The shaping of the 76ers took a step backward this week … perhaps just momentarily.
The team moved on from Jared McCain, a fan favorite and 2025 Rookie of the Year front-runner, and seldom-used veteran guard Eric Gordon before Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline. In return, the Sixers acquired a first-round pick, three second-rounders, and a second-round pick swap.
McCain was shipped to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday in exchange for the Houston Rockets’ 2026 first-round pick and three second-round selections. One of the second-rounders is the most favorable 2027 pick from the Thunder, Rockets, Indiana Pacers, and the Miami Heat. The other second-rounders are the 2028 picks that previously belonged to the Milwaukee Bucks and Thunder.
Then, around 2 p.m. on Thursday, the Sixers agreed to send Gordon and the right to swap second-round picks in 2032 to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for the draft rights to Justinian Jessup.
Shedding those players’ salaries gives the Sixers just over $7.6 million in cap space under the first apron. That means they can sign players on the buyout market in addition to using up to $8 million in a trade exception to acquire a player.
After the deadline, the Sixers signed forward Patrick Baldwin to a 10-day contract and center Charles Bassey to his second 10-day stint, giving the Sixers 14 standard contracts. And 48 minutes before Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, the team announced it converted starting power forward Dominick Barlow’s two-way contract to a standard deal.
Sixers guard Eric Gordon, a mentor to young star VJ Edgecombe, was dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies.
That enabled Barlow remain active for the remainder of the season.
But for now, they’re not in a good situation.
The buyout market could be key for the Sixers if they don’t sign Baldwin and Bassey for the remainder of the season.
Baldwin was the 28th overall pick by the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA draft. On July 6, 2023, he was traded to the Washington Wizards.
The 7-foot, 220-pound player has averaged 3.7 points and 2.0 rebounds while shooting 37.7% on three-pointers in a combined 95 games with the Warriors, Wizards, and Los Angeles Clippers.
Meanwhile, Bassey was not active for any games with the Sixers during the initial 10-day deal that he signed on Jan. 26. However, he excelled for their NBA G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.
Sixers guard Jared McCain was shipped to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Sixers headed into the trade deadline with a 29-21 record and were riding a five-game winning streak. Even though they were fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, they were regarded as the league’s most dangerous team.
With Joel Embiid healthy and playing at a high level, the thought was that they could beat any team on any given night. And it didn’t matter that Paul George is in the midst of serving a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program.
Kelly Oubre Jr., Barlow, and VJ Edgecombe took up the slack during the first three games that he missed.
Since then, the Sixers traded away players who were well-liked in the locker room for what on the surface appear to be moves to help them get below the luxury tax threshold.
But it’s still too early to fully judge the moves that were made.
McCain was exceptional in his rookie season before suffering a season-ending knee injury in December 2024. But he struggled with consistency this season, leaving him out of the rotation. Gordon played in only six games, with his last appearance coming Dec. 23 against the Brooklyn Nets.
The Sixers signed Patrick Baldwin (center) to a 10-day deal after the NBA trade deadline.
So these moves were made on the margins and will only be crystalized once we see how they affect the roster this season and what they do with their draft picks in the future.
But in the interim, the Sixers got a little worse over two days while several contenders in the East improved.
As expected, the 76ers parted ways with Eric Gordon.
Sources confirmed that the Sixers traded the reserve shooting guard to the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday in exchange for a 2032 second-round pick swap. This move gives the Sixers various options.
It opens up a roster spot to convert Dominick Barlow’s two-way contract into a standard deal. It also gives them a little over $7.6 million in salary cap space under the first apron, meaning they can sign players on the buyout market in addition to using up to $8 million in a trade exception to acquire a player.
Gordon played only in six games this season, with his last appearance coming Dec. 23 against the Brooklyn Nets. The 37-year-old, in his 18th season, signed a one-year, $3.63 million contract on July 1 after declining his $3.47 million player option.
Gordon’s deal carried a $2.3 million cap hit and a $2.3 million dead cap value, which was considered a good, low-risk expiring salary for potential trades.
The thought was that the Sixers could use a second-round pick to entice a team with a lot of cap space to take on Gordon’s contract for the remainder of the season. It turns out they found a trade partner in the Grizzlies.
Could we see another alteration to the 76ers‘ roster before they face the Los Angeles Lakers at 10 p.m. Thursday at Crypto.com Arena?
There was always a belief that the Sixers would shed some salary before the 3 p.m. Thursday trade deadline to get below the luxury tax threshold. They also needed to free up a roster spot to sign two-way players Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker to standard deals.
And the squad might have accomplished both by trading Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the Houston Rockets’ 2026 first-round pick and three second-rounders. One of the second-rounders is the 2027 most favorable pick from Oklahoma City, Houston, the Indiana Pacers, and Miami Heat. The others are the 2028 Milwaukee Bucks and 2028 Thunder picks.
