Sixers Confident About Joel Embiid’s Return, Won’t Pursue Tanking Strategy
While there may be advantages to tanking the rest of the season, the Sixers made their intentions clear with a pair of huge wins this weekend. They defeated the East-leading Cavaliers at home on Friday and topped the Bulls on Saturday to pull to within a game of Chicago for the 10th spot in the conference.
Philadelphia is still committed to winning despite a horrendous start and a 17-27 record midway through the season, writes David Aldridge of The Athletic. Injuries have limited Joel Embiid to 13 games so far, but majority owner Josh Harris told Aldridge that the organization remains confident he’ll be able to return and lead the Sixers into the playoffs.
“We’re still really happy with Joel,” Harris said. “He’s a warrior. I’ve seen this. He’s fought through a lot of injuries. You remember when we started, in his first (two) years, he didn’t play at all. And then, in his third year, he played 30-something games. And then, he fought through all of that, and became the MVP. So, he’s fighting right now, and we’re fighting. And I’m hopeful and optimistic that we’ll get through.
“I want him to get his body right and get on the court. If he gets back on the court, everything’s going to fall into place. I know him as a person, and I know him as an individual, and I know how hard he’s working. I think he’s also super-smart and very in-tune with his body. He has a whole team around him, and we have a whole team around him. He’s getting the absolute best care and best advice. I’m hopeful that he’ll fight through this and make it happen, and that’s what we’re going to plan for right now.”
Embiid is currently dealing with swelling in his left knee that began during a workout last week. He was projected to miss at least seven to 10 days, so an update on his status should be coming soon. Before that, he sat out the previous six games due to a sprained left foot that has since healed.
According to Aldridge, the Sixers don’t believe Embiid’s knee issue will require surgery and they remain hopeful that he’ll return to action “sooner rather than later.” They don’t view extended rest as the best solution, considering him to be more effective when he’s playing and practicing regularly.
Aldridge also hears that the Sixers aren’t convinced that the benefits of a tank would be worthwhile, despite the fact that they would keep their 2025 first-round pick if it lands in the top six. With 17 wins already, it would be difficult for the club to get higher than fifth or sixth in the lottery race.
League sources tell Aldridge that the front office doesn’t see much difference between the quality of a pick in that No. 5-6 range or a selection a little later in the first round that would have to be sent to Oklahoma City. He adds that it would be difficult to sell a tanking strategy to Paul George, who came to Philadelphia on a four-year, $212MM contract in free agency last summer, or to Tyrese Maxey, who recently agreed to a five-year, $204MM extension.
“To be honest, we don’t know what we look like, because we haven’t been healthy. So, to be honest, we might have enough in here already,” George said after the win over Cleveland.
The Sixers’ history of tanking also has to be considered, Aldridge adds. Embiid was the only real prize to show from four years of losing during “The Process” era, and fans might not be on board with heading down that road again, even if it’s only for half a season.
Harris emphasized that he has no interest in pursuing that strategy.
“I would say that, again, we always start with trying to build elite teams,” he said. “We started this season with two potential Hall of Famers, and one All-Star. We were very excited about the season. Obviously, it’s been a disappointing season. No one’s happy with where we are. We’re not happy. I go to a lot of games. We want to be winning and creating the contending team that we’ve had over the last five years. The injuries haven’t helped us. The elite team we had hasn’t been on the court more than seven games, where they started and finished the game. We won six of seven of those. I think we got it right.
“But what’s happened is, obviously, Joel hasn’t played a lot. He’s the lynchpin of the whole thing. When he doesn’t play, the pressure comes on Paul, and it comes on Tyrese. And Tyrese has had to carry a lot of the load, and, in some cases, Paul has had to carry a lot of the load. And people have had to do things that they weren’t necessarily prepared for.”
Eighteen More Players Become Trade-Eligible
Today is Wednesday, January 15, which means that a total of 18 players who signed free agent contracts meeting specific criteria this past offseason are now eligible to be traded.
