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Tim Bontemps
Very few campaigns throughout the Philadelphia 76ers’ extensive history can equal the hardship of 2024-25.
The previous year commenced with aspirations of concluding a championship absence spanning over four decades, hopes ignited by the summer procurement of free agent wing Paul George to collaborate alongside 2022-23 MVP Joel Embiid and burgeoning superstar guard Tyrese Maxey.
However, Embiid’s participation was capped at 19 contests because of persistent issues concerning his left knee, Paul George managed a mere 41 appearances with the lowest points per game average since his sophomore year in the league, and Philadelphia weathered a lackluster 24-58 season largely predicated on the anticipation of lottery fortune.
The 76ers attained it, safeguarding their top-six protected selection in June and leveraging it to acquire No. 3 pick VJ Edgecombe, who has enjoyed an impressive commencement that has piqued the attention of scouts, executives, and league authorities regarding the trajectory of Philly’s youthful backcourt.
“These individuals afford them the capacity to transition beyond the Embiid and George chapter,” a Western Conference executive conveyed to ESPN.
It has been inconsequential that both Embiid and George have seen limited action, or that the team has grappled with various other injuries beyond its two seasoned stars. Indeed, the 76ers are not anticipated to vie for a top seed in the Eastern Conference, but their commendable 9-8 beginning leading into Friday’s NBA Cup group stage concluding match has fostered burgeoning optimism concerning the franchise’s future direction.
This week, ESPN engaged with scouts, coaches, and executives across the league concerning Philly’s prospects in the expansive East, the destiny of its dynamic guard combination, and the degree of expectation fans should harbor for Embiid and George this season.
The new period has started
Earlier in the month, as sophomore forward Justin Edwards occupied the dais subsequent to the 76ers securing a triumph over the rival Boston Celtics, he fielded an inquiry concerning Maxey’s showing in the 102-100 victory achieved without Embiid or George.
“That represents the franchise,” Edwards remarked concerning the 25-year-old All-Star guard.
On one level, it constituted a casual remark during a November press conference. But the most noteworthy aspect of Edwards’ assertion, instead of provoking confusion or raising eyebrows among media personnel, was its acceptance as reality:
For the initial occasion in a decade, the 76ers do not exclusively belong to Embiid.
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Tyrese Maxey drops career-high 54 points vs. the Bucks
Tyrese Maxey notches his fourth career 50-point game for the Sixers.
“They simply appear to possess heightened vitality,” an East executive noted. “They may not be sufficiently proficient, but they are not merely awaiting the recuperation of Paul and Joel [to regain health] as has been the case historically.”
Philadelphia has conventionally seemed adrift in the absence of Embiid. In seven of his opening eight complete seasons, the 76ers fared more than 10 points per 100 possessions worse with Embiid relegated to the bench.
However, to commence this season, coach Nick Nurse has forged a distinct identity, transitioning Philadelphia’s framework from revolving around Embiid to instead centering on Maxey. This alteration has yielded 32.2 points per game from their point guard, second only to Los Angeles Lakers luminary Luka Doncic. Maxey’s blistering velocity and agile scoring maneuvers have rendered the 76ers incredibly captivating to observe and have enabled them to sustain competitiveness sans Embiid in manners previously unattainable.
“He has evolved into a legitimate first- or second-team All-NBA caliber player,” an East scout remarked concerning Maxey’s stellar initial month. “Notwithstanding Embiid’s injury challenges, they could still engage in the discourse for a top-six slot in the East, as Maxey is genuinely exceptional.”
Embiid and his well-being remain noteworthy considerations
Despite the fervor encircling Philly’s youthful guards, Embiid will assume a pivotal function in ascertaining the altitude the 76ers can attain within the East.
With Embiid sidelined, the 76ers — already recognized as one of the more diminutive rosters in the league — possess merely Andre Drummond as a bona fide center, and they have encountered difficulties in fortifying the paint defensively in recent weeks with Embiid absent due to his current struggle with right knee soreness.
“They are not adequately equipped defensively [without him],” a secondary East scout stated. That elucidates my apprehension concerning their prospects.”
While Embiid’s mobility impediments have remained evident even during his appearances this season, he arguably remains the premier shooting big in the league and a focal point for opposing defenses. Subsequent to an abysmal season debut in Boston — he registered 1-for-9 shooting with four points in a Boston victory — Embiid proceeded to accrue five consecutive games with a minimum of 20 points, converting 50% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc.