The Sixers are now $3 million below the luxury tax threshold after trading away McCain’s $4.2 million salary for draft assets.
But is there another deal to be made? There’s a sense that this roster, as it’s currently constructed, has a chance to position itself for an Eastern Conference title.
The Sixers (29-21) take a five-game winning streak into their contest with the Lakers (30-19). The conference’s fifth-place team is 3 ½ games behind the second-place New York Knicks with 32 games remaining.
The Sixers traded Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the Houston Rockets’ 2026 first-round pick and three second-rounders.
Multiple sources insist that the Sixers are still willing to trade reserve center Andre Drummond.
But while McCain battled inconsistent play during his return from last season’s knee surgery, Drummond is the team’s best rebounder and has 12 double-doubles this season.
Parting ways with Drummond would be a blow to the Sixers’ depth. With Joel Embiid resting on the second night of a back-to-back, Drummond started his 18th game of the season Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors. The 6-foot-11, 279-pounder had 12 points, 12 rebounds, one steal, and a block in the 113-94 victory.
Sixers center Andre Drummond is averaging 6.9 points and 8.8 rebounds in just 19.8 minutes per game.
But more than providing a presence, Drummond has been a great teammate, setting screens, playing hard, and mentoring younger players.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey has seen the same traits from many of his teammates.
“As far as the trade deadline, when I was younger, I was a part of every [possible trade] situation,” Maxey said. “So you have to keep your head low, keep working. It’s a business, at the end of the day. Whatever happens, happens.
“I like this group. I think our group is really good, really tight, and guys like each other. So whatever happens, we will always support each other.”
At this stage of his career, it remains to be seen what kind of return the Sixers would receive for Drummond.
In fact, Maxey and VJ Edgecombe are the only trade assets who would pull in a player capable of drastically improving the team. And both are considered untouchable.
But by trading McCain, Daryl Morey, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations, has made a deadline deal every year since being hired in2020.
And he’s not the only NBA executive making moves. The Detroit Pistons, who sit atop the East, received sharpshooter Kevin Huerter and former Sixers post player Dario Šarić from the Chicago Bulls in a multiteam trade that sent Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley and Pistons combo guard Jaden Ivey to the Bulls.
The Los Angeles Clippers traded former Sixers guard James Harden (right) to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.
The third-place Boston Celtics are acquiring two-time All-Star center Nikola Vučević, a former Sixer, and a second-round pick from the Bulls in exchange for Celtics guard Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick.
And the fourth-place Cleveland Cavaliers traded two-time All-Star guard Darius Garland and a second-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers for 11-time All-Star point guard James Harden, another former Sixer.
Harden will be paired in the backcourt with seven-time All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell. Cleveland (31-21) also has frontcourt difference-makers in 2025 Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley and rim protector Jarrett Allen. Both players have made an All-Star team.
“He does James Harden stuff,” Maxey said about his close friend being traded. “He’s a dynamic player with playoff experience. He knows how to play the game, knows how to get guys involved. He’ll take some pressure off D-Mitch, for sure, and get those other guys, Mobley, Allen, [Jaylon] Tyson, all those guys easy shots.”
The big question is: What else will the Sixers do?
A source confirmed Wednesday that the team is trading the second-year guard to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the Houston Rockets’ 2026 first-round pick and three second-round selections.
One of the second-rounders is the 2027 most favorable pick from the Thunder, Rockets, Indiana Pacers, and the Miami Heat. The other second-rounders are 2028 picks that previously belonged to the Milwaukee Bucks and Thunder.
McCain averaged 6.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 37.8% on three-pointers in 37 games this season. Moving the 21-year-old also enabled the Sixers to free up an additional roster spot and get below the luxury tax threshold.
The Sixers were just $1.2 million above the tax threshold after receiving $5.8 million in tax variance credit because of Paul George’s 25-game unpaid suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program.
Sixers guard Jared McCain had recently started to find his shot after a slow start to the season while recovering from multiple surgeries.
Now, they’re $3 million below after getting rid of McCain’s $4.2 million salary.
McCain had his breakout rookie season cut short because of a torn meniscus in his left knee. And on top of that December 2024 injury, he had the start of this season delayed after suffering a torn ligament in his right thumb in September.
The 16th pick in the 2024 draft, McCain averaged 10 points and made 38.1% of his three-pointers in 60 career games with the Sixers.
Despite playing in just 23 games last season, McCain finished tied for seventh in the NBA’s rookie of the year voting. He was awarded a third-place vote from the media panel of 100 voters.
Before the injury, he was the favorite to win the award.
McCain averaged 15.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists last season. He also shot 46% from the field, including 38.3% from three. The California native joined Hall of Famer Allen Iverson as the only other Sixers rookie to average at least 15 points and two made three-pointers.
What if the 76ers don’t make a trade before Thursday’s 3 p.m. deadline?