Most offseason signees became trade-eligible on December 15, but players who met the following criteria were ineligible to be moved for an extra month:
- The player re-signed with his previous team.
- He got a raise of at least 20%.
- His salary is above the minimum.
- His team was over the cap and used Bird or Early Bird rights to sign him.
The following players met that criteria and are eligible to be traded as of Wednesday:
- Precious Achiuwa (Knicks)
- OG Anunoby (Knicks)
- Goga Bitadze (Magic)
- Miles Bridges (Hornets)
- Max Christie (Lakers)
- Nic Claxton (Nets)
- Haywood Highsmith (Heat)
- Isaiah Joe (Thunder)
- Johnny Juzang (Jazz)
- KJ Martin (Sixers)
- Tyrese Maxey (Sixers)
- Malik Monk (Kings)
- Josh Okogie (Suns)
- Scotty Pippen Jr. (Grizzlies)
- Note: Pippen doesn’t meet the criteria detailed above, but was converted from his two-way contract to a standard deal on October 15. He’s trade-eligible today because it has been three months since he signed that contract.
- Immanuel Quickley (Raptors)
- Obi Toppin (Pacers)
- Aaron Wiggins (Thunder)
- Patrick Williams (Bulls)
Most of the players on NBA rosters are now eligible to be moved, though a small handful still can’t be dealt.
That group includes Kings forward Doug McDermott, who becomes trade-eligible on Thursday, Celtics sharpshooter Sam Hauser (trade-eligible on January 23), Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (Jan. 26), Grizzlies big man Jay Huff (Jan. 28), Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (Feb. 2), and Knicks center Ariel Hukporti (Feb. 5).
Additionally, there are several players who won’t become trade-eligible at all prior to this season’s February 6 deadline, including stars like Joel Embiid, Lauri Markkanen, and Jamal Murray.
Players on 10-day contracts are also ineligible to be dealt.
Sixers Notes: Injuries, Nance, Athleticism, Arena
In addition to being without Joel Embiid, Kyle Lowry, and Andre Drummond, as we relayed earlier, the Sixers have also ruled out Paul George (right ankle soreness), Tyrese Maxey (left hand sprain), and Caleb Martin (right groin soreness) for Tuesday’s game vs. Oklahoma City, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links).
On the plus side, Drummond and KJ Martin, who has been out since December 23 due to a left foot stress reaction, have resumed on-court work, Pompey notes (via Twitter). Drummond and Embiid are considered day-to-day, while KJ Martin’s return timeline is TBD.
In total, eight players are unavailable against the Thunder, so the Sixers will roll with a skeleton crew that includes a starting lineup of Reggie Jackson, Eric Gordon, Ricky Council, Kelly Oubre, and Guerschon Yabusele, tweets Pompey. It’s the first end of a back-to-back set for Philadelphia, so the team will hope to be a bit more whole on Wednesday vs. New York.
Here’s more on the 76ers:
- After waiving Pete Nance last Tuesday, the Sixers spent the week surveying the free agent market and considering other options for their open two-way slot, Pompey reports (Twitter link). However, given Embiid’s and Drummond’s injuries, the club ultimately decided that a big man was its biggest need, which is why Nance was re-signed to a new two-way deal earlier today.
- Within his takeaways from Sunday’s loss to Orlando, Pompey writes that the veteran Sixers couldn’t keep up with the more youthful Magic, suggesting that Philadelphia’s roster could benefit from an influx of athleticism.
- In an in-depth story for The Inquirer, Sean Collins Walsh and Alex Coffey take a closer look at how the Sixers and Comcast Spectacor reached an agreement to keep the team in South Philadelphia, including the role that NBA commissioner Adam Silver played in thawing out an icy relationship between the two sides.
Injury Notes: Wagner, Magic, Kyrie, Sixers, Haliburton, Jackson
Magic forward Franz Wagner, who is recovering from a torn right oblique, will remain sidelined for Wednesday’s game in Milwaukee, but his injury designation will be updated to “return to competition reconditioning,” according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).
