The Philadelphia 76ers desperately need depth as Joel Embiid and Paul George struggle to stay healthy, but Daryl Morey has shockingly left them without options. They have several veteran names fans know, but their production has fallen off. Fans are excited about VJ Edgecombe, but this season will quickly turn disastrous as the Sixers need their bench.
Expect Edgecombe to join the starting five immediately. Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. will flank Embiid and George when healthy. Jared McCain will be back and could quickly blossom into an elite sixth man. Behind that, it is nothing but uncertainty for the 76ers.
Philadelphia will need players to step up. Embiid and George will miss games and test the Sixers' depth. Unless multiple veterans are significantly better than last season, that will be disastrous.
76ers' bench could be the worst in the NBA
The current second unit likely features McCain, Kyle Lowry, Eric Gordon, Trendon Watford, and Andre Drummond. Lowry and Gordon produced a 0.1 value over replacement player (VORP) last season. Drummond was disastrous at negative-0.2. Fans hyping the Watford addition should know he was worse than Drummond at negative-0.3 last season.
The return of Quentin Grimes will help. He was outstanding for the Sixers last season, but remains in restricted free agency limbo. Everyone expects him to return, but Grimes does little to answer their biggest questions.
George is already facing a significant injury, and Embiid’s knee issues aren’t going away. Philly is paying both massive money and is dangerously thin behind them. Their center rotation is Drummond, Adem Bona, and rookie Johnni Broome. None of those options inspires confidence. They are stuck with Gordon and Justin Edwards as reserve wings.
The 76ers have a questionable bench and will be going deep into it frequently. That is a recipe for disaster. It was shocking to watch Daryl Morey and the front office fail to address this issue. Embiid and George are sunk costs at this stage, but the franchise has three talented guards that could form an exciting core. That only happens with pieces around them to help them succeed.
The Sixers must bring back Grimes. His versatility and shot-making are desperately needed. He will start plenty of games this season and may be their ideal option if Oubre’s struggles continue. Philly needs size, but production will ultimately win games.
It is difficult to predict where the 76ers will finish this season. Injuries to Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton have left the conference wide open, but no team has more health questions than the Sixers. If Embiid and George miss half the season, Philadelphia will be back in the lottery. Their bench is one of the worst in the league, and it will sink them in the standings.
The Philadelphia 76ers are facing another difficult and uncertain season. Their bench certainly isn’t winning any awards. All fans can hope for is that Quentin Grimes returns to help salvage a bad unit.
If not, the 76ers may be in the running to land the number one overall pick in 2026. That may sound exciting, but it is not where a team with two max players expects to be. Especially when they owe their pick to the Thunder with a top-four protection. It could quickly turn into a horrific nightmare that no fan wants to endure.