Staying pat could signal they’re comfortable with their current roster. It may also be a sign that they don’t have any extra pressure from Paul George’s suspension, and that they believe their current roster is good enough to contend in the Eastern Conference.
Here are six questions for the sixth-place Sixers (29-21) heading into the deadline:
Will they prioritize staying under the luxury tax threshold or upgrading the roster?
On Thursday, Joel Embiid expressed his desire to avoid the Sixers’ annual salary dump at the trade deadline to avoid paying the luxury tax.
“So hopefully we keep the same team,” Embiid said. “I love all of the guys that are here. I think we’ve got a shot.
“I don’t know what [the front office is] going to do. But I hope that we get a chance to go out there and compete because we’ve got a good group of guys in this locker room, and the vibes are great.”
The team is just $1.2 million over the luxury tax threshold, thanks to a $5.8 million tax variance credit because of George’s unpaid suspension, during which he will lose $11.7 million.
Before George’s suspension, the Sixers were $7 million over the tax threshold and were expected to trade away at least one expiring contract. While the Sixers are still expected to make some type of move, they can keep all three of the players — Quentin Grimes ($8.7 million salary), Kelly Oubre Jr. ($8.3 million), and Andre Drummond ($5 million) — who had expiring contracts that could have helped them duck the tax.
Sixers guard Kelly Oubre Jr., has stepped up in Paul George’s absence as the nine-time All-Star serves a 25-game suspension.
Do the Sixers have reliable players on the roster who can step up during George’s absence?
Oubre, VJ Edgecombe, and Dominick Barlow have all shown they can handle larger roles until George returns on March 25 for the final 10 games of the season.
Edgecombe, a rookie shooting guard, has been the Robin to Tyrese Maxey’s Batman when Embiid and George have missed games or were limited by minutes restrictions. In addition to scoring 34 points in the season opener, the 20-year-old has two game-winning baskets this season.
Meanwhile, Oubre played well in Saturday’s 124-114 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, the first game that George missed due to the suspension. The 6-foot-8 swingman scored 19 points on 7-for-13 shooting to go with 10 rebounds and four assists.
“That’s big time,” Maxey said of Oubre’s 10 rebounds. “We’re going to need it, especially filling in for that role. And I have trust in him, because Kelly’s a guy who is not scared of the moment.”
Dominick Barlow became first Sixer with at least 25 points and 10 offensive rebounds since Hall of Famer Charles Barkley did so in November 1990.
Barlow followed up with his own big-time moment in Monday’s 128-113 road victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. The power forward, who is starting in place of George, finished with a career-high 26 points to go with 16 rebounds, including a career-high 10 offensive boards, to post his second double-double of the season. He also finished with two steals and a block.
The 6-9, 215-pounder became the first Sixer with at least 25 points and 10 offensive rebounds since Hall of Famer Charles Barkley did so in November 1990. So the Sixers have players more than capable of filling in for George, a nine-time All-Star.
Do the Sixers have the available trade assets required to get a significant upgrade in talent at the trade deadline?
Aside from Maxey and Edgecombe, the Sixers don’t have the assets needed to acquire the type of player who could drastically improve the team via a trade. And the Sixers aren’t going to trade either player.
Embiid is once again playing at an elite level, averaging 29.3 points over the last 15 games heading into Tuesday’s contest against the Warriors. However, he has an extensive injury history and a three-year, $193 million contract extension that kicks in next season. While he looks great at the moment, there is a lot of uncertainty concerning how he’ll hold up in the future.
Sixers forward Paul George has been suspended 25 games for violating the league’s anti-drug policy.
Meanwhile, George has a tough contract to move after signing a four-year, $211.5 million deal in July 2024. At this stage of his career, he’s recognized as a fourth option on a championship team. Yet George is being paid as a top-two player. As a result, it’s hard to justify taking on his salary at this time.
And since the Sixers aren’t going to trade Maxey or Edgecombe, they shouldn’t forfeit their future by surrendering draft picks to facilitate a trade. They’ll need those picks to acquire young talent and continue building around Maxey and Edgecombe after Embiid and George leave Philly.
What’s the possibility of the team moving salary to convert two-way players Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker to standard deals?
That could happen. Both players have been vital to the team’s success this season. Unless they sign Charles Bassey to a second 10-day contract on Thursday, the Sixers will have a standard roster spot available that day.
After the fifth game of George’s suspension, he will be moved from the active roster to the suspended list. The Sixers will be able to sign an additional player once he’s on that list.
The fifth game is Saturday’s road game against the Phoenix Suns. But the Sixers could also create an additional roster spot by trading a minimum-salary player to a team with available salary-cap space in exchange for draft assets.
Sixers forward Jabari Walker has outplayed the two-way deal he signed before the season.
How will the Sixers manage the backup center position?