The change in designation doesn’t necessarily mean Wagner’s return is imminent, but it does suggest that he’s entering the final stage of his rehab process. By comparison, teammate Paolo Banchero, who sustained a torn oblique of his own on October 30, had his designation changed to “return to competition reconditioning” on December 27, then returned to action on January 10.
“I feel good,” Wagner said on Tuesday (Twitter link via Beede). “I think everything is going in a really good direction. I was able to do some more stuff on the court. I think pretty much the muscle is not the issue at this point. It’s more of getting back in shape, making sure that I check all of the boxes before I go play a game.”
Wagner, Gary Harris (left hamstring strain), and Jett Howard (left ankle sprain) went through a non-contact practice on Tuesday, per Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley (Twitter links via Beede). Tristan Da Silva (illness) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (sore left knee) also practiced, but Jalen Suggs (low back strain) and Goga Bitadze (right hip contusion) didn’t, Beede adds.
Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:
- Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving, who last played on January 1, has been upgraded to questionable for Tuesday’s matchup with Denver. The Mavs announced last Monday that Irving was expected to miss at least a week or two due to a bulging disc in his back, but he fully participated in Monday’s practice and “looked good,” head coach Jason Kidd said (Twitter link via Jared Greenberg of NBA TV).
- The banged-up Sixers will be missing Joel Embiid (left foot sprain), Andre Drummond (left toe sprain), and Kyle Lowry (right hip sprain) for a fifth straight game on Tuesday vs. Oklahoma City. Philadelphia also added Tyrese Maxey to its injury report as a result of a left hand sprain, with the star guard considered questionable to play against OKC.
- Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed during a radio appearance on Tuesday that it’s “highly unlikely” Tyrese Haliburton suits up vs. Cleveland tonight, but said the point guard’s hamstring issue isn’t believed to be significant, as Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star relays. “The good news is we don’t believe that it’s serious,” Carlisle said. “It was tightness, soreness. When you have a high-functioning athlete, skill player like Tyrese, tightness can really make it difficult for him to play at the level that he plays at. Having him come out of (Sunday’s) game was absolutely the right thing to do.”
- Grizzlies forward GG Jackson has essentially recovered from his offseason foot surgery and his season debut isn’t far off, according to head coach Taylor Jenkins. “It’s more just about reconditioning and back to play,” Jenkins said (story via Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal). “There may be opportunities with the (G League’s Memphis) Hustle for his first exposure to live five-on-five play.”
Gilgeous-Alexander, Maxey Named Players Of The Week
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been named the NBA’s Player of the Week for the Western Conference, while Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey has won the award for the East, the league announced today (via Twitter).
Gilgeous-Alexander, who finished runner-up for last season’s MVP award, continued his excellent play during the 2024/25 campaign over the past week. In victories over Washington, Indiana, Charlotte and Memphis, he averaged an eye-popping stat line of 35.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.5 blocks in 33.6 minutes per game on .630/.409/.970 shooting.
The Thunder, who are off to their best start in franchise history, are currently 26-5, the No. 1 seed in the West. Canadian star Gilgeous-Alexander has yet to miss a game this season.
Maxey put up stellar numbers himself in victories over San Antonio, Boston and Utah, averaging 32.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 2.7 steals on .465/.394/.857 shooting in his three appearances (40.7 minutes).
After opening the season with an abysmal 3-14 record, Philadelphia has been gradually climbing up the standings, having won nine of its past 12 games, including three straight. The 76ers are currently, 12-17, the No. 11 seed in the East, a half-game back of No. 9 Chicago.
According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Kyrie Irving, Norman Powell, Ivica Zubac, Julius Randle, Austin Reaves and Shaedon Sharpe. Maxey beat out Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, Tyler Herro, De’Andre Hunter, Jalen Johnson, Trae Young and Donovan Mitchell to claim the East’s award.
