Copyright phillyvoice
It cannot possibly get any worse, right? The 2024-25 Sixers season was among the most dreadful and frustrating campaigns any team has experienced in recent NBA history. A dream summer and championship aspirations devolved into controversy, disappointment, a multi-month tanking effort and a 24-58 record. On Wednesday night, the Sixers will begin their 2025-26 regular season against a Boston Celtics team that had its championship-caliber roster gutted. With Joel Embiid officially a full go – and Paul George reportedly not far away – they have a real opportunity to set the tone early on, the opposite of what happened a year ago. With just hours remaining before the 2025-26 Philadelphia 76ers officially kick things off, enjoy these 10 predictions for the season ahead: Joel Embiid's production and availability are well below his previous standards, but much better than in 2024-25 Some predictions here may end up sounding bold. This should not be one of them. As far as superstar players go, it is nearly impossible to top the heights Embiid had reached individually over the last half-decade – and the same could be said for the rock-bottom state he found himself in last year. Embiid only played in 19 of the Sixers' 82 games last season. When he did play, he was a complete shell of himself. Before Embiid suffered a meniscus injury during the 2023-24 season, it appeared as if he had mastered the sport of basketball, about to become a back-to-back NBA MVP. Ever since, it has felt like the rest of the NBA has been figuring him out, because Embiid has just not been able to move the same way. The time has come for Embiid, 31, to treat seasons like the marathons that they are for any player with his size and injury history. He finally appears to acknowledge that. It is not just about periodically resting or resisting the urge to push through nagging ailments, but also changing the way he plays to better pace himself over the course of a season. On Media Day, Embiid was willing to be open about the uncertainty surrounding his health. But he prides himself on being a two-way player, and he does not want that to change the way it did last year. Asked about changing his style to preserve his health, his mind went there. "That's tough. Yeah. I mean, I think about it, but then again, at times you can't get out of yourself," Embiid said. "All I know, ever since I started, is to play hard, play both ends. There's a lot of people in the league that play on side, whether it's offense or defense. My mentality is to do whatever it takes to win, and for all of my career actually, it's been having to do both... I've gotten to this point because of how good I am on both ends of the floor. So if you asked me to change the way I play, the only guess I would have is playing offense fully and take plays off defensively, which doesn't suit me. I don't think I would ever be okay with that... If it's got to be that way, it's definitely going to be an adjustment, but I don't see that happening." Perhaps, then, the better solution is not shouldering an enormous scoring workload. When Embiid is right, no basketball player alive is more challenging to defend one-on-one; Embiid dominates single coverage to such a degree that nobody even bothers waiting for him to heat up before sending double-teams. Maybe, instead of constantly barreling into defenders inside and baiting them into hitting him so he can shoot free throws, Embiid can spend more of his touches trying to empower his teammates and give them chances to score. It could be better for the collective while enabling Embiid to save his scoring juice for when it matters most. Paul George nears 40 percent from three-point range, but his on-ball scoring remains disappointing The Sixers signing George was not unanimously supported – for example, it was hard to be incredibly surprised that George, then 34 years old, only played in 41 games – but nobody expect the nine-time All-Star to look so pedestrian in his first season with the Sixers. George only surpassed 30 points one time last year, and his ability to explode by defenders was largely nonexistent. Star-like performances almost never occurred for one of the best NBA players of a generation, and George's overall shot profile took a major turn for the worse as he struggled to create any sorts of off-the-dribble advantages. Time and time again, George tried to drive by defenders, was cut off and had to settle for difficult jumpers. Once a masterful pull-up shooter, George had trouble knocking down those shots at a high clip because he was consistently facing tighter contests: While that is a reasonable explanation for George's efficiency going down considerably, it does not explain his struggles on open spot-up three-point attempts. That, for a shooter as accomplished as George, can largely be drawn up to bad luck in a small sample. Perhaps George's burst had more to do with early-season knee injuries and an eventual groin issue than he or the Sixers were letting on at the time. But it is just as easy to argue that his aging process has accelerated, and that a Sixers team suddenly flush with shot creators should move George into more of an off-ball role where his stellar shot-making can carry the load. Tyrese Maxey finishes in the top five in the NBA in total minutes played This backcourt could be electrifying, and that is because Maxey is not its only dynamic talent. Quentin Grimes is a reliable 3-and-D guard whose on-ball skills were stunning in the last two months of 2024-25. The organization's last two first-round picks, VJ Edgecombe and Jared McCain, both have franchise-altering upside. All four players will be critical now and moving forward; head coach Nick Nurse will certainly play three of them together very often. However, Maxey is the shining star of the group, and the only one with experience carrying a massive load in an NBA offense and winning games at the same time. Maxey is