Is This Season Already Over for the Philadelphia 76ers?

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Around 15 games into the 2024-25 NBA season, there have been several surprises with teams at both the top and bottom of the standings. No team has been more surprising and disappointing than the Philadelphia 76ers. Sitting at 3-12, 15 games into their season, the Sixers have the worst record in the entire league. Their three wins this season have been a combined total of 21 points.

Philly’s rough start begins with the absence of Joel Embiid. Embiid missed the start of the season recovering from knee issues and faced a three-game suspension after an altercation with a reporter. In the four games he’s played so far this season, Embiid has had a mixed bag of performances. He has scored 13 points, 20 points, 11 points, and 35 points in his four games played, all while shooting career lows from the field and three-point range. Known to play himself into shape, Embiid’s rough start should be expected, but it is only making things worse for the Sixers right now.

Philly’s big free agent signing, Paul George, has had a rough start to his season as well, first hyperextending his knee in the preseason. He would make his Sixers debut in early November but has only had one game finishing with 20 or more points. In his most recent game against the Memphis Grizzlies, PG would hyperextend the same knee he injured in the preseason. In eight games played so far, George has averaged 16.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 5.1 APG. With PG in his mid-30s and a history of injuries, there are already concerns for his tenure in Philly.

The Sixers’ third star, Tyrese Maxey, has been the best of their big three but has missed a handful of games already this season. In eight games so far this season, Maxey has averaged 25.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 3.6 APG. Maxey has unfortunately struggled from the field and is shooting a career-low 26% from three. Giving Maxey his credit, he would carry the Sixers without Embiid and PG. With his performance so far this season, many are starting to wonder if the focus is starting to shift to Maxey as the #1 option. The biggest story surrounding Maxey currently is the report of Maxey calling out Embiid during a team meeting, challenging him to show up on time. With this story being leaked, Embiid would respond, showing a little bit of frustration in the locker room overall.

Much of the Sixers roster outside the big three has struggled with almost every other player being signed to the team this past offseason. Kelly Oubre Jr. has taken a small step back from last season while new signing Caleb Martin has not looked like the player he was on the Miami Heat. Veterans including Kyle Lowry, Reggie Jackson, and Eric Gordon have not done much as they near the end of their careers. The one bright spot outside of the big three has been rookie Jared McCain. Possibly the steal of the 2024 NBA Draft, McCain has shown the potential of being a future superstar. In 14 games, McCain has averaged 15.6 PPG, 2.1 RPG and 2.7 APG. In Game 15 last night, McCain would continue his early hold as Rookie of the Year with a career-high 30 points helping the Sixers snap a five-game losing streak.

Sitting at 3-12, there is not much hope the Sixers can recover from their disastrous start. Four games out of sixth place and six games out of fourth place, it will be a challenge for the Sixers to make the playoffs without having to go through the Play-in Tournament. It is expected that Joel Embiid and Paul George will miss more time this season. Through the rest of the calendar year, the Sixers have games against teams including the Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics.

For Philly, they’re already nearing a crossroads for this season. They could try to make a comeback and move up the standings, or they could take this season as a lost season and aim for the stacked 2025 NBA Draft. Having the worst record in the league, Tankathon gives the Sixers a 50% chance of landing a top-four pick and a 14% chance of landing the first-overall pick. With game-changing players in the draft including Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, and Dylan Harper, Philadelphia’s disastrous start could land them a chance at a young star to add next to Maxey, Embiid, and George.

While they could be wasting a season of Embiid’s prime with it being unknown how much longer he could be a top-tier star, choosing to focus on the draft could give them another superstar in the long term.