Sixers Notes: Embiid, Maxey, Martin, Yabusele
The Sixers didn’t panic after a disastrous start to the season, and they’re starting to look like the team everyone expected when they revamped their roster over the summer, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Philadelphia continued its turnaround on Wednesday with a victory at Boston, winning for the eighth time in its past 11 games.
The team has weathered a long string of early-season injuries, with the Christmas showdown marking just the sixth game when Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George have all been available. Embiid had a minor pre-game scare when he twisted his ankle while stepping on a security guard’s foot, but he was able to put up 27 points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes.
“We got a high ceiling,” Embiid said. “It’s all about us putting it together. I don’t think that was close to our best basketball, but we got a pretty good chance. So it’s all about looking for some luck and staying healthy.”
Maxey also had a huge night with 33 points and 12 assists, and Bontemps notes that the Sixers did the little things well, such as beating the Celtics 13-6 in the turnover battle and making all 19 of their free throws. Philadelphia is now just one game away from the play-in tournament and 3.5 games behind Miami for sixth place and a guaranteed playoff spot.
“I think the biggest thing that we’ve really done is we’ve come together a lot more,” Maxey said. “I feel like we had a lot of new guys. I don’t know how many new people we have, like seven or something like that, and it’s difficult. You don’t know how you want to play. You don’t know what combinations go with each other. I think we’re finally figuring that out.”
There’s more on the Sixers:
- Caleb Martin has experienced shoulder, back and neck injuries since the season began, but this week marks the first time he’s been able to play without pain, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Martin enjoyed one of his best games of the season on Wednesday, scoring 23 points while going 7-of-9 from three-point range. “He’s much healthier now than he was two weeks ago,” coach Nick Nurse said. “The first thing he said to me was … ‘Coach I feel so much better physically.'”
- Philadelphia had success with a small-ball lineup as Guerschon Yabusele was plus-18 in 21 minutes of action, Pompey adds. Kyle Lowry (plus-20) and Reggie Jackson (plus-11) frequently played together while Maxey was resting, and the Sixers were able to frustrate Boston with a zone defense.
- The Christmas Day matchup with the Celtics was significant for Yabusele, who started his NBA career in Boston before being waived in 2019, notes Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. He spent five years overseas and eventually became a star with Real Madrid before an outstanding Olympics performance opened the door for another NBA opportunity. “I’ve got to be the hungriest on the court,” Yabusele said. “So just try to help the team and play with a lot of energy and a lot of force. … I understand, also, that it’s rare to have a second chance in the NBA, so when I’m out here, I just try to compete the best that I can.”
Atlantic Notes: C. Johnson, Raptors, Barnes, Embiid, Maxey
As Nets forward Cameron Johnson waits to see if he’ll be traded, he’s finding himself at the top of opposing teams’ game plans, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. A string of injuries, along with last week’s trade of Dennis Schröder to Golden State, has forced Johnson to take on a larger role in Brooklyn’s offense. Utah was the latest team to adjust its defensive approach, trapping Johnson repeatedly on Saturday while forcing him into six turnovers and a 2-0f-9 shooting night from three-point range.
“The one thing — obviously good job on them for blitzing CJ — but six turnovers to five assists, it’s not good enough,” coach Jordi Fernandez said. “The intentions were good, he was throwing the pass to the short roll. It was just the execution was not good. For the most part, he knew what we’re supposed to do, he’s just never been in that position. Every time Cam Thomas has been blitzed, we’ve got a clean execution out of it. If you turn it over every time, or a lot of times you got blitzed [it’s bad]. In the second half, he was better, but those turnovers, for sure we paid for it.”
It may be a short-term problem, as Johnson is considered likely to be moved before the February 6 trade deadline. The Thunder and Kings are among the teams that have reportedly expressed interest, and Lewis states that Johnson’s production and a contract that takes up just 13% of the cap make him the team’s top trade asset. In the meantime, Fernandez wants his players to do a better job of adjusting to the new defensive looks.
