One year removed from rock bottom, the 76ers are back in the playoff hunt

One year ago the Philadelphia 76ers were a disaster. Twenty-four wins, 58 losses, their first missed playoff since 2018, a locker room that felt like it was held together with tape, and a fanbase that was genuinely questioning whether this franchise had any idea what it was doing.

Joel Embiid was hurt, the roster was thin, and the vibes were rancid. It was one of the most depressing Sixers seasons in recent memory and that is saying something for a city that watched them tank for four straight years in the not-so-distant past.

Now they are 34-28 and in the playoff hunt.

The 76ers look capable of beating preseason betting predictions 

That turnaround is worth acknowledging even with all the legitimate complaints that still exist about this organization. Going from a 24-win team to a team with a winning record and playoff positioning in one season is not nothing.

You can check this NBA betting guide to see how those futures markets work. But on the current trajectory, the Sixers could be looking at the high-40s for wins, beating the betting predictions. 

The Sixers are statistically the most improved team in the NBA this year by win percentage, jumping from a 29 percent win rate to nearly 57 percent.

Whatever you think about how they got here and the decisions that were made along the way, the on-court product is dramatically better.

Still work to be done for the 76ers to undergo an elite transformation

When Embiid has been healthy and available, the 76ers looks like a genuine threat in the East. The defense is better. The energy is better. VJ Edgecombe has been one of the most exciting rookies in the league. There are actual reasons to watch Sixers basketball again and that was not true twelve months ago.

Moreover, most level-headed fans would admit that the 76ers trail teams like the Denver Nuggets and, most certainly, the Oklahoma City Thunder by a considerable distance. 

Speaking of OKC, the Jared McCain trade looks worse every single day. The Josh Harris luxury tax avoidance is a franchise-level embarrassment on a closing timeline.

The third quarter collapses have been a recurring nightmare. Embiid’s health remains the great variable that determines everything. And the roster construction, outside of Maxey and Edgecombe, is not built to win a championship.

So where does that leave us with the 76ers?

Somewhere between cautious optimism and earned skepticism. The Sixers are better. Meaningfully better. Unfortunately, better than last year’s train wreck is not the same as good enough to go where this fanbase wants them to go.

The window with Embiid is not infinite and the organization has spent too much of it making decisions that prioritize the balance sheet over the roster.

The improvement is real. The problems are also real. Both things are true and Philadelphia fans have never been shy about holding both thoughts at the same time.

Join the Chase