The Philadelphia 76ers have arguably been the NBA’s most disappointing team this season after they had a summer to remember.
Philly’s offseason included a deal with nine-time All-Star Paul George, a move that gave the team an exciting trio of George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
However, due to injuries, those three have barely played with one another, and the availability woes have played a role in the 76ers’ 5-15 start to the season.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst noted that George and Maxey were supposed to help protect Philly on Embiid-less nights, something that hasn’t exactly come together this season. However, Windhorst added that the idea could still end up working as he highlighted how the 76ers’ overall injury issues have made it tough to judge them. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps responded.
“That’s why every opposing scout and executive I’ve spoken to recently had a similar take on Philadelphia’s 5-15 start: No matter how bad it looks, there’s always time in this year’s Eastern Conference,” wrote Bontemps.
The Eastern Conference has indeed been very forgiving this season. Currently, no team in the play-in field has a winning record, and the team in the No. 10 slot is several games below .500 at 9-14.
That leaves the door open for struggling teams like the 76ers to get back in the mix. Philly, despite its miserable start to the season, is currently just 2.5 games back of the No. 10 spot, and there’s still plenty of time remaining in the campaign.
The challenge for the 76ers is to get healthy and stay that way. Embiid has appeared in just four games all season, making him a virtual nonfactor to this point. George, meanwhile, has appeared in just 10, and Maxey has been limited to 14.
Philadelphia has made the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons, a streak that could be in jeopardy depending on how the rest of the season unfolds. But as scouts and executives around the NBA see it, the 76ers shouldn’t be throwing in the towel just yet.
The big question is whether or not the team has any chance of doing some meaningful damage in the postseason if and when it gets there. These unknowns will be answered in the coming months as the 76ers look to turn their turbulent season into something more palatable.