“We should have known how to space the floor versus blitz, especially the middle of the floor,” he said. “For the most part, when we executed right we had the shots that we wanted. Obviously, turning it over is not what we’re supposed to do, and we’ve got to be better.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Late-game execution continued to be a problem for the Raptors in Sunday’s four-point loss to Houston, observes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Toronto led for much of the night, but had too many empty possessions with the game on the line. The team could use Immanuel Quickley, who is recovering from a partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament, and Koreen states that he was able to take part in Saturday’s practice, although he wasn’t cleared for contact. Koreen adds that finding a player who can create his own shot should be a priority in the draft, noting that Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper may be more proficient in that area than projected top pick Cooper Flagg.
- A lethargic performance from Scottie Barnes could be a cause for concern, contends Michael Grange of Sportsnet, although Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic attributed it to rust from recent injuries. In his second game since returning from a sprained ankle, Barnes had six points on 2-of-15 shooting and launched unsuccessful three-point attempts on his first seven shots. “As you can see, he’s not being himself,” Rajakovic said. “He’s banged up, he got hit in his hip the last game, [there’s] his ankle and there’s been a couple of things bothering him. He’s still not himself, he’ll be better.”
- Lack of cohesion has been a big factor in the Sixers‘ slow start, notes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Joel Embiid is expected to play tonight against San Antonio, which would mark just the fifth time this season he’s been on the court alongside Tyrese Maxey and Paul George. Maxey is on the injury report with an illness, but he’s listed as probable to suit up, Pompey tweets.
Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Guards, Celtics, Johnson
Although not much has gone right for the Sixers this year, the growing bond between rookie Philadelphia guard Jared McCain and veteran point guard Kyle Lowry is one of the bright spots. Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer examines the relationship between the 38-year-old former All-Star and the 20-year-old Duke alum.
“I call him Unc Lowry,” McCain said of Lowry. “Grandpa. Super vet. Super duper vet.”
McCain is now sidelined indefinitely after undergoing a left knee surgery. But prior to that, the No. 16 pick in this year’s draft was looking like a bona fide Rookie of the Year contender. Lowry’s tutelage has abetted the rookie’s early-season rise.
McCain had earned the Sixers’ starting shooting guard role by early November, but was versatile enough to also spell All-Star starter Tyrese Maxey at the point when he sat. Lowry talked him through that transition on the floor.
“Sometimes when I’m out there on the court, and I’m the only point guard out there, it’s hard for me to kind of adjust to being a shooting guard or a point guard,” McCain said. “Knowing where everybody is at on the court, being able to talk, being vocal. I’ve just got to adjust and be a leader.”
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- On Thursday, the Sixers got the green light from Philadelphia’s city council – on a vote of 12-5 – to construct a new $1.3 billion stadium downtown, per ESPN/The Associated Press. Local activists and residents from nearby Chinatown had been protesting the proposed deal. Sixers ownership hopes to relocate the club from its current home, Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia, to this new locale by 2031.
- Although the Grousbeck family, majority owners of the Celtics franchise, had claimed they hoped to offload a majority ownership stake in the franchise by late 2024 or early 2025, no such agreement is yet on the horizon, a source informs Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. The source tells Himmelsbach that prospective buyers are still waiting on initial meetings with Celtics ownership, with bidding expected to tip off in January.
- Nets forward Cameron Johnson is trying to ignore growing trade chatter ahead of this year’s February 6 deadline, reports Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “We’ve communicated that: Be where your feet are,” Johnson told Lewis of his conversations with Brooklyn brass. “I think the understanding is, don’t get caught up in things that we can’t control or things that are off the court when we have so much to worry about on the court.” Through his first 26 games this season, the 6’8″ vet is averaging 19.2 points (on .489/.431/.874 shooting splits), 4.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per night.
