When news broke that Joel Embiid would miss the remainder of the season, it hit Philadelphia 76ers fans in a variety of different ways.
Some fans lamented the loss of the season, recalling the excitement of what seemed like a very good offseason at the time. Others began to debate Embiid’s legacy, from winning scoring championships and Olympic gold medals to the sheer number of games he’s missed as a pro.
And others still? Well, they’ve seemingly called up Doc Brown and taken a trip back to 2014, when tickets were cheap, the team was bad, and players with no real name recognition were playing major minutes for a team without many wins.
On paper, is it a bummer to see the mighty fall so hard? Yes, yes, it is, but with every cost comes an opportunity.
Considering Philadelphia only keeps their pick in the 2025 NBA Draft if it falls at pick five or higher, and there are multiple players in that range who could be very interesting additions to the team as long-term small forwards like Rutgers’ Ace Bailey, Duke’s Cooper Flagg, and Rutgers’ Dylan Harper, that can only mean one thing: tank.
That’s right, the 76ers need to embrace the “process” once more, put Paul George on the shelf, and see which players on the roster fit well with Tyrese Maxey and which should be on the move this summer. Fortunately, Daryl Morey did just load up on a few interesting young players before the 2025 NBA trade deadline and now has a chance to do just that for the final stretch of the season.
Winning more games actually hurts the 76ers in 2025
Technically, the 76ers are not eliminated from the playoffs just yet. They could go on a run, watch a team like the Brooklyn Nets or Chicago Bulls fall off a cliff, and be in the play-in picture, where they could fight for their life and another playoff berth.
Would it be fun to see the 76ers in the playoffs once more? For some fans, sure, but what would be gained by watching the team lose as a seventh or eighth-seed to the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Boston Celtics in five games? A few more games to watch before the summer? A few more tickets sold for Josh Harris and company? A longer look at rookies like Adem Bona and Justin Edwards against playoff bullets?
If the 76ers make the playoffs, they are out of the lottery. If they lose in the play-in, they would still technically have a ping pong ball in play, but would have one of the lowest odds of winning the top pick. And if they just miss the lottery, their chances still aren’t great.
No, if the 76ers are smart, they will continue to play down to their opponent no matter how lowly and keep their losing ways alive and well, as it is quite literally the best possible outcome to add another marquee piece to the roster heading into the 2025-26 season.
The 76ers would love to add a blue-chipper to their roster
Whether Embiid is able to return to his former glory for the 76ers this fall – averaging a point a minute while being a dominant defensive presence around the hoop – he takes a step back, or he outright never plays basketball again, Philadelphia finally has to accept a harsh reality they’ve been regretting for years: it’s time to start preparing for a post- “The Process” era.
But what does that look like? Should they try to do a “two-timelines” plan like the Golden State Warriors, which *spoiler alert* didn’t really work? Or should they continue to shoot their shot for players in their prime – or slightly past it – who are “playoff ready?”
Well, if Morey’s decisions at the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline are of any indication, shipping out veterans like Reggie Jackson and Caleb Martin for young players like Quentin Grimes and Jared Butler who are still on rookie contracts, it would appear fans already have their answer.
Is Maxey good enough to be the 76ers “guy” moving forward? It’s hard to say – he certainly doesn’t have a winning record as a solo star – but securing another young star who plays with the Kentucky product regardless of what kind of production the team gets out of Embiid makes a ton of sense.
Fortunately, Flagg very much looks the part of another max contract caliber star, who could play well with Embiid or as a star once he’s retired, as 24/7 Sports’ Adam Finkelstein broke down in his player profile before his Duke debut.
“Cooper Flagg is an elite two-way prospect. His instincts are off the charts on both ends of the floor and he competes with a quiet type of killer instinct. He’s a defensive standout and particularly dominant as an off-ball defender. In fact, he’s as good of an underclassman shot-blocker as I’ve seen at his size,” Finkelstein wrote. “Offensively, he’s an excellent passer with a good foundation of early skill and developing playmaking ability. His footwork is excellent. His shooting and handling are both good and continuously improving. He doesn’t necessarily need to be the focal point on that end of the floor, but he’s shown he’s plenty capable of it. Physically, Flagg’s frame is solid enough to absorb contact now and will only add additional muscle mass in the coming years.”
Finkelstein also evaluated Bailey before his Rutgers debut, noting that he, too, has the skills to be a top pick in the NBA Draft.
“Bailey has terrific size and effortless athleticism on the wing. He covers the court fluidity, plays way above the rim, and can move laterally as well,” Finkelstein wrote. “Because his physical tools can be so glaring, it’s easy to underestimate his skill-set, which includes a good-looking shooting stroke. On top of all that, Bailey has also shown signs of a real passing instinct. That overlap of physical tools along with under-rated skill and feel, makes him a uniquely talented wing prospect in the national class. He’ll only continue to ascend as he develops his body, his ability to create his own shot off the dribble, and proves himself against top competition.”
If the 76ers can land either of these players and place them next to PG at the other forward spot in 2025, they will unquestionably be better off than re-signing Kelly Oubre or another veteran stopgap who isn’t named Guerschon Yabusele.
Give the young guys a chance to see what they can do
And last but not least, a crucial reason why the 76ers should embrace the tank is to see what their young players can do heading into free agency.
Yes, Jared McCain is going to be a player, his performance late last year was downright elite, and he should still be in the conversation for Rookie of the Year Embiid-style even if he’s going to come up short to 2025’s version of Malcolm Brogdon. But can Butler run a second unit as a hybrid guard capable of playing with Maxey and McCain moving forward? Can Grimes play the three like Danny Green, or is he more of a two-guard? And what about Justin Edwards? What is his ceiling as a two-way player?
If the 76ers want to add a top-tier player who could offset Embiid’s future and ultimately learn which young players are worthy of a spot on the team in 2025, the answer is clear: it’s time to tank like it’s 2014.
The post Why the 76ers should embrace the tank after Joel Embiid announcement appeared first on ClutchPoints.
