Kelly Oubre Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Sixers Notes: Yabusele, Draft, Oubre, Grimes, McCain

June 8th, 2025 at 10:46am CST by Arthur Hill

Guerschon Yabusele accepted a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Sixers when he decided to return to the NBA, and his performance on that deal has him positioned for a much bigger payday this summer as an unrestricted free agent. The 29-year-old power forward talked about his experience during a recent interview with Basketball Network (hat tip to Souichi Terada of MassLive).

“The main thing, for me, when I decided to go back to the NBA was to enjoy this time,” Yabusele said. “Because the first time, when it stopped, and you realize it’s done fast. It took me five years to come back. So I really decided the main thing was to go over there to enjoy and gain that experience and try to get better. I was happy that I was able to perform.”

Yabusele was a first-round pick by the Celtics in 2016 and came stateside a year later, but he wasn’t able to earn consistent playing time during his two seasons in Boston. He developed into a star with Real Madrid in the EuroLeague, then rekindled NBA interest with a strong showing while representing France in last year’s Summer Olympics.

Philadelphia had a difficult season, but team-wide injury woes gave Yabusele plenty of opportunity to display his skills. He appeared in 70 games, making 43 starts and averaging 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 27.1 minutes per night with .501/.380/.725 shooting numbers.

“It was a good season,” he said. “All the ups and downs. I was able to go out there and really experience, for the first time, being in the league.”

There’s more from Philadelphia:

The Sixers’ decision with the No. 3 pick will have huge implications for the teams drafting directly behind them, notes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Rutgers forward Ace Bailey is frequently linked with Philadelphia in mock drafts, but Baylor guard V.J. Edgecombe and Texas guard Tre Johnson could be in the mix as well, with some scouts viewing them as better long-term prospects than Bailey. The Sixers may also consider trading down — one executive told Pompey that a couple of teams slotted after Philadelphia are conducting “heavy research” on the possibility of moving up to No. 3.
In the same piece, Pompey states that forward Kelly Oubre is expected to pick up his $8.3MM player option for next season. That echoes a report from Marc Stein last month. Pompey also hears that the Sixers are optimistic about their chances of re-signing free agent guard Quentin Grimes, who averaged 21.9 PPG after being acquired from Dallas in February.
Rookie guard Jared McCain covered Game 1 of the NBA Finals as part of the league’s Player Correspondent Program. The endeavor provides experience for players who may be interested in media careers after retirement. Miami’s Jaime Jaquez, Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels and Chicago’s Matas Buzelis are also participating this year.

And-Ones: ESPN Broadcasters, Inside The NBA, Small Forward Market, Key Dates

June 4th, 2025 at 2:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The current top ABC/ESPN broadcasting trio of Mike Breen, Doris Burke and Richard Jefferson might not work together beyond the NBA Finals, Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reports.

That grouping hasn’t meshed like the vaunted trio of Breen, Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy — the latter two were let go by ESPN during a series of cost-cutting moves in 2023. The network will reevaluate its current roster of broadcasters after the Finals, Marchand says, adding that ESPN intends on re-signing Jefferson, though the analyst has also drawn interest from Amazon Prime Video.

Burke’s spot is not guaranteed for next season, according to Marchand, but Breen is locked in as the top play-by-play man. Tim Legler has supporters among the network’s top executives and could become a option to join the No. 1 broadcasting group.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

TNT’s celebrated “Inside the NBA” show will move to ESPN next season but Charles Barkley doesn’t intend to finish out his 10-year contract, Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports relays. Barkley has seven years left on the $210MM contract he signed with TNT and said on the Dan Patrick Show he only wants to work two more years. “Inside the NBA” will continue to have an extended post-game show and will also lead ESPN’s pregame and halftime programming.
The free agent small forward pool doesn’t have an All-Star level talent, according to Spotrac contributor Keith Smith. The “starter tier” is headed by Khris Middleton and Kelly Oubre, who hold options on their contracts. Restricted free agent Justin Edwards and unrestricted FA Taurean Prince round out that group.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks lists all the key offseason dates, beginning with the draft’s early entry entrant withdrawal deadline for non-college players on June 15. The other important date this month prior to the draft is the start of negotiations between teams and their own free agents, which occurs the day after the Finals conclude.