Sources have said the Sixers are open to trading Drummond, even though he’s their best rebounder. If that happens, they’ll have to look for a backup center to grab rebounds and block shots.
Bassey, or a similar player, could be an option. The team initially selected the 6-foot-11 center out of Western Kentucky with the 53rd pick in the 2021 draft. He appeared in 23 NBA games as a rookie, averaging 3.0 points on 63.8% shooting along with 2.7 rebounds, 0.7 blocks, and 7.3 minutes.
However, Bassey was waived on Oct. 13, 2022.
He has averaged 4.3 points and 4.3 rebounds across 115 NBA games with the Sixers, San Antonio Spurs, and Memphis Grizzlies.
Sixers center Joel Embiid has returned to form this season, averaging 26.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists.
Can this team compete for a title as currently constructed?
A lot of that will depend on Embiid’s health. With him playing at a high level, the Sixers were a dangerous team. When he plays well, they could beat anyone in the league.
But how will the Sixers compete against the Boston Celtics, who are adding standout center Nikola Vucevic and a second-round pick from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Anfernee Simons and a second-rounder? Will seeing the Celtics and other East teams try to improve through trades force the Sixers to make a move? Time will tell.
The Sixers (29-21) are a half-game behind the fourth-place Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference standings.
Drummond must sustain his shooting
Drummond got his 18th start of the season due to Embiid not being cleared to play on back-to-back nights. Drummond finished with a game-high 11 rebounds to go with 12 points for his 12th double-double of the season.
On paper, his stat line looked good. He made 5 of 11 shots, including 1 of 2 on three-pointers, to go with one assist, one steal, and one block.
But he’ll have to be a more consistent shooter to gain the coaching staff’s trust as a reliable reserve when Embiid plays.
Sixers reserve center Adem Bona scored 11 points in 16 minutes off the bench Tuesday night.
Drummond was unable to build off his solid shooting start to the game.
He had four points on 2-for-2 shooting and five rebounds in the first five minutes. He scored those baskets on a put-back dunk and a tip-in. However, Drummond missed his next six attempts.
He missed a reverse layup and had a driving dunk blocked before being subbed out for Adem Bona with 2 minutes, 15 seconds remaining in the first quarter. He followed that up by missing a 23-foot three-pointer and a put-back layup in the second quarter.
His rough shooting night continued in the third quarter, when he missed an eight-foot turnaround jumper and an alley-oop.
While he struggled from the field, Bona had 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting.
All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey (14 points on 3-for-9 shooting), Dominick Barlow (10 points, 3-for-10), and Kelly Oubre Jr. (15 points, 4-for-12) all struggled from the field.
But VJ Edgecombe paced them with 25 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, and the Sixers got quality contributions from their bench.
They also benefited from the undermanned Warriors (27-24), who were without Stephen Curry, committing 20 turnovers.
Needed win without Embiid
Before Tuesday, the Sixers had lost four straight games when Embiid didn’t play. Teams were blitzing Maxey, and role players weren’t stepping up. They didn’t have that problem against the Warriors.
Trendon Watford had 16 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks in a reserve role. The Sixers had eight scorers in double digits.
This victory serves as a major confidence boost for a team dealing with Paul George’s 25-game suspension.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe (left) had a game-high 25 points against the Warriors.
Extending overall winning streak
The Sixers have the league’s second-best active winning streak at five games. The Charlotte Hornets and New York Knicks are tied for the best with seven consecutive victories.
Dominick Barlow is making Paul George’s absence manageable.
Paced by Tyrese Maxey’s season-high seven three-pointers, the 76ers showed why they are tough to beat when they’re making threes.
And facing Ivica Zubac remains a lopsided matchup for Joel Embiid.
These things stood out in a 128-113 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. The win extended the Sixers’ (28-21) winning streak to a season-tying four games heading into Tuesday’s matchup against the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
The sixth-place Sixers are a game behind the fourth-place Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference standings.
Picking up the slack
Monday marked the second game of George’s 25-game suspension due to violating the NBA’s Anti-Drug program. And just like Saturday night’s contest, he wasn’t missed. Barlow was a major reason why.
The 6-foot-9 power forward finished with a career-high 26 points to go with 16 rebounds, including a career-high 10 on the offensive boards, to post his second double-double of the season. He also finished with two steals and a block.
He became the first Sixer with at least 25 points and 10 offensive rebounds since Hall of Famer Charles Barkley did so in November 1990.
“That’s pretty good company,” Barlow said in a postgame interview on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Barlow had 11 points on 4-for-7 shooting, along with seven rebounds — four offensive — in the first quarter. That enabled him to become the league’s first player with at least 10 points, four offensive rebounds, a steal, and a block in a first quarter since Embiid tallied that in a December 2023 game.