“They must ascertain strategies to optimize Joel,” a secondary East executive indicated. “I do not anticipate his return to resemble his previous form. They should endeavor to employ him strategically, wherein he can contribute value, but the offense cannot solely revolve around him.”
Teams demonstrably retain reverence for Embiid as a scorer. And his gravitational pull and aptitude to engage in dribble handoff actions with guards Maxey, Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes, and Jared McCain will facilitate matters across the board for Philly’s offense.
The inquiry revolves around whether Embiid’s mobility will sufficiently improve to render him an efficacious defender. In the nascent stages, whenever Embiid has ventured outside the paint, he has transformed into a target for attacking off the dribble. “He essentially traverses from one free throw line to the opposing,” an East assistant coach remarked.
Embiid’s rebounding has also diminished, another indicator of his deficient explosiveness internally.
Sources I consulted conveyed assurance that Embiid would persist in fostering faith in his problematic left knee. Nevertheless, Embiid has now remained absent for over two weeks owing to soreness in his right knee. That accentuates the precarious condition of his physique; there exists rationale for Nurse and the 76ers to have cultivated a style of play that transcends Embiid’s availability. It simply remains unclear how consistently he will grace the court.
“When assessing the league’s prevailing trajectory, encompassing the pace and tempo of gameplay,” the secondary East scout observed, “He encountered challenges maintaining synchronization even in his healthiest state, let alone presently.”
How does George adjust within?
George confronts a comparable circumstance, having resurfaced last week while featuring in a mere three contests as he recovers from offseason knee surgery.
The prospect of George and Embiid adhering to their current contracts — poised to collectively amass exceeding $100 million over each of the ensuing three seasons — warrants reconsideration. Nevertheless, should both maintain consistent availability and render commendable performance, it will substantially bolster this team’s prospects of generating commotion within an expansive conference. Philadelphia embraced a collaborative approach at power forward during George’s absence, deploying two-way players Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker, in conjunction with minimum signing Trendon Watford, throughout the 12 games George missed.
Each has exhibited glimpses amidst amplified minutes as constituent of a conspicuous infusion of youth and athleticism across the roster, but George’s scoring contributions and floor-spacing will impart a more substantial impetus to Maxey and the 76ers offense.
“Constructing around [Maxey and Edgecombe], and their progression forward, will concomitantly aid Paul,” the secondary East executive articulated, “because he will embrace aiding Maxey’s prosperity.”
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Paul George scores on first attempt in return
Paul George grabs the rock and immediately scores on his first possession of the game.
Hindered by stretches of unfavorable shooting circumstances, George registered 43% overall and 35% from 3-point territory but should again capitalize from abundant unobstructed opportunities with the volume of offensive firepower enveloping him on this roster. A resurgence season for the nine-time All-Star would execute wonders for a 76ers team that, through 17 games, has been unduly reliant on Maxey (40.4 minutes per game) and Edgecombe (37.3).
“He is capable of serving as a floor-spacing [power forward],” the initial East scout elucidated regarding George’s function in his 16th season. “Optimally, he should curtail ball-handling responsibilities henceforth. Initiating pick-and-roll sequences with him as the screener could exploit his shooting prowess and capacity to assail mismatches.
“Will he embrace this role? I am intrigued to observe.”
Precisely how accomplished is Edgecombe?
Two discrete instances of fortune entailing the defending champions facilitated the genesis of this 76ers backcourt partnership. Maxey materialized in Philly due to Mike Muscala’s game-deciding 3-pointer within the NBA bubble in 2020, ensuring Philadelphia’s retention of its draft pick. Five years hence, the 76ers endured sufficient losses throughout the 2024-25 season to impede the Thunder from securing the pick.
The latter has translated into an optimal collaborator for Maxey, as Edgecombe has showcased explosive playmaking proficiencies on offense alongside several breathtaking defensive highlights throughout his introductory month within the NBA.
“I had not anticipated VJ’s performance to attain its current caliber,” the initial East scout acknowledged. “Certainly, imperfections persist, but should they persist in propelling him — as he is equipped to execute diverse actions — he will evolve into an exceptional player.”
