They are in big trouble. Embiid can't get or stay on the court. Now George. Maxey can't carry them. It's really a recipe for a tanked season. Reboot and try to land Flagg and build enthusiasm for this stadium deal that way. Of course with the lottery that's a really dangerous strategy.
2024-2025 Sixers: Maxey-mizing or Minimizing?
- Thread starter tims4wins
- Start date
Yeah I fully expected a huge start and the hype train to fully leave the station before the injuries started.
Every day that goes by the play-in looks less and less achieveable.
35 points for Joel last night, in a losing cause, maybe Daryl Morey can sell HIGH to those 15 teams?
Meanwhile the LA Clippers come out smelling like a rose for not giving George every dollar and year he wanted. Sure, they're 9-7 right now and might be back in mediocrity purgatory, but at least they're not hamstrung into apron-land by a 4-year, $212M deal with currently-34-yo Paul George.
As a fanbase, the 12 of us, still had love for PG. Even hurt here, he still came to games and sat on the bench(something they had to ask Kawhi to do) and cared. He's a bit of a goof and can be down to earth...
But he needlessly shit on us for no reason the last 3 weeks, so he can f off. I enjoy watching him do this to another team.
I'm going to give him a compliment though. He is a tough sob. If he can work his way back sooner, he will. He messed his elbow up a couple years back and didnt take surgery just to come back and get beatdown in the play-in. That sounds pathetic but as an actual fan, that stuff matters.
The Sixers are pretty much living their worst-case scenario (I guess other than Maxey being hurt). Embiid and PG being officially out for the year would at least give strategic clarity---try to tank and save the 1st this year.
Given Embiid is still ramping up (to what level is completely unclear, obviously) and PG may well have a minor knee thing that just needs some time they are just stuck waiting this out for a while longer, aren't they?
If there's a surgery Embiid is weighing that would be an interesting choice for them, but doesn't seem like there is (though what we know about his situation is pretty thin)
Given Embiid is still ramping up (to what level is completely unclear, obviously) and PG may well have a minor knee thing that just needs some time they are just stuck waiting this out for a while longer, aren't they?
If there's a surgery Embiid is weighing that would be an interesting choice for them, but doesn't seem like there is (though what we know about his situation is pretty thin)
It will definitely be interesting to see if/when they pull the plug on this season, get a good pick, and try to get healthy for next year (LOL).
If Embiid starts going down the "constantly weighing surgery options but not sure" route, I'd be pretty comfortable calling it a wrap for his career as an elite player.
To be clear, we are not seeing that yet, but really feels like something is slightly off that is age/injury/deterioration related.
To be clear, we are not seeing that yet, but really feels like something is slightly off that is age/injury/deterioration related.
It would be a "great" pick, since it would be 1-6, anything after that goes to OKC.
Tanking for Flagg is going to be a competitive process...Sixer Nation longs for those Hinkie Years
Maybe they can take solace in this Simply Red song from the 80s
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG07WSu7Q9w
They must have some fast talkers:
View: https://twitter.com/bleacherreport/status/1859611108941722097?s=61&t=WWGHM95bxKssUmh_6owWFg
View: https://twitter.com/bleacherreport/status/1859611108941722097?s=61&t=WWGHM95bxKssUmh_6owWFg
Well when you show up an hour late to the meeting they tend to only last 30 seconds (yes I know he did not show up late to the meeting apparently)
Bill Walton Sam Bowie and Greg Oden highly recommend Portland as a place for talented and oft injured bigs, too
I've seen the same speculations, mostly from Houston and Phoenix fans who pinpoint him as the source of their leaks at the time.
Last night was the Sixers 4th loss with Embiid. A year ago today, they lost to Cleveland, also their 4th loss of the season with Embiid. Doesn't sound so bad when it's put like that (ignore the fact that it was their 14th game last year, Embiid had played in all of them, and they were 10-4).
Is there a historical equivalent to what's happening here, in any sport?
Is there a historical equivalent to what's happening here, in any sport?