Sixers Rumors: Oubre, Drummond, Gordon, Grimes, Yabusele, Bona

May 11th, 2025 at 6:36pm CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers should plan on having Kelly Oubre, Andre Drummond, and Eric Gordon on their books this summer, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). Oubre, Drummond, and Gordon all hold player options for next season, but are considered likely to exercise them before the June 29 deadline.

That doesn’t necessarily mean all three players will still be on Philadelphia’s roster when the 2025/26 season tips off, since any of them could be traded after opting in. But it does mean the Sixers will have to account for their respective cap hits this offseason — Oubre’s option is worth $8.38MM, Drummond’s is for $5MM, and Gordon’s would pay him $3.47MM.

Assuming all three players pick up their options, the amount of guaranteed money on Philadelphia’s cap for next season would increase to approximately $166MM for seven players. That figure doesn’t include the cap hold for their first-round pick – which they may or may not keep, depending on the lottery results – or new deals for free agents like Quentin Grimes and Guerschon Yabusele.

Next season’s luxury tax line projects to be at $187.9MM.

Here’s more on the Sixers:

The 76ers are projecting confidence that they’ll be able to re-sign Grimes, according to Stein and Fischer. Grimes will be eligible for restricted free agency this offseason after failing to come to terms on a rookie scale extension with Dallas last fall. The Mavericks didn’t get up to $10MM per year with their offer at that time, per Stein and Fischer, but the 25-year-old looks like a good bet to get a deal exceeding that annual salary this summer after a breakout 2024/25 season that included a 21.9 PPG scoring average in 28 games as a Sixer.
League sources also continue to tell Stein and Fischer that Philadelphia hopes to re-sign Yabusele and made moves at the trade deadline (namely, dealing Caleb Martin) to create more financial flexibility to retain him. Yabusele’s Non-Bird rights won’t allow for much of a raise, so the Sixers will likely have to dip into their mid-level exception to make a competitive offer.
Speaking to TRT Spor, Ergin Ataman, the head coach of the Turkish national team indicated that the plan is for Sixers big man Adem Bona to participate in the EuroBasket tournament this summer (hat tip to Eurohoops). “Last week, our sporting director Alper Yilmaz visited him, and Adem is very enthusiastic about playing for the national team,” Ataman said of the 22-year-old, who is coming off his rookie season in Philadelphia. “He’ll be coming for the European championship.”
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey appeared on the Rights To Ricky Sanchez podcast (YouTube link) this week to discuss a number of Sixers-related topics, including the team’s lottery pick, Joel Embiid‘s knee injury, and more.

Sixers Notes: Oubre, Nurse, Yabusele

April 20th, 2025 at 4:01pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Following an underwhelming 2024/25 season for the Sixers, forward Kelly Oubre Jr. is looking to recapture the attitude that made him a beloved figure in Philadelphia, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

After a solid 2023/24 run, Oubre inked a two-year, $16.4MM deal in free agency last summer to stay with the Sixers. Despite re-signing Oubre and adding nine-time All-Star Paul George, Caleb Martin and Andre Drummond, among others, the Sixers struggled with health and chemistry issues, and ultimately went 24-58.

In his 60 healthy games this past season, Oubre averaged 15.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG and 1.8 APG. Although the 6’8″ pro had endeared himself to the Philadelphia faithful during his first year in town, Oubre felt like he wasn’t himself this season amidst all the team’s losing.

“I’m bringing the swag back, and all I know is that I’ll come back better than I was this year,”Oubre said of his approach to 2025/26. “I’m going to year 11 in my career. So it’s a blessing. I’m blessed to still be here… But at the end of the day, man, I’m not satisfied with the way I’m perceived by you guys, fans, for what I do bring to the NBA. So tsunami’s back.”