limited as the focal point of an entire roster over the course of an entire season, but he can very easily hold up as a primary scoring option for games or spurts of games. When Embiid is sidelined, Nurse will have difficulty justifying any minutes total for Maxey below 40 – and it might be hard to keep him below that figure even when the Sixers are close to full strength. Really, the prediction here is that Maxey will not suffer a serious injury. If he does not, a top-five finish in the NBA in total minutes should be close to a lock. MORE: Projecting Nick Nurse's opening night rotation Kelly Oubre Jr. makes it through the season with the Sixers Many are assuming Oubre and his $8.3 million expiring salary will be gone by the trade deadline in early February, and that is certainly plausible. But it is far from an inevitability, in part because there is not a ton of surefire wing production on this roster outside of the veteran swingman entering his 11th NBA season. George, of course, figures to be a reliable two-way option across multiple positions whenever he is healthy. But he is a safe bet to miss time, and behind George and Oubre is a questionable group. Justin Edwards looked like a rotation-caliber player as a rookie but has not done himself any favors since; his Summer League and preseason were both extremely disappointing (the latter is more of a concern). Grimes can slide up to small forward when necessary, but it is not his natural position. The Sixers could slide Jabari Walker or Dominick Barlow down to the three, but it will come at the cost of spacing. Unless the Sixers end up experiencing such a disastrous season that their lone goal at the deadline is ducking the luxury tax, it will be difficult to trade Oubre and get better in the process. If the Sixers disappoint and are traditional sellers, it is possible that a team gives up a minor asset for Oubre, but in that case the Sixers could opt to hold onto Oubre and try to retain him in free agency. Andre Drummond is traded Drummond, however, provides a lot less value to the Sixers on his $5 million expiring salary. Drummond will not be in the rotation when Embiid is healthy, though there is no more important third-string center job than the one held by the Sixers. If Drummond's play is not substantially better this year than last, though, he will be extremely easy to replace, whether that replacement is rookie Johni Broome, a power forward like Barlow or Walker sliding up to the five or an external addition. What cannot be disputed is that if the Sixers want to upgrade their roster in any trade, the inclusion of Drummond's salary is almost definitely going to be necessary in order to facilitate the deal. Drummond is the only player on a non-minimum salary that is truly expendable on this team. Even if the Sixers do not end up buying at the trade deadline, it would make sense to move the veteran big and save money while providing additional opportunities to players like Broome, Barlow and Walker. Quentin Grimes waiving his no-trade clause is never seriously broached In theory, the Sixers could try to convince Grimes to waive the veto power vested in him by the qualifying offer and find a trade that gives their roster greater balance. And, in theory, that could steer Grimes to a team where he has a better chance of securing the kind of long-term role that he wants. It is not a bad idea... in theory. The theory just about dies there. The Sixers own Full Bird rights on Grimes, which means they can offer him any salary when he hits unrestricted free agency next summer. But if Grimes is traded, his new team would not inherit those rights. Accepting a trade would be a massive gamble for Grimes unless he is being moved to a team that projects to have significant cap space and is expressing interest in paying him major dollars over the summer. The odds of a perfect storm coming together – that would be the Sixers being able to trade Grimes for a player of similar value on a team that is slated to have major space next summer – are extremely unlikely. Grimes should be expected to play out the year on his qualifying offer and then become a free agent. The Sixers will still be well-positioned to retain him if they are willing to outbid the market, but clearly they have reservations. Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker both earn standard contracts Barlow and Walker are both on two-way deals, and the Sixers can have any of Barlow, Walker and Hunter Sallis active for up to 90 games before each of them would need to be converted to a standard deal to be able to suit up. Before the Sixers opened up training camp, Walker was far and away the favorite from that group to emerge and earn a standard deal. Many were shocked that he had to sign a two-way deal to begin with, and his three years of NBA experience enabled him to prove he is a terrific rebounder and sturdy defender. After the first day of practice, though, Nurse emphatically declared that Barlow was standing out. He highlighted Barlow's rebounding and the way his athleticism can impact the game in several facets. Barlow, 22, also has three years of NBA experience under his belt, though he entered Philadelphia less accomplished than Walker. Now, the question is not whether Barlow will be in the Sixers' rotation on opening night, but whether or not he will be starting alongside Embiid. He started in the Sixers' first three preseason games and is a surefire lock to make the rotation when the season begins. Trendon Watford's hamstring issue has helped Barlow grab the spotlight, and it very well might provide Walker a path to early minutes despite not having a particularly impressive preseason. If either or both players prove they give the Sixers the best chance to win a given game, Nurse will not worry about the limitations of their availability, he said last week. "I am going to think about playing the best guys, right here, right now, for now," Nurse said. "...I