“Some of the stuff I was getting was just easy in transition,” Barlow said of the first quarter. “I didn’t really do anything in the half-court for the first quarter, and I had 11. So I was like, ‘OK, if I get some stuff in the half-court and keep running, it’s going to be a big night.”
He was right.
Barlow reentered the game with 4 minutes, 21 seconds remaining in the half, and added four points on 2-for-2 shooting before intermission.
Always in attack mode, Barlow has a knack for grabbing offensive rebounds, cutting to the basket when he’s off the ball, and finding gaps in the defense where he can make an impact besides just scoring.
Three-point shooting
The Sixers are starting to find their rhythm with their three-point shooting. They made 22 of 42 three-pointers in their win over the Milwaukee Bucks last week. On Saturday, the Sixers made 17 of 36 threes. Against the Clippers, they went 17-for-39 (43.6%), 10 coming in the first half on 19 attempts.
Maxey‘s season-high seven three-pointers led to his 29 points to go with six assists and three steals. Kelly Oubre Jr. hit three from long range while scoring 15 points. Quentin Grimes (15 points) and Jared McCain (six points) each made two.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey scored 29 points while draining seven three-pointers against the Clippers Monday night.
Embiid dominates Zubac … again
Zubac averaged eight points and eight rebounds in eight previous games playing against Embiid, who averaged around 34 points and 10 rebounds in those games.
Embiid wasn’t efficient on Monday, nor was he a beast on the boards. But he still outplayed his counterpart. He finished with 24 points on 8-for-19 shooting to go with five rebounds, three assists, and one steal. It was his 19th consecutive game with at least 20 points. Zubac had eight points and nine rebounds.
What will the 76ers do before Thursday’s 3 p.m. NBA trade deadline?
Will Daryl Morey, the president of basketball operations, continue his trend of making a trade even if it’s just to get under the luxury tax threshold? Or will he decide to keep intact the Sixers’ deepest team since the 2018-19 season?
We’ll learn more in the coming days. In the meantime, I’ll answer a few of your mailbag questions.
Missed out on the party? No worries. Submit questions for next time by tweeting @PompeyOnSixers on X with the hashtag #PompeysMailbagFlow.
Q: Can the Sixers void any of Paul George’s guarantees in his contract due to the suspension? — @MyAmbition_3
A: Thanks for starting the mailbag. This is a great question that many people have been asking me. Now, if George had a bonus for games played or point totals, he wouldn’t receive it if the 25-game suspension prevented him from reaching the required numbers. But overall, the Sixers cannot void his contract.
For a contract to be voided, there must be cause. The team could argue that this fits the definition of cause to void a deal, but it would lose.
To void a contract, the infraction would have to be something that impacts a player’s ability to continue his career. For instance, a team can void a contract if a player commits a serious crime and could face jail time. Another example would be if he sustained a career-ending injury away from basketball or training.
Miami Heat point guard Terry Rozier was placed on unpaid leave following October’s arrest for his alleged involvement in an illegal sports gambling scheme. However, his contract was never voided. And, on Monday, Rozier won his grievance with the NBA and will be paid his $26.6 million salary for this season.
Sixers forward Paul George is serving a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA anti-drug policy.
Q: Is the George suspension a blessing in disguise as it relates to the Sixers’ cap situation? — @bsmallg1
A: Yes, it has been a blessing in disguise as it relates to the salary cap, especially the luxury tax threshold to avoid being taxed. The 35-year-old will lose $11.7 million during his suspension. As a result, the Sixers will have around $5.8 million in tax variance credit. It leaves the team about $1.2 million above the tax threshold.
If not for the suspension, the Sixers would be $7 million above the allowable threshold. In that instance, the expiring contracts of Quentin Grimes ($8.7 million), Kelly Oubre Jr. ($8.3 million), and Andre Drummond ($5 million) would have potentially helped them duck the tax.
The problem is, all three are major contributors for a squad that headed into Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers in sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
Oubre is the starting small forward and has been the team’s X factor. Grimes, a reserve shooting guard, was an early-season candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year. And Drummond, a reserve center, is the Sixers’ leading rebounder.
Now, the Sixers can avoid the tax by making a trade on the margins and avoid parting ways with any of their key rotation players.
In January, Sixers center Joel Embiid averaged 29.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in 14 games.
Q: Is Joel Embiid’s recent scoring surge fact or fiction? — @wheat
A: There’s nothing fake about Embiid’s recent scoring surge. I do think the Sixers will always have their fingers crossed that he won’t suffer another injury. And that makes sense considering the 7-foot-2, 280-pound center’s injury history. But his recent stint has been the best stretch of his career since he suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee on Jan. 30, 2024.
Back to playing at an All-NBA level, the 2023 MVP finished with a season-high 40 points along with 11 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday. Embiid averaged 29.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in 14 games in January. His scoring average for that month ranked fourth in the NBA behind Los Angeles Lakers point guard Luka Dončić (34.0 points per game), Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31.7), Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić (31.0), and Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards (30.1). Even that’s misleading because Jokić played only one game.
