There might not be any team that has it worse than Philadelphia.
Last season, the Philadelphia 76ers had one of the worst years of any team in the league. Expecting to be a title contender and ascend back to the top of the Eastern Conference, injuries plagued the 76ers’ season and kept them from even making the play-in.
Now, with VJ Edgecombe’s arrival and ideally some better health for Joel Embiid and Paul George, the 76ers are again looking to make it back into the tier of contenders. However, with so many factors that could dramatically swing things in the City of Brotherly Love, there could be some real trouble brewing for the Sixers next season and beyond.
Does anyone have it worse?
In a recent Bleacher Report article, Eric Pincus ranked the 76ers’ salary cap situation as the worst in the entire league. Considering their mix of bad contracts, injury-prone stars and limited draft capital, it’s an argument that’s quite easy to make.
As Pincus noted, the idea that Embiid stays healthy and George bounces back is certainly Plan A for Philadelphia. However, there is no guarantee that anything remotely close to that scenario will unfold next season, which could leave Daryl Morey in a position where he will have to make some tough decisions a bit sooner than he might have anticipated.
Of course, the 76ers still have some bright spots in Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and Edgecombe, but with how much Philadelphia has invested in Embiid and George, it will be hard to focus on any bright spots if the two veteran stars can’t deliver in 2025-26.
