The Philadelphia 76ers season has not started off the way that they had hoped. The team is currently sitting with a record of 7 wins to a staggering 15 losses.
Over the offseason, the 76ers made huge splashes in free agency by adding former Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George. They also signed/drafted other names like Jared McCain, Andre Drummond, and Caleb Martin. All these signings were supposed to turn the team from pretenders to contenders, but that is yet to happen.
Outside of some flashes from McCain, the team has played poorly. This is primarily due to Joel Embiid and Paul George not being healthy and on the court. This slow start has still enraged fans at Haverford.
“I think that the team is playing badly, but the coach is doing a great job developing our young guys like Jared McCain,” Third Former Matt Rocheleau said.
Despite the poor performance, are the 76ers still contenders? As of a week or two ago, both Embiid and George are back on the court. While George has struggled so far at times in his stint with the team, he has shown flashes of the All-Star he once was. These performances are highlighted by a 29-point game against the Charlotte Hornets on December 3rd.
“If Embiid doesn’t play more than half the season, it’s time to part ways with him.”
Nick Canuso ’28
As for the former MVP Embiid, fans have grown angry with his performance this season. Embiid’s preseason announcement that he would no longer play in back-to-back games disappointed and frustrated fans.
“If Embiid doesn’t play more than half the season, it’s time to part ways with him,” Third Former Nick Canuso said.
When on the floor Embiid is performing well, as seen by his 33 points in the December 8th game, but he has missed most of the season thus far.
Despite these controversies, a bright spot glimmers in the 76ers’ future. Going into the season, many thought that McCain was not going to work out in the NBA, as he was taken 16th overall in what was generally considered a historically poor draft class.
But McCain has defied expectations so far. In November he averaged almost 20 points per game, which is incredible from an athlete in the first month of his career. Tragically, McCain went down with a torn monecious and most likely will not return this year.
The 76ers’ guard Tyrese Maxey is the best player so far this season. He has averaged a great 24 points a game. Both Maxey and McCain bring a youthful skill of slashing to the basket and gaining points under the rim. Maxey has also developed in his three-point shooting, with an average of 38% from beyond the line.
So it’s fair to say that despite a bad record at the quarter mark, the 76ers’ playoff hopes are still very much alive.
As for the NBA Championship, we will just have to wait and see what happens.