There’s more out of the City of Brotherly Love:

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse may not have been the problem during last year’s lost season, but he’ll need more injury luck out of his roster next season to prove it, opines Pompey in another piece. Philadelphia GM Daryl Morey asserted that both he and Nurse would return for at least next year. While All-Stars Joel Embiid, George and Tyrese Maxey missed a cumulative 134 games, Pompey notes that detractors have pointed to Nurse’s occasionally puzzling lineup decisions, team leadership, and relationship with referees as potential areas of long-term concern.
One of the Sixers’ few free agent signings who surpassed offseason expectations, forward Guerschon Yabusele could now be in line for a big raise this summer, writes Pompey in an a separate Inquirer story. After spending several years out of the league, the 6’7″ vet posted averages of 11 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 1.2 APG. He also connected on a career-high 38% of his triple tries. An unrestricted free agent this summer, Yabusele is only eligible for a 20% raise on his $2.1MM minimum salary, since he only has Non-Bird rights. He could also be signed into the team’s mid-level exception — the 76ers could have either the taxpayer or non-taxpayer version available, depending on their financial commitments to other players. According to Pompey, Yabusele’s play this year guarantees he’ll be worth more than that 20% raise on his minimum deal. With $149.1MM in guaranteed money already committed to just four Sixers players and a $154.6MM projected salary cap, Philadelphia will have to tread carefully if it hopes to retain Yabusele.
In case you missed it, George is hoping that he, Embiid and Maxey can spend more time together this summer in an effort to improve the trio’s chemistry.

Sixers Notes: George, Maxey, Lowry, Grimes, Oubre, Drummond

April 13th, 2025 at 2:41pm CST by Luke Adams

There were sky-high expectations for the Sixers heading into this season after Paul George signed with the team as a free agent last summer, joining Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey to form a big three. However, Philadelphia lost 12 of its first 14 games en route to a massively disappointing 24-58 season, as injuries decimated the roster and prevented the team from ever gaining any real momentum.

“Yeah, it was just, to be honest, one of the toughest seasons for me,” George said on Sunday, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “Just with a lot of adversity on the court, off the court and, then again, the injury stuff was some stuff that I didn’t necessarily know I had going on … which was frustrating.”

As ugly as this season was, George and Maxey indicated on Sunday that they still believe the core is capable of competing for a championship in future seasons.

“The names on the paper … it looks nice. It does,” Maxey said. “And I think we’ve seen where our peaks can be this year. There wasn’t a lot of them. But there was some stretches where we all played and we looked really good. We found the right rotations, we knew who to get the ball to, who we need to get the ball to them, everybody got shots, everybody looked good.

“So the sky’s the limit. That’s the thing that I can say. But the work has to be put in from day one, not from in the middle of the season. … Today is our last game. Whenever everybody decides to start working out again, that’s when our season for next year starts, individually and collectively. And it has to be taken serious. And I think we will take it serious and I have the ultimate faith in the organization and the guys up top and my teammates to do that.”

Here’s more on the 76ers:

Maxey told reporters on Sunday that he needs “about another month” before his finger injury recovery has progressed enough for him to resume basketball activities, tweets Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports.
Veteran point guard Kyle Lowry said after Sunday’s regular season finale that he’d like to play at least one more year in the NBA and hopes to do it with his hometown Sixers, per Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link). Lowry, who turned 39 last month, is finishing up his 19th NBA season, so one more would give him an even 20.
Quentin Grimes, who entered Sunday’s game with 1,978 minutes played this season, logged 35 minutes in Philadelphia’s loss to Chicago to surpass the 2,000-minute threshold and meet the starter criteria. That means his qualifying offer as a restricted free agent this summer will be worth $8,741,210 instead of $6,311,825. That change is unlikely to affect how Grimes’ free agency plays out, since he’s a strong candidate to sign a lucrative multiyear contract.
Here’s what Sixers wing Kelly Oubre, who holds an $8.4MM player option for 2025/26, had to say about his contract situation on Sunday, according to Bodner (Twitter link): “This is a business, but at the end of the day I’m happy. And I like to finish what I start, and I don’t feel complete. So, godspeed.”
Big man Andre Drummond also has a player option for ’25/26 (worth $5MM) and expressed interest in remaining in Philadelphia. “My plan is to be back,” he told reporters after Sunday’s game (Twitter link via Bodner).

