The Philadelphia 76ers have waltzed into Christmas fresh off a frustrating loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, when they laid an egg. Regardless, the holidays are a time for reflection and appreciation, both of which Philadelphia needs.
After totaling 24 wins last season, the 76ers used the offseason to reshape their identity and round out their roster. Philadelphia holds a 16-12 record–the fifth-best in the Eastern Conference–with much of its success predicated on the choices it made last summer. Between investing in a faster, more youthful construct and unearthing hidden gems, the 76ers are poised to re-enter the postseason following a one-year leave.
Similar to this season’s Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia netted veterans like Guerschon Yabusele, Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon and Reggie Jackson in the 2024 offseason to support their new trio of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Paul George. In theory, this was a team built for the playoffs, but reality told a different story.
When Philadelphia selected VJ Edgecombe third overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, the decision confirmed its new direction: athleticism and pace, a much-needed shift. The 76ers entered last season as the NBA’s oldest team, with an average player age of 28.3, and it showed. They ranked 24th league-wide in pace, accumulating 97.4 possessions per 48 minutes.
One year later, Philadelphia boasts the 11th-youngest team, with an average age of 25.4 years old and has leapt to 19th in pace at 100.4. Although this output may appear underwhelming, this is a team that is still figuring out who they are, as Embiid and George are yet to play consistently. The 76ers have offered hints of the run-and-gun playstyle they are aiming to master ahead of April.
Their journey to a faster pace began with stockpiling guards, something they emphasized from June to October. Quentin Grimes’ restricted free agency dictated its course of action last summer and Yabusele – off a breakout season – paid the price. He sought a contract greater than the one-year veteran minimum that the 76ers gave him last year. Unwilling to financially restrict itself, the team was content with Yabusele signing with the New York Knicks on July 7th in favor of retaining Grimes.
Philadelphia’s commitment to Grimes represented a tonal shift, from prioritizing veterans to surround an Embiid-centric offense to acquiring two-way athletes, favoring an up-and-down approach that caters more towards Maxey.
Five months later, the 76ers look all the wiser.
Though Grimes unideally accepted his qualifying offer on October 1st, he evolved into one of the NBA’s premier sixth men, tallying 15.3 points and 4.4 assists. Meanwhile, Yabusele is yet to find his footing with the Knicks, who are reportedly open to trading him. The 76ers’ frontcourt, however, hasn’t missed a beat.
All three of Philadelphia’s free-agent acquisitions were power forwards in Trendon Watford, Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker, with the latter two on two-way deals. Watford’s ball-handling and playmaking have complemented the 76ers’ faster offense while Barlow and Walker’s interior size and rebounding have helped create transition chances. The team ranks 10th in the NBA in rebounds per game for the first time since the 2021-22 season and that is no accident.
Philadelphia is a ways away from contender status, but its offseason additions have created a foundation of electric play on both ends of the court in which Maxey has thrived, averaging a career-high 31 points. The 76ers are forming an identity consisting of resilience and newfound youth, traits that have been pivotal in their redemption, will pay dividends long term and reserved them a place on Santa’s nice list.