1 player 76ers must trade in 2025 NBA offseason

 The Philadelphia 76ers season began with lofty title aspirations and died with them being buried in an unmarked grave. The cliff notes on what went wrong are straightforward: Joel Embiid’s balky knee required a second operation that upended his season before it even began. Tyrese Maxey’s development stunted, and Nick Nurse rolled out a record number of starting lineups.

The Sixers took a swing at the crown and whiffed worse than any contender in recent memory. Besides the Phoenix Suns, nobody fell short of expectations more dramatically than the 76ers. Inertia can’t be an option. As concerning as Embiid’s injury history is, it’s hard to see Philadelphia giving up on “The Process” this summer. However, nobody was Paul George, which may be what drives a stake in the heart of The Process era.

Under the new CBA, the Sixers are still below the first apron threshold of $178 million, which gives them flexibility to move on from PG-13. As a result, they’re still capable of executing sign-and-trades and using the taxpayer position of the mid-level exception. They’re going to need all the tools at their disposal because offloading the remaining three years of George’s $216 million contract is going to take some sorcery.

The worst situation to be in is retaining a decaying star while the championship window slams shut. The 76ers could have two between George and Embiid. It’s an even more troubling sign that the Clippers have peaked in George’s absence. 

At least Embiid’s the homegrown star who could return to MVP form and instill the city of Philadelphia with false hope for the 2025-26 season. In that scenario, Morey could justify running it back with George. But he shouldn’t. George played in just 41 games, halted his podcast, dealt with a knee injury, was hampered by a left finger, and strained his groin. It’s time for his run in Philadelphia to end.

The 76ers may have spent $211 million on a dud