The Philadelphia 76ers are off from their pre-season championship expectations, currently sitting at a 22-42 record and 11th in the Eastern Conference. With their current situation, they might make it into the play in, but I am not sure if that is even possible.
For those who have not been paying attention to the 76ers, they are in a nightmare scenario. Joel Embiid is out for the rest of the season with knee problems that have been bugging him since last year. Jared McCain, who would have run away with the Rookie of the Year award this season, ended up tearing up his MCL, and is also out for the season. Paul George is, at this point, statistically worse than Tobias Harris was for the Sixers. It is safe to say that it is not looking good.
It is time to put the team in rice, as it is officially short circuited. The dumpster fire starts and ends with the same man, Joel Embiid. Whether you think of him as a dirty player who throws himself onto the ground for free throws or a thrice-robbed MVP candidate, the undeniable fact is that injuries have hampered his career. It is sad to witness in real time and even in retrospect.
It is fair to ask the question: How did we get here? The process has been an eight-year long endeavor, including the horribly-aged No. 1 overall pick in Markelle Fultz to the 2019 unlucky playoff loss against the Raptors. Other choices that have led to this extensive and painful eight-year tenure are the decision to pay Harris over Jimmy Butler, the moment Ben Simmons did not dunk over Trae Young, Butler’s revenge via first round exit to the Sixers and the entire James Harden situation.
It is fair to start at the 2023-24 NBA season, barring the past 76ers tragedies. This was the year Embiid caught fire. In his regular season, up until that injury against the Warriors, he was putting up MVP numbers, with people who previously doubted him the year prior being forced to recognize greatness. After the 2023 playoffs, his PR was at an all-time low, though his regular season catapulted him to the top of the MVP rankings. He was averaging more points (34.7) than minutes played per game (33.6)—Wilt Chamberlain type stuff.
Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid holds the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets, Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/ Matt Slocum)
After a successful knee surgery, Embiid returned for seven games before the end of the season and entered the playoffs fighting through injury. He didn’t look 100%, and it was only further confirmed after Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first round series vs. the Knicks. He was diagnosed with bell’s palsy and, as the Sixers lost the series, it was assumed that Embiid would take the off season to rest up.
He ended up playing for the USA team and they won gold, so there was no indication that Embiid would be struggling with injury on his return to the NBA. On October 3, he revealed that he had not scrimmaged in training camp at that point to maintain his health.
The regular season started 15 days later, and Embiid missed the first nine games of the season. Embiid then played four games in nine days before beginning treatment for swelling in his left knee. It went worse than expected and he ended up missing the next seven games. Then, in the month of December, Embiid received an elbow to the face, causing a sinus fracture. He then sprained his foot in the Christmas Day game against the Celtics, which ruled him out January 6.
To add insult to the injury woes, the team has been mired in drama. Following a loss to the Miami Heat in November, the team’s record dropped to 2-11. A team meeting was held, and through leaks, it was revealed that Tyrese Maxey had confronted Embiid about punctuality and commitment. Regardless of the accuracy, the image of a younger player confronting Embiid, someone who has been in the league for so long, just looks bad.
What does not help is George bringing another teammate onto his podcast to talk about the situation. It looks abhorrent, and George has not been producing at a level equivalent to how much he is getting paid. At one point in the season, George had more podcast content than field goals made. Statistically speaking, he is worse than he has ever been since his sophomore season, and the team without Embiid, unlike in previous years, has not been able to stay afloat.
The recent addition of Quentin Grimes helps, as he’s had more 30-point games than George this season. This help isn’t enough to propel them into the play-in tournament. For their sakes, the season is done, and they should at least try to tank to get this year’s draft pick back from OKC if it lands high enough.