Latest stinker should force the 76ers to finally embrace the tank

Anyone who thought the Philadelphia 76ers could turn their season around after the All-Star break was met with a harsh reality. Philadelphia’s first game in eight days was blown out of the water by the Boston Celtics, 124-104. The 76ers (20-35) are now 15 games below .500 with possession of the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference, which leaves the question – should they tank?

76ers star Joel Embiid admits knee issue is bothering him

There are plenty of arguments to be made surrounding Philadelphia tanking the season or remaining in the hunt for the Play-In tournament. Many fans have pointed out star center Joel Embiid's lingering knee injury as the main reason to call it quits. However, fans have also argued that the 76ers would be wasting another season of Embiid’s career and that he may not have much left in the tank in the next few years.

Embiid has only appeared in 18 games this season where he averaged 24.3 points per game on 58.6% true-shooting 8.2 rebounds per game, and 4.4 rebounds per game – a far cry from the MVP-caliber campaigns he posted in the past few years.

The 2023 Most Valuable Player has routinely been sidelined due to left knee injury management and left knee soreness, which has prevented him from playing more than four consecutive games. Embiid underwent a procedure on his left meniscus on Feb. 6, 2024 and since then, he hasn’t been the elite two-way floor-raiser that fans have grown to love over the past eight years.

In Philadelphia’s 135-127 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 9th, ESPN’s Lisa Salters reported that after talking to Embiid, he told her that he believed he’ll likely need to undergo another surgery and an extensive recovery period to fully return to form. 

Considering how bleak the 76ers’ playoff hopes appear this season, it’s probably best for Embiid to get said procedure as soon as possible to prioritize both his well-being and Philadelphia’s long-term future. Factoring Embiid’s lack of availability and underwhelming performance in the games he has played, retaining a clean bill of health should be the priority. 

The 76ers should go all-in on the 2025 NBA Draft

Another reason that fans have pushed for Philadelphia to tank for the remainder of the season is the 2025 NBA Draft, which is loaded with talent. The 76ers’ 2025 first-round pick belongs to the Oklahoma City Thunder as it was packaged in the trade from Nov. 18th, 2020 that was headlined by center Al Horford and forward Danny Green. However, the pick is protected from selections one through six – meaning that if the pick falls in that range, the 76ers retain it. 

The issue is that it’s unlikely that Philadelphia finishes with a worse record than the Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, or the New Orleans Pelicans, all of whom are at least 15 games below .500. While anything can happen in the draft lottery, having one of the worst records in the NBA boosts a team’s chances of getting a top pick.

There is a reality where Embiid is shut down for the season and the 76ers embrace a tank just to receive a draft selection outside of the top six, which would then give the Thunder rights to the pick. Philadelphia would obtain nothing from its losing efforts and another season of what’s supposed to be Embiid’s prime would be wasted.

One could also argue that even if the 76ers walked away with nothing, Embiid would have the opportunity to fully recover from the issues in his left knee. If by some miracle, the 76ers find themselves in the Play-In Tournament and claw their way into the playoffs, they’re still likely looking at a first-round exit at the hands of the Celtics or Cleveland Cavaliers.

Whether Philadelphia is healthy or not, it has offered zero rationale as to why fans should trust its cohesion in do-or-die situations in the postseason. On paper, the 76ers are a team that could be a low-seeded dark horse threat come the postseason, but in the 15 games that stars Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George have played together, they haven’t shown fans any signs that they can be a forced to be reckoned with when healthy. 

If it were up to me, I would allow Embiid to get his body right – whether that simply requires extensive rest or another procedure. If Paul George’s pinky injury is still bothersome, I would allow him to obtain all the recovery time needed. From there, I would give Maxey complete freedom of the offense, give Philadelphia’s young prospects significant minutes, and live with the results.