In fairness, the Jets transcend SPORTS and should be categorized into the behavioral health sector.
I know this is all hypothetical but Embiid signed an extension in the offseason so he can’t be traded until the following offseason. So he’s with PHI through at least this season.
Also, MIN and PHO are above the second apron so they wouldn’t be able to aggregate salaries in a deal (although theoretically they could duck below next offseason).
Ah, good call. I’m definitely not up to speed on all those rules. Feels like an offseason type deal to make anyways.
Not bad, but the Jets have been terrible for a long time now (13 year playoff drought). The Sixers have been embarrassingly bad in the playoffs, but they've been to the postseason 7 straight years, and winning regular season games at a .625 clip over that stretch (51 wins per year). The Jets have been a major disappointment, but in the grand scheme of things this is just another year for them. The Sixers have totally collapsed, plus Embiid is 10+ years younger than Rodgers.
One thing I find fascinating about the player empowerment era is the range of personalities that teams tie themselves to. Curry and Tatum seem like no-brainer, give-them-the-max-no-questions-asked types. LeBron might make you sell the future for the present but to his credit, he delivers the goods. Then you have Embiid, who wants all the credit (for the 10 game winning streak where he is putting up double doubles) but none of the blame (the games off, the playoff failures, leadership issues, being upset about leaks rather than the truth behind them, etc.).
Sometimes you are just stuck with the player. You can’t trade him until he is locked into a long-term deal since nobody is going to give up a package for a guy who is expiring or has one more year on his deal. So you extend him and can’t trade him immediately…..and then he is injured and nobody is going to trade for that contract when he’s damaged goods. The Sixers haven’t had a window to move him in recent years even if they wanted to do so. He’s not the only player who has hamstrung his Owner/GM and won’t be the last either.
I agree. But someone like Embiid (or Kyrie with galaxy brain, or Kawhi with injuries) have these massive red flags, but owners ignore them because they hope the good outweighs the bad for them. Or, perhaps more pointedly, it's easy to sell tickets to a team with a flawed superstar willing to sign to the max than a team with no star.
Actually, there is an obvious comp: The 2022 Lakers. They were just two years removed from winning in the bubble, they picked up Westbrook to widespread acclaim (and Westbrook was a year younger than George is now), Lebron and AD missed some time to injury but those three guys still played 174 games combined, which might be more than Embiid/George/Maxey play this year. They entered the year with an over/under of 52.5 wins and an insane +400 to win the title, and they won just 33 games and didn't even make the play in. That's gotta be just as disappointing or worse than the year Philly is on pace for, although they had the recent title and a lifetime of success to fall back on.
Raps fans could tell you all about Kawhi's "commitment." And in a much better situation...
Daryl Morey is really good at protecting his own ass, so the standoff between who gets shipped out first between him and Embiid will be fascinating. Embiid already showed his skill in this department along with Doc Rivers in 2021 when the Sixers playoff failure was squarely placed on Simmons' shoulders for one particular play. (Ignoring the fact that A) He himself put up a 4-for-20 stinker in a 3-point Game 4 loss that would have given the Sixers a commanding 3-1 series lead; and B) Everyone knew Simmons had the yips that postseason but in Game 7 he dished out 13 assists and shot 2-for-4 in adapting well to a shitty situation.)
It's not an exact repeat of the Kobe/Nash/Dwight Lakers, but it rhymes.
Now THIS Is Going to Be Fun!
I would add that the 2011 Eagles - who Vince Young (!) dubbed a Dream Team (!!) - went 8-8 after signing a bunch of flashy free agents and missed the playoffs. They were 10-6 the season before.
You want me to tell you the specific hour of the day that each of those guys revealed that they were less reliable than Curry or Tatum? I don't understand your question. Are you suggesting that Embiid/Kyrie/Kawhi have all been fantastic signings for the last team that signed them?
