The countdown to the new season is 10 days away. Looking back on last season, the 76ers who were aiming to compete for the championship were ruined by injuries.
Before the start of the 2024-25 season, the 76ers spent $212 million over four years to sign Paul George, who is now 35 years old, and formed the core championship team of Embiid + Maxey + George.
With the core trio, the helpers cannot be inferior. The management has created a brand new championship lineup based on the 47 wins and 35 losses in the 2023-24 season: Oubre, Caleb Martin, Lowry, Eric Gordon, Reggie Jackson, Drummond, Yabusele, and McCain are all strong reinforcements. It can be said that the 76ers have never fought such a rich battle.
The ideal is very fulfilling, but the reality is slapped in the face.
Embiid only played 19 games due to repeated deterioration of his left knee injury and was reimbursed for the season; George, who was given high hopes, also played only 41 games due to multiple injuries such as groin, fingers, ligaments, etc., averaging only 16.5 points per game, and his personal efficiency value of 14.5 was the lowest in the past decade; Maxey also suffered a right hamstring strain and finger tendon injury, and missed 30 games throughout the season; McCain, the 16th pick in the first round of 2024, scored 20+ points in 7 consecutive games last season and scored 34 points in a single game. However, he unfortunately suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee in January 2025 and was reimbursed for the season.
The 76ers ended up with only 24 wins and 58 losses, ranking 13th in the Eastern Conference. A large wave of injuries ruined the 2024-25 season that the 76ers management was originally proud of.
The 76ers' experience last season was similar to that of the Warriors in the 2019-20 season (Curry broke his left hand). The 15-win Warriors got the second pick and selected Wiseman. The 76ers were also lucky enough to get the third pick this year.
The 76ers used the third pick to select VJ Edgecombe, a talented guard from the Bahamas. He is 193 centimeters tall, has a wingspan of 202 centimeters, and weighs 88 kilograms. He represented Baylor University last season and averaged 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 steals per game. He shot 34.0% from three-point range. The draft template is Oladipo/Jaylen Green.
Edgecombe's physical talent is explosive, his running and jumping ability is top-notch, and he can stay in the air for a long time. He is a super spring man on the back line. His physical talent determines his finishing ability and defensive potential near the basket. In his freshman season, he had 68 steals and 20 blocks. He is regarded as one of the most outstanding outside defenders in this rookie class.
Edgecomb is young and mature. In the 2024 Paris Olympic Qualifying Tournament, he averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2 steals per game, and shot 38.5% from three-point range. He fits seamlessly with Ayton, Hield, and Eric Gordon. He is a smart, mature, and stable ready-to-combat defender.
Edgecomb's defense determines his lower limit. If he polishes his offense well, he may become an All-Star defender in the future. His ability to work hard on offense and defense was praised by George as "the next Butler."
Edgecomb has cornerstone potential and can also provide immediate combat effectiveness. The 76ers management has truly selected a young man who can influence the future direction of the team. Once Embiid and George disappoint, the young combination of Edgecomb and McCain will also be the 76ers' future retreat.
The core trio of the 76ers all have big contracts and their salaries are stretched thin. They can only make minor repairs this summer.
In addition to Edgecombe, the 76ers also selected Jonny Bloom with the No. 35 pick in the draft. The senior was Auburn University's number one center last season, averaging 18.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.1 blocks per game. He won the Karl Malone Award, the Pete Newell Award for Best Big, the Sporting News Player of the Year and the SEC League MVP. He was unanimously selected to the All-American Team.
The 76ers have accumulated Embiid, Drummond, Bona, and Bloom inside. The depth is completely sufficient. Moreover, Embiid has a serious injury history. Bloom can enter the rotation as an immediate combat force. This is the 76ers' main consideration.
The 76ers' "biggest first move" in the free market this summer was to sign Watford for 5.3 million over two years (second-year player option). Since Yabusele moved to the Knicks, the 76ers used Watford as a replacement.
Watford is 206 centimeters tall and weighs 108 kilograms. He averaged 10.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for the Nets last season. He has excellent athletic ability and has long-range shooting ability (33.0% three-point shooting rate). The most important thing is that he is only 24 years old this year. He is young and has potential to be tapped for immediate combat rotation. The 76ers made a huge profit from this signing.
The 76ers are ready to fight with reinforcements. As long as the core is healthy in the new season, they cannot be underestimated.
In the new season, the 76ers' paper lineup is not bad in the Eastern Conference, and whether they can stay healthy is crucial.
Last season, George missed 41 games, Maxi missed 30 games, and Embiid missed 63 games. The attendance rate of the three core players is undoubtedly the 76ers' basic plan for the new season.
The 76ers are still in the championship window. Embiid still has a 3+1 contract (a player option for the fourth year of 67.18 million), George has a 2+1 contract (a player option for the third year of 56.59 million), and Maxi has a 4-year contract (the last year of 46.39 million). As long as the management does not send away Embiid and George, the 76ers with a healthy Big Three are indeed regarded as a potential championship team.
The 76ers not only have the Big Three, but the quality of the puzzle is not bad either: Drummond, Oubre, Grimes, Gordon, Lowry, McCain, Edgecombe, Bonner, and Bloom. The entire rotation depth is enough to support them in the playoffs.
The 76ers' team building idea of forming the Big Three was sound, but last season was ruined by injuries. The abilities of Embiid and George when healthy are obvious to all. The 76ers' prospects for the new season still depend on the health of Embiid and George. In particular, Embiid's attendance rate directly affects the 76ers' record. His role in the tactical system is much higher than that of George and Maxi..
With the Big Three in place, the 76ers are a championship contending team; without one of the Big Three, they can still stay on the edge of the playoffs; without two of the Big Three, there is a high probability that another year will be wasted. Fortunately, the 76ers can also tear down and rebuild around the backcourt of McCain and Edgcomb in the future. However, when Embiid and George are relatively healthy, the 76ers are still in their own championship window during the three years left on George's contract.
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