Sixers in Purgatory: Looking at the two directions the organization could take at the NBA Trade Deadline

This season wasn’t supposed to be a disaster for the Sixers. After signing Paul George to form a new Big Three with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, adding Eric Gordon, Andre Drummond, and rookie Jared McCain, and keeping Nick Nurse at the helm, expectations were sky-high.

Instead? It’s been an absolute mess.

• Embiid has played just 13 games due to injuries.
• Paul George is having his worst scoring season in over a decade.
• Maxey battled injuries. McCain out for the year.
• The Sixers are currently 11th in the East, 1.5 games out of the play-in.

Now, with the trade deadline looming on Feb. 6, the Sixers have a major decision to make.

Do the Sixers push for the playoffs and hope Embiid can carry them or do they call it a lost season and tank for a top draft pick?

The Tanking Dilemma: Protecting the 2025 First-Round Pick.

There’s an extra layer to this decision. The Sixers don’t own their first-round pick unless it lands in the top six. If they finish outside that range the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder get it, thanks to the infamous Al Horford trade from 2020.

Right now, the Sixers have the eighth-best lottery odds, meaning they’re outside the safe zone and still in danger of losing their pick entirely. They’re currently four games ahead of the Raptors, who have the sixth-worst record in the league—the cut-off for keeping the pick.

There’s some recent precedent for contenders taking a step back for a lottery pick:

• Warriors (2020): Went 15-50 after injuries to Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, landed the No. 2 pick, and selected James Wiseman (which didn’t work out).
• Grizzlies (2024): Lost 24 more games last season due to Ja Morant’s injuries, landed the No. 9 pick, and drafted Zach Edey, who’s started 26 games this year.

Would a one-year reset benefit the Sixers? Maybe. But getting into the top six of the lottery isn’t easy, and tanking doesn’t guarantee success.

Option 2: Make a Playoff Push

Despite all the setbacks, the Sixers are still within striking distance of the play-in tournament. If Embiid can get healthy and George finds his rhythm, they could be dangerous in a wide-open East.

A healthy Sixers team with Embiid returning to MVP-form, Maxey continuing to dominate, and Paul George finding his shot is a team that no one in the Eastern Conference would want to face in a 7-game series.

Of course, that is a lot of “ifs” to even get to that point and given the history of the Sixers, I have serious doubts that will happen, meaning the worst possible outcome is likely. The Sixers barely scrape into the playoffs, lose early, and are left with no top draft pick AND no deep playoff run.

Nightmare fuel.

Trade Deadline Will Determine Everything

With just days until the Feb. 6 trade deadline, what the Sixers do (or don’t do) will reveal their direction.

• If they’re buyers: They’ll look to add depth and push for a postseason run.
• If they’re sellers: Expect key veterans—maybe even Paul George—to be on the move.

If Daryl Morey is still calling the shots, historically, he hasn’t been the type to tank so he’ll likely try to salvage the season, along with his job before the end of the year.

Is Bob Myers Coming to Philly?

According to Bill Simmons, there’s “buzz” that former Warriors GM Bob Myers could replace Morey in Philly. Myers, who built the Warriors dynasty, worked with Sixers owner Josh Harris last year as part of the Commanders’ GM and coaching search.

That connection could be key.

Bill Simmons hears buzz that Bob Myers could take his job within the 76ers organization

Of course, Simmons’ track record with these kinds of reports is… questionable (he also claimed Jeff Bezos wanted to buy the Celtics, which was debunked days later).

So, like anything with Boston or Bill Simmons specifically, take it with a grain of salt.

Final Verdict: What Should the Sixers Do?

The Sixers are in NBA purgatory right now—not bad enough to get a top pick, not good enough to be a real contender.

The Sixers have to pick a direction.

• If Embiid is truly healthy, they should push for the playoffs and try to make noise.
• If his health is still a question, they might be better off shutting him down and securing that top-6 pick.

Either way, the next 10 days will decide the future of the franchise—whether it’s a big move at the deadline or a major front-office shakeup.

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