76ers 2025-2026 Season: The Rise of Skywalker (Thread 1)

[76ciology]

Can we sustain our 3pt shooting?
Can Maxey keep averaging 11 free throws a game?

Did we really shoot that poorly last season on purpose, just to let the law of averages swing our way this year?

[76ciology]

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George 3:16 “For those who proclaim thou needest him not, wait till Lord Oubre’s hand groweth cold, and thou shalt seek him once more.”

[Iverson Armband]

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Nasty.

[76ciology]

Currently 2nd best team on offense (124 ORtg) and 26th on defense (119 DRtg). Im not complaining because the goal of this game is to outscore your opponent.

[Sixersftw]

Currently 2nd best team on offense (124 ORtg) and 26th on defense (119 DRtg). Im not complaining because the goal of this game is to outscore your opponent.

Defense is for poor people.

[ProcessDoctor]

Currently 2nd best team on offense (124 ORtg) and 26th on defense (119 DRtg). Im not complaining because the goal of this game is to outscore your opponent.

It will bite us when it matters.

We have to end up top-15 to have a real shot at winning it all. Maybe PG + Barlow + more recovered Embiid will get us there?

[zaz102]

Once full strength, I would pair Barlow with Embiid at the 4 and then replace Barlow with George when Bona/Drummond are in. Then fill the rest of lineup with McCain, Maxey, Edgecombe, Oubre, George.

Keeps four shooters in the lineup and has a PF/C to be with Embiid to cover up for his lack of rim protection/defense.

[76ciology]

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[M2J]

Once full strength, I would pair Barlow with Embiid at the 4 and then replace Barlow with George when Bona/Drummond are in. Then fill the rest of lineup with McCain, Maxey, Edgecombe, Oubre, George.

Keeps four shooters in the lineup and has a PF/C to be with Embiid to cover up for his lack of rim protection/defense.

Worth a shot, but too soon to determine Barlow being anything consistent from 1.5 games.

I'm thinking that George and Kelly and VJ and Maxey space around Jo. George is a better rebounder than Grimes. VJ and Maxey have to make a determined effort and Joel has to put more of a focus on the little things in key spots rather than the offensive end where he's been all star level. I mean you can still see in the 2nd half he's gassed... Being gassed from playing hard will change from continuing to play hard.... But he maybe can focus on being a spacer offensively and maybe not attacking the glass on offensive end (which admittedly sucks) but you gotta give that effort on defense.

Maybe give Joel a quarter or he can be offensively highlighted early on like in the past It was the first or second quarter and he would get 20 points... Then the rest of the game space and play defensively and box out hard and see what that does for the team.

Kicker is Joel has been so solid offensively that he keeps putting up those types of numbers, he could get traded.... But I don't think the brass is trying to trade him

[LeonJordanJr24]

We already know Embiid can score. But we need him to be Healthy,rebound and play defense to win. This ain't gonna work out. Trade him asap..this ain't fun to watch at all when he's playing no more.

[Zumramania]

I also think Embiid will be more of a burden for this team than a contributor. He slows down the offense, and this is a fast team, I just cannot see it working unfortunately. I do not think he will return to MVP form or anything similar, so this will work only if he puts himself fully in the service of the team - this means playing defense, having a more limited offensive role, screening for others etc. I just don't see this happening.
When I think about it, before we had pathetic offensive players like Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris, and it was logical for Embiid to try to do everything by himself. But now we have up to five players who can actually create their own shot and create for others: Maxey, VJ, Grimes, PG and McCain. Embiid needs to get used to this new reality and also to the reality of his worn down body.

[76ciology]

I’ve been trying to figure out whose minutes George will take between Grimes and Oubre. There’s also a chance George cuts into Grimes’ minutes, with Grimes in turn taking some of VJ’s. McCain would end up eating into Maxey’s minutes (he’s playing 40+ mpg) too. I just don’t see George playing power forward alongside a 3 guard lineup with Embiid at center. But if he slots in at the 2 or 3, that would be a huge boost for our frontcourt, especially on both ends.

[zaz102]

I’ve been trying to figure out whose minutes George will take between Grimes and Oubre. There’s also a chance George cuts into Grimes’ minutes, with Grimes in turn taking some of VJ’s. McCain would end up eating into Maxey’s minutes (he’s playing 40+ mpg) too. I just don’t see George playing power forward alongside a 3 guard lineup with Embiid at center. But if he slots in at the 2 or 3, that would be a huge boost for our frontcourt, especially on both ends.

I was thinking about this too and it starts to make sense why they didn't extend Grimes if you consider that George and McCain start eating into Grimes minutes. It seems like you'll have to choose between Grimes and Oubre for minutes at the 3 and if Kelley keeps playing like he has been, I think he has the edge especially when you take into account the price tags of retaining one of the two after this year.

