With each passing day, reality is getting etched deeper in stone for the Philadelphia 76ers. Now 20 games below .500, the team has reached yet another level of futility, finding themselves only half-a-game above the 13th-seed Toronto Raptors.
But all things considered, the 76ers are actually headed into the right direction, that is, cementing their position in the lottery. The 2025 NBA Draft class is reckoned to be a pretty deep and talented one, and with the right amount of losses, the franchise should be able to keep its first-round selection away from the Thunder.
Having said that, Philly remains in denial when it comes to doubling down on boosting its lottery odds. Heck, a recent development only signifies that the front office is somehow still having qualms about yielding to the popular opinion that they should just lose as many games as possible to end what has been a miserable campaign for them on the wins department.
The 76ers are puzzlingly planning to still play Paul George
Paul George, who has missed the last three games with a groin injury, is reportedly subject to another re-evaluation by the team ahead of Friday’s game against his former team, the Indiana Pacers.
While seemingly a standard protocol, at this point, the 76ers literally have zero reason to cling so hard onto the very slim chance they have at making the playoffs-in tournament. After shutting down Joel Embiid, following up their big decision by doing the same with George seemed inevitable, but so far, the team has been utmostly stubborn.
With George turning in a hell of a decline from an individual standpoint this season, the 76ers have to recognize the possible perks of just allowing him to rest. A big factor behind his underwhelming performance all year long is his lack of rhythm thanks to the early injuries he sustained, and forcing him to keep playing these meaningless games only forecloses the opportunity for him to regain his tip-top condition.
At this point, Philadelphia is doing nothing but sabotage its own shot at snagging a top-six pick. After all, if they fail to reach that goalpost, their silent escapade will be pretty moot as the Thunder will swoop in and steal their selection.
Sure, the 76ers are bad enough to keep losing games even with George, but they cannot risk losing their own pick this year. Roster-building will be more difficult for the front office this time around, and missing out on getting a high-profile prospect would be a painful loss.
As a result, the Philadelphia 76ers should not take any chances. For their goal this season and in the next, they should just shut Paul George down to end their campaign.