NBA Swing: Is a New Era on the Horizon in Philly?

Read Time:4 Minute, 10 Second

After completing a shocking 3-1 comeback that saw them eliminate the Eastern Conference favorite Boston Celtics, the Philadelphia 76ers were quickly swept by the New York Knicks. Sixers players would speak with the media following the team’s elimination, and the biggest talking point coming out would be Joel Embiid’s post-game interview. In his post-game interview, Embiid would spark speculation on his future in Philly:

“I don’t know who’s going to be here. I don’t even know if I’m going to be here, but whatever happens, happens. But for me, I’m excited about really getting back to myself.”

Since being drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2014, Joel Embiid has arguably been the biggest star for Philly since Allen Iverson. It can be argued that over the last few seasons, that role has been taken by Tyrese Maxey. While Embiid has never been one of the healthiest players, going back to his time at Kansas, the last three seasons have been one of the worst stretches of his career, health-wise. Over the last three regular seasons, Embiid has played 39, 19, and 38 games.

In the 38 games he’s played this season, Embiid has averaged 26.9 PPG, 7.7 RPG, and 3.9 APG.

Embiid would be dealing with a knee injury before missing the end of the season with appendicitis. He would get an appendectomy in early April before returning to the court just 17 days post-op during the Sixers first round series against Boston. He would suffer and play through several injuries in the playoffs while still recovering from surgery, including an ankle sprain in the second round against the Knicks. Despite the injuries, Embiid would average 24.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, and 5.4 APG in 7 playoff games.

For the Sixers, the team has been in an unspoken changing of the guard over the last couple of seasons, as Tyrese Maxey has solidified himself as the number one option on the team and one of the best players in the league. The Sixers would also see a surprise come in the form of rookie VJ Edgecombe, who has quickly shown the potential to be a great foundational piece next to Maxey. For Embiid, the team has become less reliant on him, as Embiid is arguably nearing, if not at the end of his prime.

Entering the first year of his three-year, $187 million extension, Embiid is set to make $57 million next season, $62 million in 2028, and $67 million in 2029 before becoming a free agent. The contract, combined with his history of injuries, makes Embiid hard to move if he requests a trade or the Sixers decide to move on from him. While Embiid has not been linked to any teams in trade rumors, NBA insider Jake Fischer suggests a team like Sacramento could be interested in Embiid for Domantas Sabonis, but calls the move a long shot. There is no doubt Embiid would draw interest from multiple teams across the league, but it would not be easy to make the money work.

Like Embiid, Paul George is another veteran in Philly whose future with the team is unknown. George would only play 37 games over the 2025-26 season, with the remaining 45 games missed due to injury and a 25-game suspension. He would average 17.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 3.6 APG. He would play in all over Philadelphia’s playoff games, averaging 16.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 3.0 APG. On the wrong side of 30 and having his own history of injuries as well, George could be hard to move in any situation. Entering the third year of his four-year, $212 million contract, George is owed $54 million in 2027 and $56 million in 2028 before becoming a free agent at 37 years old. George, however, was able to fit into a third to fourth option role, depending on the night.

The biggest move Philadelphia made, showing incoming change, would be parting ways with Daryl Morey. The Sixers organization would fire Morey as President of Basketball Operations after five seasons with the team. Morey would be criticized for several decisions made with the team over the years, including the James Harden trades, the Paul George deal, Joel Embiid’s three-year extension, and, most recently, trading 2024 draft pick Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder to avoid the luxury tax. Nick Nurse currently remains in his role as head coach and is unlikely to be fired.

As Philadelphia looks for a new president of basketball operations, the team is at a crossroads. They have their future in Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, while still having the now in Joel Embiid and Paul George. In an Eastern Conference that has seen multiple teams jump ahead in terms of contention, the championship window has closed for this iteration of the Sixers, and change is needed.