So it’s hard to say Embiid’s scoring surge is fiction.
Boston Celtics forward Chris Boucher (99) was a solid glue guy for Sixers coach Nick Nurse during their time together with the Toronto Raptors.
Q: What power forward could the Sixers target at the deadline? — @emkahe12
A: Boston Celtics post player Chris Boucher is a player the Sixers are reported to have some “exploratory” interest in, according to a HoopsHype report. A source downplayed the interest in the reserve power forward/center, who has appeared in only nine games this season with the Boston Celtics, averaging just 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in 10.4 minutes.
However, he flourished in the last seven seasons as a reserve glue guy for the Toronto Raptors. Sixers coach Nick Nurse was Raptors coach during Boucher’s first five seasons in Toronto. Nurse was able to get the best out of the undersized post player, who averaged 8.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 406 games as a Raptor.
Boucher signed a one-year, veteran minimum contract with Boston for $3.2 million, with a cap hit of $2.2 million.
Paul George’s tenure with the 76ers was finally starting to pay dividends … until it wasn’t.
Finally healthy, the nine-time All-Star was beginning to flourish in his role as the third member of the Sixers’ Big Three.
While the other members of the trio — Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey — provided the bulk of the scoring, George established himself as an elite facilitator and defender. And on occasion, when the Sixers needed additional scoring, the 6-foot-8 forward would take over quarters.
“Obviously, Joel, [and] Tyrese are our two engines,” George said in January. “Those guys are going to, rightfully so, demand attention, demand the ball in moments to score and put up points for us and, you know, I got to fit in, find my own shots, my opportunities and moments to be aggressive. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
He did just that in Tuesday’s victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring a game-high 32 points while making a franchise record-tying nine three-pointers.
All was great for the ascending squad until 11:48 a.m. Saturday.
That’s when the NBA announced that George had been suspended 25 games without pay for violating the terms of the league and National Basketball Players Association anti-drug program. Under the suspension, George won’t be eligible to play until the March 25 game against the Chicago Bulls at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Just like that, George’s tenure is back to being recognized as a disaster.
In an instant, folks stopped identifying him as a dependable third option behind Maxey and Embiid. They are, once again, criticizing the Sixers for signing him to a four-year, $211.5 million contract. Even George’s most vocal supporters realize his suspension is the latest blow in a signing that hasn’t lived up to its potential.
And this is the kind of suspension that makes folks skeptical about George’s perceived return to being an impact player.
Paul George, battling with the Wizards’ Anthony Gill earlier this season, has been suspended 25 games by the NBA for violating league policy.
‘I can be myself’
On Dec. 14, George talked about getting over last season’s injuries after scoring a season-high 35 points while making 7 of 10 three-pointers in a 120-117 road loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
“Last year was a lot going on,” he said. “I was just trying to patch up stuff. This year, I’m a lot healthier. I’m able. I feel like I can play my game. I feel like I can be myself.
“There [are] still some things that [have] to come back. I’m not all the way [100%]. But I’m more myself than I was last year. So that’s the positive that I can take. And everything else is, with time, I’m just going to continue to get better.”
But one could argue that George didn’t have to do much to improve on the 2024-25 season.
Back then, critics regarded him as the worst free-agent acquisition in franchise history. The 35-year-old was going to set the team back for several seasons. He was washed up and untradable. That was the belief.
The six-time All-NBA and four-time All-Defensive selection played in only 41 games last season due to various injuries. His final contest of the season was on March 3. And he was officially ruled out for the remainder of that season on March 17, the day he received injections in the left adductor muscle in his groin and left knee.
“To be honest, it was one of the toughest seasons for me, just with a lot of adversity on the court, off the court,” George said in April of last season. “The injury stuff … was some stuff I didn’t necessarily know I had going on until deep diving and finding out.
“There was other stuff I didn’t know that was causing my limitations, which was frustrating — not being able to do things I normally could do, and finding out the reason why. Those things are being addressed, so that’s the positive.”
But he had been missing time since the preseason of that season.
Paul George had been dealing with pain stemming from a knee injury that required surgery and shots for pain management.
A breaking point
George was sidelined three weeks after hyperextending his left knee during an Oct. 14, 2024, preseason game, resulting in a bone bruise. He suffered the same injury during the Sixers’ Nov. 20, 2024, loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
He’s also been hampered by left groin soreness, right ankle soreness, and a torn tendon in his left little finger. George missed 41 games because of injuries and load management.
And when he played, he had a tough time creating separation while averaging just 16.2 points, the fifth-lowest average of his 16 NBA seasons. The California native is averaging just 16.0 points this season, but that’s partly due to this season’s role.