Sixers Notes: Grimes, Yabusele, Butler, Nurse, Injury Report

March 18th, 2025 at 5:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Quentin Grimes, a trade deadline acquisition, continues to shine for the Sixers. The combo guard — a restricted free agent after this season — erupted for a career-high 46 points against the Rockets in an overtime loss on Monday. Grimes, who also finished with a career-best 13 rebounds, has scored 30 or more points in five separate games since coming to Philadelphia.

“It’s cool,” Grimes told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “But I had a costly turnover that cost us the game late in the fourth. I have to be better in those situations, probably on the ball, try to get fouled. It’s cool and all, but we probably should have just ended the game, ended it with a win.”

We have more on the Sixers:

While they have been decimated by injuries, big man Guerschon Yabusele has continued to play despite battling knee soreness. Yabusele sat out Monday’s game, but he’s appeared in 62 of 68 games and has served as a few of the few constants in Philadelphia this season. “That’s just who I am,” he told Pompey. “I always try to keep playing no matter what. You know that’s just me. I just want to compete. I want to be out there and help the guys. I hate just being on the bench and looking at the guys over there, struggling or losing. It’s something I don’t like to be a part of.” Yabusele has some extra incentive to stay on the court — he will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
The Sixers had only nine players available on Monday, yet nearly knocked off one of the better teams in the Western Conference. “I think it’s just outside of our nature to go out there and try to lose,” guard Jared Butler said, per Pompey. ”I can’t see myself playing like that in any kind of way.”
While some fans might be unhappy with head coach Nick Nurse, he shouldn’t be the scapegoat for the team’s dismal season, Pompey argues. Nurse has been forced to juggle the rotation throughout the season due to the rash of injuries, using 44 different starting lineups, Pompey points out.
Kelly Oubre Jr. is doubtful for Wednesday’s game against the Thunder due to a sprained right knee, Pompey tweets. Yabusele is questionable, while Tyrese Maxey, Andre Drummond, Adem Bona, Kyle Lowry and Lonnie Walker remain out.
In case you missed it, Paul George has been ruled out for the season. Get the details here.

Sixers Notes: Walker, Maxey, Martin, Reese

March 10th, 2025 at 8:04am CST by Arthur Hill

Lonnie Walker turned in his best game since joining the Sixers last month, coming off the bench Sunday with 25 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in a win over Utah. After being waived by Boston just before the start of the season, the 26-year-old shooting guard spent time with Zalgiris Kaunas in the EuroLeague while awaiting his next NBA opportunity. After Sunday’s game, he talked about how he benefited from that experience, according to BasketNews.

“There are a lot of factors people don’t consider, like your mental state, your physical state, and how you’re feeling,” Walker said. “There was a seven- or eight-hour time difference to adjust to, but also playing at a completely different level of basketball, with a different style of play. Understanding new plays and learning how the team plays was part of the process.”

Walker has a chance to revive his NBA career in Philadelphia, which is his third team in the last three years after he spent his first four NBA seasons in San Antonio. He played 34 minutes Sunday night and figures to be part of the rotation for the rest of the season.

During his time away from the league, Walker gained an appreciation for the style of basketball being played in Europe.

“Most definitely,” he said. “Don’t get it twisted, the EuroLeague is a beautiful league. The passion and the way the game is played over there is special. But I definitely have a sense of gratitude for the opportunity to return to the best league in the world and showcase my abilities.”

