Last season, the Philadelphia 76ers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017. At some point in time, that fate seemed inevitable. However, the Sixers held out hope that if they could get healthy, another postseason berth would be theirs. The problem was that they never did actually get healthy.
As it so happens in the world of sports, Philadelphia has to remain optimistic. The 76ers front office and fan base have to tell themselves that their 2024-25 campaign was just an anomaly. Nonetheless, they have a few burning questions heading to the 2025-26 season.
3 Burning Questions For 76ers Heading Into 2025-26 Season
Can Joel Embiid Bounce Back?
No matter what side of the aisle people were on during the debate between who was better between Joel Embiid and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, nobody could deny that the Cameroonian center is one of the best players that’s ever played the game. Especially when, at that point of his career, he was at the zenith of his powers.
39 games into 2023-24 and he was averaging 30+ points, 10+ rebounds, 4+ assists, 1.5+ blocks and 1+ steals per contest for the third straight season. He was scoring in every conceivable way and anchoring the Sixers defense. In 2023-24, he was even a more dedicated facilitator, averaging a career-high 5.6 assist per game.
Unfortunately, the question now being asked about Embiid is if he can get back to that version of himself. A tricky knee injury puts that in serious doubt. With that in mind, since the 2020-21 season, the Sixers are 166-77 when he’s been available. In that same time frame, they’re 59-98 when he’s been sidelined.
Given how much Philadelphia struggles when he isn’t on the court, even 70 percent of him is better than nothing.
Is It Do-or-Die For Paul George?
In 2024-25, there was no Sixers player who was as disappointing as Paul George.
Yes, Embiid was a shell of himself. Tyrese Maxey still hasn’t shown that he can lead Philadelphia to prosperity without Embiid. Several veterans –namely Kelly Oubre Jr., Kyle Lowry, Eric Gordon and Andre Drummond –didn’t perform as well as expected.
Yet, George failed at a job that many thought would be a cakewalk for him: playing better than Tobias Harris.
Paul George vs Tobias Harris
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Given his injury history, him being banged up throughout the 2024-25 season shouldn’t have caught anyone off guard. Nevertheless, when he was available, his offensive production left a lot to be desired. So much so that it wouldn’t be surprising if they attempted to move him by the trade deadline.
With that being said, George can’t afford to average 16.2 points per game on 43.0 percent shooting from the field again, like he did last season. The Sixers probably can’t afford it either.
Backcourt Rotation
This summer, Philly drafted former Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe with the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Still, it’s clear that they were highly intrigued by the possibility of adding former Rutgers forward Ace Bailey. With that in mind, one reason to doubt that their top choice was Edgecombe is their roster construction.
At present, the Sixers are slotted to start Maxey at point guard. Due to how well he played last season, restricted free agent Quentin Grimes was penciled in beside him as the off-guard. Yet, combo guard Jared McCain also excelled in 2024-25. Not to be forgotten is the fact that George can play 2-4 with ease.
Scared off by Bailey’s pre-draft maneuvering, the Sixers now have a bit of a conundrum. Edgecombe has a clearly defined role as a point-of-attack defender and connector. However, how much can he realistically play? More to the point, will Philadelphia have Maxey, McCain and Grimes?
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