You are probably tired of hearing this (and trust me, writing it makes it even more weary), but there is simply no other to describe the 2024-25 Philadelphia 76ers other than being massive disappointments. What were initially pretty lofty expectations were shattered not long after, and now, the team is already probably re-thinking many of its decisions during the summer.
After another first-round exit last season, the front office, led by Daryl Morey, saw the boatload of cap space they had and aptly spent it all. Philly’s brass did not disappoint in becoming the most active team during free agency, and to their credit, they did manage to assemble an abundantly talented roster on paper.
Unfortunately, the collection of talent the 76ers have has been nothing more than a paper tiger. In reality, the team put together a flawed unit, one where the whole is less than the sum of its parts. That has been quickly exploited this season, although the more candid thing to say would be that they did not even get a lot of chances to counteract that notion.
The 76ers Big Three has been pretty underwhelming this season mainly due to lack of availability
A troika of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George seemed like a match made in heaven given their well-fitting skill sets. That was also the consensus heading into the season, with pundits even pegging the team as a potential Finals contender come June.
Unfortunately, just getting all of them on the floor is like trying to herd cats. All three have sniffed the floor together in only 10 games this season, playing less than 200 minutes together. That is a pretty small sample size indeed, but aiming to extract a bigger one could be a futile undertaking.
Embiid, already on the wrong side of 30, is unlikely to get more durable anytime soon with the 76ers still under the belief that he can be the head poncho on this team. Tyrese Maxey, the freshest one in the triumvirate, has also missed considerable time due to injury. Paul George is Paul George and is already on a steep decline.
At this rate, the theoretical dominance of the 76ers Big 3 will remain tethered to our contrivances. There is little to no shot that what everyone envisioned with this group will materialize anytime soon, and that is just the ugly reality of the situation.
Honestly, the Philadelphia 76ers should have seen this coming. But objectively speaking, they cannot just be the subject of blind derision. It was always going to be a gambit putting this team together, but at the time they decided to pull the trigger, it seemed like a pretty calculated one.
Sometimes, things just happen, good or bad. Unfortunately, they got the short end of the stick with this one.