There is a very murky cloud hanging over the Philadelphia 76ers these days. It is unknown when Joel Embiid, their franchise player, will be ready to return to game action, and star forward Paul George also remains out of action after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee this summer.
They do have an outstanding young guard in Tyrese Maxey, as well as promising young prospects in Quentin Grimes and Jared McCain. But for the Sixers to be competitive this season, let alone be contenders, Embiid and George will need to get and stay healthy.
Charles Barkley, who was a legitimate superstar for the Sixers back in the day, said in an exclusive interview with Heavy Sports that a healthy Philly squad could be the best one in the Eastern Conference.
“The East is up for grabs,” Barkley said. “I mean, it’s going to be crazy. I got no idea who’s going to win the East. I mean, [expletive], the Sixers, if they could get healthy, they might be the best team in the East. I know the [New York] Knicks and Cleveland [Cavaliers] are probably going to be favored. I think the [Atlanta] Hawks got better. But, man, I gotta tell you something; I ain’t got no faith in anybody right now in the East. The Cavs, they’re going to have to prove it before people give them their credit.”
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There is no doubt that, at least on paper, the 76ers have plenty of talent. A healthy Embiid is a dominant Embiid, and it’s easy to forget that he led the NBA in scoring average twice and was named the MVP of the 2022-23 regular season. George is a nine-time All-Star, and Maxey is coming off a season in which he averaged 26.3 points and 6.1 assists a game.
“My Sixers, can they get healthy? If (Joel) Embiid and Paul George can get healthy, they might be the team to beat in the East,” Barkley said. “That’s what’s crazy.
“Listen, man, I got no idea what’s going on with Embiid and Paul George. I’ve been asked that question all summer. I said, ‘Yo, I can’t give y’all no f answer. I don’t know who’s going to play.’”
Last season was a total disaster for Philly. From the beginning, Embiid’s availability from game to game was a question mark, both because of his chronic knee problems and because of load management. He appeared in just 19 games, and it is becoming very difficult to trust that he will be available for the majority of games throughout an entire season.
George, whom Philly signed to a lucrative contract last summer, was limited to 41 games, partly due to his own knee troubles.
On top of that, this current group of 76ers players has barely gotten any reps together. On the other hand, the Knicks and Cavaliers, the two favorites in the East, have been together for two or three seasons and have more continuity as a result.
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The East may be somewhat wide open because of the Achilles injuries to Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton. If the 76ers somehow find a way to get and stay healthy, perhaps they can have something to say about how the race for the conference will play out.
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