There’s more from Philadelphia:

Coach Nick Nurse told reporters before the game that he plans to monitor the minutes of Andre Drummond, Guerschon Yabusele and Kelly Oubre, who all saw limited action on Sunday, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey notes that they’re the only three rotation players from the start of the season that were active on Sunday. Nurse also provided an update on Tyrese Maxey, who’s sidelined with a lower back strain, saying the star guard “did some on-court work today,” but remains questionable for Monday’s game against Atlanta.
KJ Martin returned to Philadelphia on Sunday for the first time since being traded last month in a cost-cutting move, per Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice. Martin said he enjoyed his time with the Sixers and regrets that a stress reaction in his foot interrupted what could have been a productive season. “I had a great time this year,” he said. “Philly will always have a place in my heart for sure.”
Alex Reese had six points and nine rebounds in 15 minutes in his first significant playing time of the season, Aaronson adds. The two-way forward said he’s been able to develop his game during his time with the Sixers and the team’s G League affiliate in Delaware. “It’s been good in both places,” Reese said. “Here and in Delaware, both teams have welcomed me. They’ve taught me a lot so far, pointed me in the right directions… I’m enjoying it and grateful to be here.”

Sixers Notes: Grimes, Embiid, Oubre, George, Yabusele

March 3rd, 2025 at 4:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Fourth-year guard Quentin Grimes is known more as a complementary player than a big-time scoring threat. In his first three-and-a-half seasons before he was traded to the Sixers last month, he had scored 30 or more points in just two of his 215 career NBA games. Since arriving in Philadelphia, he has done it twice in nine games, including on Saturday when he poured in a career-high 44 points on 18-of-24 shooting in a win over Golden State.

Grimes, who had 20 points through two quarters, said he knew he was in for a huge night when he came out of halftime and kept scoring, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“I’ve had 20-point halves in the past,” he said. “But I think in the third quarter, I ran off like … 11 straight, I was kind of like, ‘Okay, I’m kind of feeling it tonight for sure.'”

Grimes, who will be a restricted free agent at season’s end, has been playing some of the best basketball of his career since joining the 76ers, averaging 16.8 points per game on 51.8% shooting (41.1% on three-pointers). The Sixers acquired him and a second-round pick in a deal that sent Caleb Martin and a second-rounder to Dallas. Speaking to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Grimes admitted he was somewhat caught off guard by the trade.

“I was kind of shocked a little bit, knowing how well I had been playing for (the Mavericks) and contributing,” he said. “We had a really good group of guys, and we had a really good bond with each other, so it was initially a shock. Here, there is a really good group of guys as well.”

Here’s more out of Philadelphia:

The Sixers’ decision to rule out Joel Embiid for the rest of the season due to his nagging left knee injury remains a hot topic of discussion. Brian Windhorst of ESPN takes an in-depth look at how Embiid’s season went south, a handful of ESPN’s NBA insiders discuss what’s next for the 76ers and their star center in the short- and long-term, and Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer considers how Embiid’s growing list of injuries will affect his legacy. Windhorst and Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter video link) both reported that Embiid sought a meeting with team owner Josh Harris in late February to discuss how best to move forward
Kelly Oubre has played heavy minutes for the Sixers as of late and has been one of the team’s most effective players, averaging 18.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in 38.7 minutes per night in the team’s last 17 games. However, he won’t be available on Monday vs. Portland, having been ruled out with an illness, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. Oubre holds an $8.38MM player option for 2025/26, so the better he plays down the stretch, the more inclined he may be to decline that option and test free agency.
Paul George will turn 35 in May and knows he may only have a few more years to compete for a championship, which is why a season like this one has been so disappointing for him, Pompey writes for The Philadelphia Inquirer. “Each year is a year I can’t get back,” he said. “… I haven’t been in the best physical health this season. It’s been a lot of things going on that I have been trying to battle and fight through. … It’s frustrating that this stuff keeps popping up for me knowing that that window is closing.”
In addition to speaking to Grimes, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype also interviewed Guerschon Yabusele, discussing the Frenchman’s successful return to the NBA this season and his expectations for free agency. Yabusele said he feels comfortable in Philadelphia but will take his time with his free agency decision. “I’m going to take my time and see what the options are,” Yabusele said. “Having that option and chance to be back here is definitely something I love to hear.”

Celtics, Knicks, Nuggets Among Teams Registering Interest In Yabusele

January 30th, 2025 at 7:39pm CST by Earnest Marshall

The Celtics, Knicks, Nuggets and others have called the Sixers to express interest in trading for forward Guerschon Yabusele, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto writes.

