There is a ton of concern surrounding the state of the Philadelphia 76ers heading into next season, and fans should be very worried about how it will end up for them. Injuries are already piling up, and while their young core is solid, it’s still a tricky situation to be in. Zach Harper of The Athletic recently outlined it all in an article:
“George had surgery on his left knee last month and will be re-evaluated before training camp,” Harper wrote. “That doesn’t mean he’ll be back. It just means we’ll likely get an update from the Sixers on his status on media day. This is already troubling news for George, who has played just 304 games, or a little more than 50 games per season, over the last six seasons. Maybe I’m being too reactionary, but with the Sixers, it’s better to assume the worst and hope for the best than to assume the best or even just solid news.”
Things are looking rough in Philadelphia.
Why are the 76ers in trouble next season?
Paul George’s injury history, including last season, looms large. As noted by Harper, although the plan is for George to be re-evaluated prior to the start of training camp, there’s no guarantee that he’ll be ready to begin the year.
In fact, based on his track record, there could be a good chance that he’s not ready to begin the season. That would mean the first two seasons of George in Philly will have been marred by the injury bug. Not a great start.
And on top of that, Embiid is already dealing with issues of his own. Brett Seigel of ClutchPoints even went as far as to note that the Sixers may regret Embiid’s extension:
“Several rival teams in the Eastern Conference who spoke with ClutchPoints a couple of weeks ago at NBA Summer League confirmed mixed signals coming from the Sixers regarding Embiid's knee health with one executive stating that the 76ers are regretting their decision to extend the big man's contract in 2024,” Siegel wrote.
If Embiid and George both end up missing time again this season, it’s going to put Philadelphia in a brutal spot. And with how wide open the Eastern Conference is shaping up to be this season, if there’s any year they want to have their guys healthy, it’s this one.
The season hasn’t even begun, and the 76ers are already staring down a brutal reality: Another wasted season.