Edgecombe’s commencement has elicited high-caliber comparisons from scouts. Two frequently cited names encompassed Cleveland Cavaliers standout Donovan Mitchell and former All-Star Victor Oladipo, particularly during his zenith with the Indiana Pacers.
“His stature is more diminutive than I had presumed,” another East scout indicated, mirroring sentiments echoed by numerous others concerning the 6-foot-4 Edgecombe, constituting a facet of the Mitchell (6-2) and Oladipo (6-3) juxtapositions. “Nonetheless, I posit his potential to ascend to an All-Star-caliber player, and the actualization of this evolution will hinge upon his demonstration of shooting precision and attainment of defensive proficiency.”
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VJ Edgecombe shines for the Sixers in debut
VJ Edgecombe finishes with 34 points on 13-of-26 shooting on his way to scoring the third-most points in an NBA debut.
Another scout drew a parallel between Edgecombe’s congruity alongside Maxey and the harmony enjoyed by the Golden State Warriors with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. And while they cautioned against anticipating a parallel trajectory to that pioneered by the two future Hall of Famers boasting four championships jointly, the notion of an explosive primary scorer adjacent to an elite two-way supporting figure constitutes an encouraging departure point for the 76ers.
“Those players harmonize proficiently,” a West scout affirmed. “Their efficacy stems from their aptitude to execute a spectrum of responsibilities.”
Considering the preceding season’s adversity — even as recently as January, team affiliates were asserting their absence of a realistic avenue for Philadelphia to safeguard that top-six protected selection — acquiring a player possessing that magnitude of potential constitutes an immense reversal of fortune.
Predictably, Edgecombe’s performance has tapered off. He is registering 35% overall and 32% from 3-point range in November subsequent to his incandescent initial five games, an acknowledgment of teams devising strategies against him and the adjustment procedure to the rigors inherent in an 82-game season. (He also epitomizes the latest notable player across the league to grapple with a calf strain.)
Nevertheless, the irrefutable truth remains that the 76ers appear to have unearthed a keeper in Edgecombe.
What prospects exist for the remainder of this season?
The 76ers approached the 2024-25 season by openly deliberating about strategically managing their workload en route to a championship. One year later, Embiid inaugurated media day by declaring his lack of foreknowledge concerning his body’s condition on a daily cadence, opting to simply address circumstances as they unfold.
Consequently, Philadelphia’s current standing at 9-8 — notwithstanding Tuesday’s mauling by the Orlando Magic — with an offense situated just exterior to the top 10 and a favorable net rating despite Embiid and George cumulatively featuring in nine games, should be deemed a fruitful initiation. “I am impressed by Nick [Nurse]’s endeavors,” an East assistant coach professed. “He is motivating these individuals to compete with vigor.”
What direction will developments undertake henceforth?
The salient point revolves around Philadelphia’s non-deviation from its guard-centric offense. Edgecombe has instantaneously transitioned into a fan favorite, and he and Maxey have permeated the franchise with a much-needed infusion of enthusiasm subsequent to the travails the group endured throughout the previous season.
Furthermore, every rationale subsists to anticipate a 76ers team featuring a healthy Maxey, Embiid, and George, supplemented by guard depth, belonging within the upper echelons of the play-in landscape, if not a top-six playoff seeding.
“The manner in which these players have synergized has bolstered Nick’s advocacy for [this style of play],” a tertiary East scout elucidated. “Individuals perceive the vision. … Maxey garners universal acclaim, and Edgecombe has now captivated universal adoration; their presence on the court, coupled with the associated ambiance and fan engagement, elevates the collective performance.”
That prospective ceiling, albeit, diverges from the group’s projections one year prior upon extending Embiid and enlisting George.
The team’s cumulative size poses an issue even amidst universal health, constituting a season-long interrogative. The 76ers have presently engaged in 13 clutch-time contests (within a five-point margin within the final five minutes), second only to the Dallas Mavericks. Maxey embodies a superlative closer, but that volume of tightly contested games signifies the 76ers’ infrequent accumulation of facile victories.
Still, ESPN’s Basketball Power Index presently projects Philadelphia to secure 46 victories and clinch the East’s No. 8 seed. The 76ers would embrace the opportunity to assess the capabilities of a healthy iteration of this team during the playoffs, particularly subsequent to the preceding year’s tribulation-laden campaign.
