NBA rumors: 76ers not ready to tank, but could that change soon?
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The Philadelphia 76ers are in a tough position; at 15-24, Philly is in 11th in the Eastern Conference, and while the roster would normally indicate a contender-level team, the constant injury struggles have made it less and less likely the Sixers will be able to salvage this season.
After signing Paul George in the offseason to pair with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, it seemed that the 76ers could be among the top teams in the East this season. However, each of the trio has missed time, slowing the development of chemistry and leading to numerous losses.
Nearing the halfway point of the season, as well as the NBA trade deadline, the Sixers are going to have make some tough decisions. Last year, the team somewhat became sellers at the trade deadline, prioritizing the offseason salary-cap flexibility over potential postseason success in 2024. They will have do much of the same this time around and either decide to stay the course and hope George, Embiid, and Maxey can stay healthy long enough to make a push into the postseason, or they will have to essentially give up on the short-term in hopes it pays off down the road.
“It could be a sign of things to come in Philadelphia, where the 76ers have now dropped four in a row and are entering into a brutal stretch of their schedule,” ESPN’s Tim Bontemps wrote. “Between now and the trade deadline, Philadelphia has 10 out of 11 games against teams .500 or better, and eight of those 11 games come as part of back-to-back sets.
“That leaves open the possibility that this stretch in the schedule could leave Philadelphia in such a massive hole that even making it into the play-in tournament — the 76ers are currently two games behind the Bulls for 10th — could prove to be impossible. That could, in turn, lead to a pivot toward maximizing the team’s chances of keeping its top-six protected first-round pick in this year’s draft. And while sources said the team remained focused on maximizing this group’s potential for this season, rather than maximizing its lottery odds, the next three weeks could easily see the 76ers change their tune.”
Currently, the Sixers’ first-round pick (No. 8, per the standings) would convey to the Oklahoma City Thunder as a result of a trade with OKC in November 2020. Even if the 76ers decide to tank and try to get into the top six and keep their pick, it won’t be easy. The Portland Trail Blazers and Brooklyn Nets are slated to draft sixth and seventh, respectively, with 13-27 and 14-27 records. Each team would seem much more well-equipped to tank down the stretch of the season as well, especially with the Nets yet to part ways with Cam Johnson, their best remaining player.
If Philadelphia decides to win, it will almost certainly need all three of its top players to do so. Embiid, the 2023 NBA MVP, is currently out with a foot sprain. He has played just 13 games this season and has missed the last six games.
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