think that right now I just want to plug in the guys that I think best can help us. And then, yes, if it becomes a problem later, hopefully it's a good problem because we got some results out of that." The guess here: Barlow and Walker both show enough to eventually force conversions, likely around February. If the Sixers end up buying at the trade deadline, making a consolidation deal in which they trade two players for one or three players for two would leave them with a pair of open roster spots to convert Barlow and Walker. Or they could simply salary dump someone like Drummond and execute both conversions then. MORE: Jabari Walker uses lessons learned from 10-year NBA veteran father Samaki Jared McCain makes a serious case as the Sixers' most valuable prospect, ahead of VJ Edgecombe Edgecombe was the No. 3 overall pick in June, was exciting in his brief time in Summer League, drew rave reviews from teammates and coaches alike and put on a show in his lone preseason appearance in front of home fans. There is enormous excitement about the 20-year-old right now, and rightfully so. But McCain's sophomore season being delayed should not make anyone forget just how electric his 23-game rookie sample was. McCain was a 20-year-old and had just a few weeks of NBA experience, and he was scoring at will at all three levels on high efficiency while climbing scouting reports McCain's mid-range craft was much more advanced than his paint scoring, but his three-point prowess – and the many ways it can be utilized – still stands out above the rest. He can knock down spot-up threes at an elite clip, but is also a threat to pull up at any moment. He is also absolutely brilliant when it comes to relocating off the ball. In other words: McCain's blend of shooting talents are nearly unparalleled among players his age in NBA history: McCain also made massive strides in a very short time as a playmaker, where he already had more ability than expected. His tremendous feel for the game was evident, and he was the clear favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award before a torn meniscus ended his season. When McCain gets back from his thumb injury (a November return seems most likely), there is a distinct possibility he goes nuclear as a scorer, forces himself into the starting lineup and establishes himself as the most enticing prospect in the organization. To be clear, none of this is an indictment of Edgecombe, nor is it intended to be seen as pushback against the optimism that he has incited. It is just that so much time has passed since McCain last suited up that some have forgotten just how remarkable his brief rookie year was. The Sixers make the playoffs via the Play-In Tournament and lose in round one The top six teams in each conference receive automatic playoff spots, while the No. 7 through No. 10 seeds have to earn their way into the 16-team bracket. The Sixers were the No. 7 seed two years ago and knocked off the No. 8 seed Miami Heat in the Play-In Tournament thanks to a legendary Nic Batum performance. No. 7 or No. 8 feels like a reasonable estimation of where the Sixers will land in the Eastern Conference given their obvious limitations and injury concerns. The Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks all feel like near-locks to win more games than the Sixers. If Giannis Antetokounmpo does not request a midseason trade, the Milwaukee Bucks probably are, too. Most would put the Detroit Pistons in that same basket. Nothing is guaranteed in the Play-In Tournament, but if the Sixers get there at full strength they would have a tremendously difficult time not advancing. And, if the Sixers have to play an extra game to get into the playoffs but have done a more effective job preserving their health, it is an outcome they should be willing to accept every time. Running this group into the ground by the middle of April for the sake of favorable playoff seeding would be a fool's errand. Winning in the playoffs will require this team – and Embiid specifically – to be in peak form. All of the evidence that currently exists suggests it will be far more complicated than that. Making the Play-In Tournament feels like a reasonable and rationale expectation; winning a playoff series is a bridge too far given the information available right now. Nick Nurse and Daryl Morey both remain in their positions heading into 2026-27 So, is that a successful season? It is a far cry from what the Sixers were hoping for this time last year, and what the organization was aiming for over the seven seasons prior to that. Being happy to join the bottom half of the playoff field is entirely antithetical to the mindset that kickstarted the rebuild now known as "The Process." But it would be a sign of stability after a year in which there was none of it. The key figure in this is President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey. He must continue to convince Sixers ownership that he is the right leader for their front office. Proponents of Morey's will point to the impressive nucleus of young players he has built, a group led by Edgecombe and McCain, and the fact that the vast majority of his transactions in recent years have been successes. Then there will be Morey's detractors, who would have a fair argument that Morey's two misses – a pair of contracts handed to Embiid and George last summer worth over $400 million combined – were so disastrous that it invalidates any of his other successes. If Morey remains in charge, it bodes well for Nurse. Nothing is ever guaranteed in the NBA, and if the Sixers' stars decide they want a new coach, they will probably have a new coach. But perhaps 2024-25 was so uniquely disastrous that everybody involved would know not to take a decent year filled with progress for granted. And that is a testament to how brutally all of this crashed down a year ago. MORE: Bob Myers to become 'president of sports' for Sixers ownership group