Yet, last season’s three-point percentage (.358) was the third-worst of his career. For comparison, his three-point percentage is .382 this season.
The low point of last season came in the Sixers’ 100-96 loss to the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center on Feb. 12. With Embiid and Maxey both sidelined, George was expected to carry the Sixers’ scoring load.
Instead, he had two points on 1-for-7 shooting to go with six rebounds, four assists, two steals, three blocks, and three turnovers.
It was revealed the next day that George had been taking pain medication to play. And he missed six games from March 6 to 16, while consulting with doctors about treatment options for his ailing left groin and left knee. That led to his injections in the left adductor muscle in his groin and his knee, and he was ruled out for the remainder of the season.
George was expected to return in time for training camp. However, he had arthroscopic left knee surgery on July 11. As a result, he missed all four exhibition games and the first 12 games of the season.
Now, George won’t return until March 25. As a result, he will have missed 86 out of 153 possible games with the Sixers.
Sixers forward Paul George seen here in action against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday.
That’s not the type of investment the Sixers hoped to get when signing him to a maximum-salary contract. And this suspension is definitely not the attention he and the team hoped to realize.
This is just another setback for a player who has failed to live up to expectations. This one is obviously self-inflicted.
“I think there’s been a lot of circumstances that have been really unfortunate,” coach Nick Nurse said before Saturday’s game. “But I also feel like he’s played pretty well this year, you know, borderline very well, considering he’s played such a critical role for us, kind of slotted in like a really good role player on this particular team. I think he’s done what we needed him to do.
“But I think there’s been a lot of unfortunate things, injuries, obviously, the team’s whole situation last year, a couple of injuries early this year, coming out of some stuff. So it’s been unfortunate, but it’s where we are.”
This situation, however, raises a key question: Was this season’s improved play the result of the hard work George says he put in during the offseason, or a boost from the improper medication he took?
It is a question that may loom over George’s tenure in Philly for a while.
Saturday night, however, belonged to the 76ers’ 2001 Eastern Conference championship team.
Joel Embiid continued to put teams on notice that he’s back to playing at an All-NBA level. And Kelly Oubre Jr. is doing his best to fill the void left by George‘s 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy.
Those things stood out on an evening where the Sixers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 124-114.
The Sixers improved to 27-21 while extending their home winning streak to three games. Embiid finished with 40 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks, while Oubre added 19 points on the first night of Paul George’s suspension.
Not to be outdone, Tyrese Maxey (18 points, eight assists), VJ Edgecombe (15 points, five assists), and Jared McCain (12 points) were the other double-digit scorers against the Pelicans (13-38).
Former Villanova standout Saddiq Bey led New Orleans with 34 points, while Zion Williamson was held to 11.
But the 2000-01 Sixers were the highlight of the evening.
Not only did that squad reach the NBA Finals, but they were also the last Sixers team to advance past the second round of the playoffs.
That gritty team was led by Hall of Famer Allen Iverson and a bunch of defensive-minded blue-collar players. It was a squad that still carries a lot of weight in Philly and across the NBA. And that’s impressive, considering the Los Angeles Lakers ousted them in five games in the NBA Finals.
“I can say I’m not surprised, because we had an iconic run, but we had an iconic player, too [in Iverson],” said Eric Snow, who was that team’s point guard. “And it was different. It was unique, the city and the players. It was such a connection that I can [feel] to this day everywhere I’ve been, and I traveled to other countries, and I’ve been to every state, except two, and I’m always asked about this team.”
That season, Iverson was the league MVP, Aaron McKie was the Sixth Man of the Year, Dikembe Mutombo garnered Defensive Player of the Year, and Larry Brown was the Coach of the Year.
Members of the team were on hand and honored during a halftime celebration. Former Sixers team president Pat Croce and former Sixers mascot Hip Hop were the bell ringers.
The thing that made that Sixers squad special was Brown, a true player’s coach, and the team general manager Billy King assembled around Iverson.
“When you had a talent like Allen, you had to build a team to fit him,” King said. “So I remember talking to Larry quite a bit. Larry had a vision to get him off the ball, get him to two guard, but we needed a bigger guard that could play point guard and defend some of the guards that Allen couldn’t guard.
“And I remember Larry and I talking, and we were saying we were watching Eric, we were in Seattle, and he was the fourth point guard there. And we were like, we think we can beat that.”
Former Sixers guard Allen Iverson talks with former team announcer Marc Zumoff during Saturday’s celebration.
So they acquired Snow from the Seattle SuperSonics on Jan. 18, 1998, in exchange for a second-round pick.
“That’s where it started,” King said. “Then it was like, let’s get George Lynch, because we need somebody that can defend the three. Then the big one was Larry, and I looked, we needed a shot blocker, and it was like we knew Allen and Jerry Stackhouse wasn’t going to fit, and so we kept calling Detroit about Theo [Ratliff].”