If you've got a guy that you can say with a straight face gives you a championship ceiling, I don't know if you can ever get rid of that guy while he's in his prime and not asking to be traded. Just gotta hope that guy is up for it, and at this point there's no evidence that Embiid is that guy. It's clear he hates losing (guys that don't care don't cry after losing like he did after the Kawhi shot), but as a great coach once said, "Everyone wants to win until it's really time to win, and then you have to nut up and do a lot of shit that you don't want to do." It's pretty clear that thus far, there are things that Embiid doesn't want to do (stay in great shape, lead by example, eat properly, take responsibility when things go wrong). He's 30 and has been a pro for a decade now, this is who he is. You can't win a title with him as your best player. Maybe he needs a fresh start somewhere else or maybe Maxey passes him and becomes the defacto leader, but what they've got right now isn't working.
It's crazy to me that Paul George is already out with a podcast discussing the leak. I just don't see how it could possibly be good for anyone to air dirty laundry like this in the middle of a season.
View: https://youtu.be/7W-yEQe3Bx0?si=fJgq3kqjTN20adGS
But, also, please keep doing it, Paul! What a tire fire. So fun to watch.
View: https://youtu.be/7W-yEQe3Bx0?si=fJgq3kqjTN20adGS
But, also, please keep doing it, Paul! What a tire fire. So fun to watch.
No, you suggested that Phillys owner ignored Embiid’s red flags at some point. I pointed out the reasons why he’s been unmovable the past several years and was curious as to when you felt that they should have moved on. Keep in mind that prior to my timeline he finished 2nd, 2nd and 1st in MVP voting.
The hype train is idling on a track spur. It will be back in service when George and Embiid, after missing most of February and March, are shown walking around at practice in early April.
As someone else wrote some of these teams can't aggregate and also Embiid isn't tradable...but I think people are way underestimating the number of teams that would jump into the Embiid sweepstakes were he to become available. I think it is easier to list the teams that wouldn't want him
I mean, I probably wouldn't have loved signing him to that last extension f I was a 76ers fan. I understand why the 76ers did it. Maybe warts would have been a better term than red flags, but the point is the same. The 76ers have employed Embiid for years now and were hoping to get the best version of him which - despite his MVPs - did not lead to much playoff success. He whines. He grifts. He's had problems with staff and teammates. He can't stay on the court. He puts up monster numbers in the regular season chasing personal accolades.
ETA: this is getting away from my original point, which is that some Max players (Curry, Tatum, LeBron) were easy, no questions asked max contracts. But other guys that get the max (Kyrie, Leonard, Embiid) have warts (galaxy brain, injuries, injuries and no leadership) have warts that you hope the good outweighs the bad.
This Reddit thread suggests 2008 Tigers. To quote the poster: "They added Miguel Cabrera and Edgar Renteria to an already stacked lineup with Magglio Ordonez, Curtis Granderson, Gary Sheffield, Carlos Guillen, and Pudge Rodriguez. Everybody thought it was one of the greatest offenses assembled and were projecting them to score 1,000 runs. They start the season 0-7 and finish the year with a 74-88 record. "
Cabrera and Embiid may be good comps; I'd have to look at it more closely (not going to do it to be honest).
The problem is that "Embiid becoming available" isn't a fully independent event, and the circumstances under which he becomes available drastically impact trade value.
Off the top of my head, I could imagine:
- he requests a trade (doesn't look likely, and I agree that there WOULD be a sweepstakes were that to happen)
- it looks like his body is screwed -- no one wants him in this case
- Philly thinks they need to blow the team up -- this would be the most interesting one
Hard for me to say and likely depends on how rest of this season goes. But matching $60M or so of salary won’t be easy for most teams given that they’d likely want to pair Embiid with an existing star.
"And if I show up all Swoll you just gonna give me the MVP"
Something like that Joel.
The last extension was completely unnecessary, as was noted by a few around here.
Under the current CBA, every contract $$$ needs to be scrutinized since penalties are much more than just ownership money now. BUT people are still operating under the old assumptions
Smart GM'ing to give him that 2nd guaranteed yearDET would happily give PHI Tobias Harris and salary filler for him.