[76ciology]

I’ve been trying to figure out whose minutes George will take between Grimes and Oubre. There’s also a chance George cuts into Grimes’ minutes, with Grimes in turn taking some of VJ’s. McCain would end up eating into Maxey’s minutes (he’s playing 40+ mpg) too. I just don’t see George playing power forward alongside a 3 guard lineup with Embiid at center. But if he slots in at the 2 or 3, that would be a huge boost for our frontcourt, especially on both ends.

I was thinking about this too and it starts to make sense why they didn't extend Grimes if you consider that George and McCain start eating into Grimes minutes. It seems like you'll have to choose between Grimes and Oubre for minutes at the 3 and if Kelley keeps playing like he has been, I think he has the edge especially when you take into account the price tags of retaining one of the two after this year.

Not an expert on this CBA. But on not extending Grimes, paying him just $8M this season while we’re hovering near the second apron actually works in our favor. Locking him up next offseason for around $20–30M over 4–5 years would be a solid win-win. The financial relief this year offsets the slightly higher cost later, making it a manageable long-term investment.

As for George cutting into Grimes’s minutes, it’s not just about those two. Both VJ and Oubre are logging heavy minutes,around 40 per game, with VJ ranking among league leaders in touches and Oubre shooting an unsustainably high 44% from deep. At some point, regression and fatigue will hit. That’s where George (and McCain) come in, giving the rotation a cushion and keeping production steady when the averages start to level out.

[M2J]

I’ve been trying to figure out whose minutes George will take between Grimes and Oubre. There’s also a chance George cuts into Grimes’ minutes, with Grimes in turn taking some of VJ’s. McCain would end up eating into Maxey’s minutes (he’s playing 40+ mpg) too. I just don’t see George playing power forward alongside a 3 guard lineup with Embiid at center. But if he slots in at the 2 or 3, that would be a huge boost for our frontcourt, especially on both ends.

I was thinking about this too and it starts to make sense why they didn't extend Grimes if you consider that George and McCain start eating into Grimes minutes. It seems like you'll have to choose between Grimes and Oubre for minutes at the 3 and if Kelley keeps playing like he has been, I think he has the edge especially when you take into account the price tags of retaining one of the two after this year.

Not an expert on this CBA. But on not extending Grimes, paying him just $8M this season while we’re hovering near the second apron actually works in our favor. Locking him up next offseason for around $20–30M over 4–5 years would be a solid win-win. The financial relief this year offsets the slightly higher cost later, making it a manageable long-term investment.

As for George cutting into Grimes’s minutes, it’s not just about those two. Both VJ and Oubre are logging heavy minutes,around 40 per game, with VJ ranking among league leaders in touches and Oubre shooting an unsustainably high 44% from deep. At some point, regression and fatigue will hit. That’s where George (and McCain) come in, giving the rotation a cushion and keeping production steady when the averages start to level out.

This is the big question. I know they're paying George a lot, but it could benefit his old knees to not go over 30 and hover right beneath it but give great effort. I think it's clear Jared will be under 20. But one cool thing about VJ is you can steal minutes for him at 1-3 and Grimes sorta too... Even though you don't love Grimes as a setup guy... He can defend the position. Especially with George and Joel also being very capable of being offensive hubs along with whichever guard they're playing with in Maxey/Jared/VJ.

I personally would love to see Maxey minutes come down to 34... If the team can handle that... But he's giving his absolute all for those 34. VJ down to 32... Same energy...go hard. Oubre George and Grimes along with VJ to some extent being in a hot hand competition regarding whatever the team needs be it size, speed, rebounding or scoring. With the scrub power forwards also being in this competition.

Nurse should really be able to adjust to anything except a consistent defensive center unless Joel gets it together... Sad to say

[Eyeamok]

Currently 2nd best team on offense (124 ORtg) and 26th on defense (119 DRtg). Im not complaining because the goal of this game is to outscore your opponent.

It will bite us when it matters.

We have to end up top-15 to have a real shot at winning it all. Maybe PG + Barlow + more recovered Embiid will get us there?

When you say winning it all what are you talking about. All our division games? The conference? The Cup?

[M2J]

If the offense is slowed down, I blame the other guys more than Joel. Even if he's slow, his defender is aware of him. Just play fast and don't wait for him. He has held the ball less without quick decisions of pass or score so far this year. He's mainly catching and shooting or catching and immediately driving to foul bait. His abilities are important for playoff style ball and top defenses. The times the has been in the post even the decisions to kick out or attack have been fast too. That's not you say he doesn't slow the offense, just that it's not that bad and the guards should still play faster with him on the floor.


I'll just say his offense has been good enough to get traded at least. Essentially averaging 20pts in 20 minutes outside of the first game. It's his defense that they truly need to improve to lead this team and he should take a backseat with the offense being so good around him