The Pistons agreed to the trade, but also wanted the Sixers to take McKie for salary purposes.
So on Dec. 18, 1997, they traded Stackhouse, Eric Montross, and a 2005 second-round pick for Ratliff, McKie, and a 2003 first-round pick.
Former Sixers President Pat Croce jokes with past team mascot Hip-Hop during pregame ceremonies before the Sixers-Pelicans game on Saturday.
Lynch signed with the Sixers as a free agent on Jan. 21, 1999.
“So it was more than building pieces,” King said. “We wanted guys who could play defense. Larry was a guy that I knew from coaching with him that he didn’t care if you could shoot it. He wanted guys that can play defense, and he’d figure out how to score.”
But Ratliff suffered a broken bone in his right wrist, which forced him to miss the 2001 All-Star Game and the remainder of the season.
In need of a standout replacement, the Sixers traded Ratliff along with Toni Kukoč, Nazr Mohammed, and Pepe Sánchez to the Hawks for Mutombo and Roshown McLeod on Feb. 22, 2001.
Former Sixers guard Allen Iverson greets former team president Pat Croce during the 25th anniversary NBA finals team ceremony on Saturday.
Embiid back to dominating
Embiid has made things look easy in the first half, especially as of late.
The 2023 MVP and seven-time All-Star scored 23 of his points on 7-for-17 shooting. Two games prior, Embiid scored 18 of his 29 points in the first quarter.
But none of this has been surprising, as the 7-foot-2 center is getting back to his old self after dealing with two left knee surgeries in the previous two seasons.
Sixers center Joel Embiid drives to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans guard Micah Peavy on Saturday.
Embiid averaged 33.2 points while shooting 50.0% on three-pointers, along with 9.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists in his previous six games. And it was the seventh straight game that he’s scored at least 29 points.
“Honestly, surprising,” Embiid said of his play. “Coming into this year, I thought it was going to be more of a tryout year to me. To me, this year has already been successful, because I feel like coming into the year, it was about figuring out, OK, what’s the schedule? How are we going to do this moving forward? And try to figure out how the knee is going to respond every single day.”
He began the season by taking at least two days off after every game. Now, Embiid can play every other day, and he says everything is going well. That’s why this season is already a success.
“But that doesn’t change my mentality as far as wanting to get better every single day,” he said. “Keep pushing and seeing. … Like I said, it was supposed to be a tryout for next year and moving forward, and how we are going to do this.
“His name hasn’t been mentioned. But I think guys like Simon Rice [the vice president for athletic care for the Sixers], you know, he’s been probably the main guy when it comes to everything. I would say probably everybody gave up on me. He’s the one guy that just kept trying to figure it out … I’m really thankful because he was that one person.”
Embiid scored on putbacks, jumpers, and layups while making it tough for everyone who had the misfortune of guarding him.
At one point in the season, the Sixers appeared to be Maxey’s team. But Embiid is showing that he can still be the franchise player. Fans chanted “MVP … MVP … MVP!” as Embiid attempted foul shots in the closing seconds.
” He’s really good at basketball,” Maxey said. “That’s really good, though. And I’m not trying to be funny. He’s playing the right way, too. He’s getting people involved, rolling. I think the biggest thing right now is his trust level and his teammates.”
Sixers guard Kelly Oubre Jr.,is expected to play a major role with the loss of Paul George due to his suspension.
Oubre’s outing
The biggest question surrounding the Sixers is who’s going step up in George’s absence.
Oubre appears to be the frontrunner to do that. The 6-8 swingman scored his points on 7-for-13 shooting — including making 3 of 7 three-pointers — to go with 10 rebounds and four assists.
This isn’t the first time that Oubre was a force in a game. He scored a season-high 29 points on Nov. 2 against the Brooklyn Nets. He’s also scored at least 18 points on 10 occasions. But he’s been known more for crashing the boards and guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter defender.
He’s sure to get more offensive opportunities with George out. And he’s excited about that.
“But at the end of the day, man, any given night we have a team that people can show up and put points on the board and be key contributors to winning,” Oubre said. “And I just want to be a key contributor to winning, whether you know my role be what it was or what it is, just try to take everything with grace and just take the proper steps to be prepared for anything.
“But at the end of the day, man, I just want to prove that, you know, I’m a valuable piece to this league, and to this team, and you know, that I just continue to show up every day.”
And if he continues to excel, the Sixers may be better suited to weather the storm.
His teammates are confident that he can step in for George.
“We’ve seen it,” Oubre said. “We’ve seen it last year. We’ve seen it the year before. We’ve seen it early this year. He did a really good job early in the season, just kind of playing that role, scoring, rebounding, and defending.
“I think he had 10 rebounds tonight. That’s big time. We’re going to need it, especially filling in for that role. And I have trust in him, because Kelly’s a guy who is not scared of the moment.”
