The Sixers are stuck in basketball purgatory and unfortunately, it’s only getting worse

The Sixers’ 2024-25 season was supposed to be a redemption tour. Joel Embiid was back, Paul George was in the mix, Tyrese Maxey was ascending, and the team had a fresh start after the James Harden debacle.

Instead, it’s been an absolute disaster, and now the Sixers are staring into the abyss with no easy way out.

Joel Embiid’s Health Is Spiraling

This isn’t just a bad stretch—this is the nightmare scenario.

Embiid has played in just 19 of 56 games, and his knee is only getting worse. Now, he’s consulting specialists and considering surgery, after weeks of trying to push through with regular injections that clearly aren’t helping.

Reporting further for NBA Countdown on ESPN now on Joel Embiid and the 76ers set to consult specialists on the best path forward with his ailing knee. https://t.co/hNZV1wGTL1

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 23, 2025

For those keeping track, this is the same left knee he had surgery on a year ago, and he’s publicly admitted he didn’t get enough time to recover.

If the Sixers had any sense, they would have shut him down for the entire season instead of rushing him back. But now? They’ve wasted a year, Embiid’s body is breaking down, and they’re left scrambling for answers.

The 2024-25 Sixers Season is a Complete Failure

Let’s just be blunt—the Sixers are 20-36 and completely irrelevant.

• They’ve lost seven straight.
• They’re 7-8 when Embiid, George, and Maxey all play together.
• Even if they somehow make the play-in, what’s the point?

This isn’t “fighting through adversity”—this is delusion. There is no path where this team suddenly clicks and contends this season.

The Only Thing Left to Play for is a Draft Pick

If there’s a silver lining in this mess, it’s that Saturday’s loss to Brooklyn gave the Sixers sole possession of the sixth-worst record in the NBA.

Why does that matter? Because their first-round pick in this year’s draft is top-six protected—if it falls outside the top six, it goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

So, losing might be the only way to salvage this disaster. If they land in the top six, they keep their pick and can retool. If they keep trying to “compete,” they could lose the pick and have nothing to show for it.

The ‘should the Sixers tank?’ discussion is starting to feel pointless—because honestly, does it even matter?

Time for a Hard Reset

This team isn’t a contender. They aren’t bad enough to tank properly (yet). And they aren’t building toward anything real.

So what’s the move?

• Shut Embiid down. Now. He’s playing through pain for no reason. The season is lost. Give him months to fully recover, not weeks.
• Do anything possible to trade Paul George this summer. He’s aging, constantly banged up, and not moving the needle. If there’s a chance to offload him, take it.
• Start developing the young guys. Let Maxey run the show. Give the younger players meaningful minutes instead of wasting time on veterans who won’t be here next year.
• Stop pretending this season is anything other than a waste. The title window with this group is shut, and it’s time to think about what’s next, not what could have been.

Daryl Morey’s Legacy Isn’t On The Line, It’s Completely Ruined

Morey had years to build a contender post-Ben Simmons, and all he has to show for it is a broken superstar, an aging core, and a team going nowhere. If he doesn’t get this offseason right, he won’t be around to see the next Sixers contender.

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