Philadelphia 76ers 2024-25 season preview: Will Joel Embiid lastly ship deep playoff run?

The 2024-25 NBA season is right here! We’re breaking down the largest questions, best- and worst-case situations, and fantasy outlooks for all 30 groups. Get pleasure from!

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

2023-24 end

Offseason strikes

• Additions: Paul George, Caleb Martin, Guerschon Yabusele, Eric Gordon, Reggie Jackson, Andre Drummond, Jared McCain, Adem Bona

• Subtractions: Tobias Harris, Buddy Hield, Nicolas Batum, De’Anthony Melton, Robert Covington, Paul Reed, Cameron Payne, Mo Bamba

• Complete roster

The Huge Query: Can Joel Embiid dominate a full season?

All the things, for as soon as, is in place round Joel Embiid.

The 76ers wiped their books clear for one swing at no matter roster they wished round Embiid and Tyrese Maxey — this summer time solely, earlier than Maxey signed his $204 million contract. They usually homered, including the perfect out there free agent, Paul George, an ideal match between their current stars.

Not solely that, however they crammed Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon, Reggie Jackson and the shock of the Paris Olympics, Frenchman Guerschon Yabusele, into their remaining wage cap area. Additionally they retained Kyle Lowry and Kelly Oubre Jr. and drafted Jared McCain, who seems NBA-ready.

They gave Embiid all the things he wished when, sitting beside George through the NBA Finals, he advised a nationwide TV viewers, “Hopefully this offseason we discover a solution to get higher and add some items.”

The NBA’s 2023 MVP now has a pair of All-Stars flanking him, identical as he did in 2019, when his Sixers fell one shot wanting his first look in a convention finals, on the high of the kind of roster you construct if you anticipate to compete for a championship — stuffed with acquainted veterans and a smattering of upside.

Embiid is out of excuses, although he has had built-in ones for years now. His historical past to finish every season:

• 2015: Fractured proper foot

• 2016: Fractured proper foot

• 2017: Torn left meniscus

• 2018: Fractured orbital bone and concussion

• 2019: Left knee tendinitis and viral gastroenteritis

• 2020: International pandemic

• 2021: Torn proper meniscus

• 2022: Fractured orbital bone and torn thumb ligament

• 2023: Sprained proper knee

• 2024: Torn left meniscus

A few of these, together with each facial fractures, are freak accidents. What is obvious, although: Joel Embiid’s legs as a basketball participant are on borrowed time. We will quibble over whether or not his accidents are the results of poor conditioning or simply the pure order for an athletic 7-footer who carries near 300 kilos. Both manner, Embiid has bother lasting his profession’s largest video games, not to mention collection. Not to mention 4 rounds.

So now’s the time. Embiid is 30 years previous. He could be on the opposite aspect of this getting higher.

When wholesome, he has been a monster. From 2020-23, he averaged 30.9 factors (on 42/36/84 capturing splits), 10.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 blocks and one steal per sport, ending top-two in MVP voting every season. And he was higher to start out final season, scoring greater than some extent per minute. Then, he tore the meniscus in one in all his knees for the third time in his profession. Seems chasing awards, which require 65 video games performed and a famous person’s minutes load, was not the perfect factor for an injury-prone behemoth.

So it was refreshing to listen to this from Embiid, who was 25-30 kilos lighter on media day: “We have got to do no matter it takes to guarantee that within the postseason I am wholesome. This 12 months, there is no agenda. There is no All-Star. There is no All-NBA. There’s none of that. No matter it takes to ensure I get to that time.”

So right here we’re. Embiid has a championship-caliber workforce round him and a franchise dedicated to spending its season in service of his well being. They only handed him a three-year, $193 million extension, which runs by way of his thirty fourth birthday. If he can not erase his id this season as the one MVP by no means to succeed in a convention finals, at what level can we cease anticipating another end result however disappointment?

Greatest-case state of affairs

Everybody — particularly Embiid and the 34-year-old George — stays wholesome. That’s all that issues. If everybody is out there come playoff time, the 76ers have the expertise to win a playoff collection in opposition to anybody. Will they win 4? That relies upon. Can Embiid shut video games in addition to he begins them? Is Maxey ready for the brightest of spotlights? How properly does George develop chemistry with the 2 of them? Can the supporting solid contribute? If the reply to the entire above is sure, the Sixers can completely win a title.

If all the things falls aside

Embiid breaks down … once more. George is previous his prime or too harm to inform if he’s. Maxey’s growth hits a snag. They can’t discover a rhythm collectively. Philadelphia’s assortment of complementary gamers — Martin and Oubre, specifically — has extra title recognition than complete contributions. They’re prone to five-out offenses. The Sixers stall out within the first or second spherical … once more. And we marvel why they dedicated $715 million to an injury-prone huge, a 34-year-old wing and an undersized guard.

Fantasy spin

Including George raises Philly’s fantasy flooring. Maxey’s efficiency suffered each time Embiid was off the ground. Turning to Embiid, he is constantly one of many league’s highest-usage gamers, however that workload typically results in harm. George is a vital piece that fills varied roles as a 3-and-D specialist, playmaker and shot-creator for the Sixers.

Embiid ranks fifth in my rankings, with George coming in as a late second-rounder, adopted by Maxey as an early third-round choose. Oubre Jr. is the one different participant who garners any fantasy curiosity and his ADP is within the thirteenth spherical. — Dan Titus

2024-25 schedule

Joel Embiid has received 53 video games as soon as in a season, when he was the league’s MVP, and conceded that he is not going to be chasing that award — or any recognition however playoff success — once more this 12 months. Take the below.