shooter, your team has some work to do.

The question isn’t whether the Sixers need help. It’s what form that help should take. Their other glaring need is a third scoring option who can serve as a primary bucket-getter when teams are taking away Tyrese Maxey. If that player can serve as a primary ball handler, all the better. Problem is, the grocery store is kind of sparse in that department.

» READ MORE: The Sixers’ foes in the East have made moves. What will Philly do by the trade deadline?

I don’t think Dejounte Murray or Zach LaVine are fits. Murray would make more sense than LaVine — he’s a much better on-ball defender and a more willing passer. But both of their offensive strengths are as volume scorers, and the Sixers don’t need that alongside Maxey in the backcourt. The ideal guy to pair with Maxey might actually be Alex Caruso, LaVine’s teammate in Chicago. He’s a tenacious defender, a playoff veteran, and he’s shooting .415 from three-point range. He wouldn’t do much to address the need for a third scoring option. But, man, what a fit.

Therein lies the conundrum.

The Sixers are mostly trying to construct a team that can match up against the Celtics in a seven-game series. Boston has three guys they can run their offense through on any given possession. When Jayson Tatum’s shots aren’t falling and Jaylen Brown is lingering in the background somewhere, Kristaps Porzingis can go to work. The Celtics have had a lot of success against Maxey over the last couple of years. The Sixers need a similar option for those possessions where Embiid is gassed or off the court and Maxey is in Jrue Holiday jail.

But most of the obvious fits are more complementary types than reliable bucket-getters. Like Caruso, I’d love to see what the Sixers look like with Bruce Brown at the two or three. He’s a positionless dynamo who does a lot of winning things on both ends of the court, as we saw during his star turn for the Nuggets in last season’s title run. He figures to be available after the Pacers shipped him to Toronto in the Pascal Siakam trade. Native son Kyle Lowry would be intriguing as a buyout candidate. But there is a reason the Heat viewed him as expendable. Wizards point guard Tyus Jones remains high atop my wish list.

The Sixers are at an interesting juncture. They can’t afford to take on any contracts that would cost them assets to shed at a later date. They have a wide-open cap sheet heading into a summer when Jimmy Butler could hit free agency. They also can’t afford to focus on the summer when the winter and spring are there for the taking. The Sixers are good. Very good. There are lots of ways they can become better. Your move, Daryl.

» READ MORE: If his hometown Sixers trade him, Marcus Morris Sr. says, ‘I’m prepared for it’

And now for an overdue dose of Eagles optimism ....

The more I look at this year’s draft class, the more I think it sets up perfectly for the Eagles. The first round is stacked at quarterback and offensive line, two premium positions where teams tend to err on the side of optimism. Every one of them that goes off the board means a player at a less-premium position is closer to falling to No. 22.

The current batch of mock drafts all seem to think that Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean and Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry could fall to the bottom third of the first round. DeJean is listed as a cornerback, but his game strikes me more as a potentially elite safety. They both seem like such obvious NFL fits that I find it hard to believe that they won’t go higher. Even if they do, the Eagles could be fishing in instant-impact waters in the second and third round. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is more than a sentimental pick. He’s a ready-made NFL linebacker who makes up for his lack of straight-line foot speed with excellent instincts, balance, and change of direction. Michigan linebacker Junior Colson is another name to remember. At safety, Georgia’s Javon Bullard is a legitimate playmaker. At running back, Oregon’s Bucky Irving and Notre Dame’s Audric Estime top the wish list.

» READ MORE: Murphy: What if the Eagles had drafted Kyle Hamilton when they had a chance?

And another one …

You’ve probably seen the picture of (reported) new Eagles defensive line coach Clint Hurtt, whose dimensions suggest the his last name ain’t lying.

Even more impressive than his arms and shoulders is his resumé. Two years as defensive coordinator. Five years as defensive line coach. Two years as outside linebackers coach.

Consider this: Last year, the Eagles’ defensive position coaches entered the season with a combined six years of NFL position-coaching experience. Three of the assistants were in their first seasons as NFL position coaches: linebackers (D.J. Eliot), defensive backs (D.K. McDonald), and nickels (Ronell Williams).

It’s pretty clear that Nick Sirianni felt his team’s defensive issues ran much deeper than the coordinator level. Experience has been a priority in his reported hires thus far. You have to think it will help.