Embiid: Ongoing Knee Issues “Extremely Depressing”
Joel Embiid made a triumphant return to action on Sunday but he was far from jubilant afterward. The Sixers superstar center expressed exasperation to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps over his ongoing left knee issues that have kept him out of action most of the season.
“Depressing. Just trying to figure it out. There’s no injury. Just between the swelling … we’ve got to get it figured out. That’s it,” he said. “I’ve been saying it for the last few months. It’s been extremely depressing. It’s something that hasn’t been figured out, and it’s been extremely annoying, because I would love to play every single game.”
In uniform for just the fifth time this season and the first time since Nov. 20, Embiid logged 33 minutes against Chicago and contributed 31 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
It was just the second time this season that Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George played in the same game. During their 26 minutes on the court together, the Sixers outscored the Bulls by 14 points.
“It’s easier, man. There’s a lot more space out there,” Maxey said of Embiid’s return. “I felt like today, even when he’s out there and I’m not out there, it’s harder to maybe trap or whatever. They can’t trap ball screens, you know what I mean? Either or if they don’t drive, then I can score or shoot 3 or if they drop too much and help too much for me, I’m pocket passing to him and he’s getting a layup or a [midrange jumper] … it makes the game easier.”
Embiid signed a three-year max extension in September and recent reports have detailed the extensive medical testing he underwent prior to the extension agreement. The team had anticipated Embiid’s issues would be manageable and were surprised by the early absences as he continued the rehab process.
“It felt good to have the guys on the floor. I believe if we’re healthy, and we’re on the floor, we have a chance against anybody, and I like what we have,” Embiid said. “I think the whole thing is about health … that’s what it comes down to. I wish I could have been playing from the beginning. I would love to play every single game, every single minute, but sometimes your body just says, ‘No,’ and you can’t do nothing about it. All you can do is just keep working to fix it and get better.”
Sixers Notes: Embiid, Officiating, George, Yabusele
The Sixers insist they did their due diligence throughout the year before handing Joel Embiid a three-year max extension in September, according to Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link). Following up on an ESPN report that the team and Embiid sought out a half-dozen medical opinions about his health prior to the extension, Neubeck details that a group of five-to-seven doctors did extensive testing and evaluating of Embiid’s left knee during three periods — following his injury in January, before his return late in the regular season, and again before the extension.
While there was a wide range of outcomes based on those evaluations, the opinions were generally optimistic that his knee issues were manageable. The staff and management was surprised when Embiid missed the opener and subsequent games while he continued to rehab and ramp up. The crux of the problem is that only Embiid knows how the knee feels on a daily basis and it has taken a mental toll on him.
Coach Nick Nurse said Embiid could suit up for Friday’s game against Orlando, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Embiid has only appeared in four games so far this fall.
We have more on the Sixers:
- Nurse and the team were upset about two no-calls in the late stages of their four-point loss to Orlando on Wednesday. One of those could have sent Tyrese Maxey to the foul line with a chance to tie after he missed a 3-point attempt. “That’s what the video showed — it should have been three free throws. It would have been a great play, right?” Nurse told Pompey and other media members.
- Paul George, who is managing his own knee issues, sat out the tail end of a back-to-back after posting 29 points and eight assists in a win over Charlotte on Tuesday. George is expecting to play on Friday and his improved health and production is a source of optimism for the club, Pompey writes. “He had the ball a lot and, he made some late. I think he gives our guys confidence, especially Tyrese, to have somebody else that he can go back and forth with a little bit. I think that gives us a lot of confidence,” Nurse said.
- Guerschon Yabusele hadn’t been in the league since the 2018/19 season until Philadelphia signed him as a free agent during the offseason. Kelly Oubre Jr. said it was immediately apparent that NBA teams made a mistake by not bringing him back from Europe sooner. “From day one when we got together as a team, I noticed that there’s no way he should have been out of the league,” Oubre told Pompey. “But at the end of the day, he’s back and he’s taken full advantage of his opportunity, and he’ll be here for a long time.”