As we relayed earlier this week, the Sixers reportedly “love” the French forward, but his impending unrestricted free agent status gives the team plenty to think about at this deadline.

Yabusele is averaging 10.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game so far this season while shooting 50.2% from the field and 39.3% from three. He’s been a crucial part of a Sixers team that has been ravaged by injuries. Yabusele entered Thursday with 22 starts under his belt.

After Yabusele’s $2.09MM salary expires this offseason, he’ll have no shortage of suitors in free agency. The Sixers only hold his Non-Bird rights, so they’re limited in what they can offer him unless they use their mid-level exception — they’ll likely only have the taxpayer form of the MLE.

As Scotto writes, given that the Sixers are 19-27 and currently on the outside looking in for the play-in tournament (though they’re tied with the Bulls), contending teams are calling about Philadelphia’s veterans. Not only would Yabusele bolster any playoff rotation, but his team-friendly contract this year could offer savings for contenders looking to cut costs.

Yabusele isn’t the only player generating interest on the trade market. As we wrote on Monday, Eric Gordon is also receiving interest. Scotto reports that rivals have checked in on Andre Drummond, Kelly Oubre and, notably, Caleb Martin as well. Martin signed a four-year, $35MM deal with Philadelphia this summer — if the Sixers decide to sell their veterans, he would be one of the more coveted players on the block.

Drummond has a player option worth $5MM next year while Oubre has one worth about $8.38MM.

Despite what sounds like healthy interest in players who would make sense to sell for a team interested in draft position, I’m somewhat skeptical the Sixers would proceed with a full-blown fire sale. For starters, as mentioned, Philadelphia is tied with the Bulls for 10th in the East. They’re also just four games out of the sixth seed, entering Thursday. While nothing has gone according to plan for Philadelphia this year, the team remains in position to claim a postseason appearance with better health luck moving forward. The Sixers are on a four-game winning streak, for what it’s worth.

The Sixers’ draft pick in this class is also protected, but only if it lands in the top six. While it’s not unheard of for teams with low odds to win big and move into the top four, the Sixers have likely already won too many games to truly bottom out and end up as one of the league’s worst six teams record-wise. And even if the Sixers did end up with one of the six worst records, there’s still a chance that pick falls out of their hands and into the Thunder’s if they’re leap-frogged by a team with lower odds on lottery night.

If the Sixers envision themselves as contenders next year, it would make sense to keep players like Martin, Oubre and Yabusele who can contribute to winning with a healthier roster.

Sixers Notes: Oubre, Injuries, Drummond, George, Draft Pick

January 17th, 2025 at 3:04pm CST by Earnest Marshall

With Caleb Martin and KJ Martin sidelined with injuries, the Sixers‘ forward depth was thin on Wednesday against New York. Kelly Oubre Jr. slid from shooting guard to power forward, delivering with 16 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and a block. While the Sixers lost for their seventh time in nine games, Oubre’s defensive intensity stood out, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“It’s just kind of getting back to the basics,” Oubre said. “I could speak for myself, like it’s bread and butter for me. If things around me are out of control, then I know I can focus on my energy and my effort on the defensive end.”

Oubre’s has had an impressive defensive season, ranking second in the league in deflections and tied for 14th in steals per game. The Sixers pushed the Knicks to overtime due in part to the defensive play of Oubre, who holds a player option worth roughly $8.38MM for next season.

We have more from the Sixers:

Paul George, Guerschon Yabusele, Kyle Lowry, and KJ Martin didn’t practice for the Sixers on Friday, according to Pompey (Twitter link). However, Caleb Martin was a partial participant and Andre Drummond practiced fully after missing the last six games due to injury. In a separate tweet, Pompey reports head coach Nick Nurse said he has high hopes for Drummond playing Saturday against Indiana. Drummond is listed as probable for that game.
The Sixers need George to step up without Embiid available, Zach Powell and Jared Weiss of The Athletic write. Philadelphia has obviously been worse off without their superstar in Embiid, but if they hope to make a run to the play-in, let alone the playoffs, George will need to play at a high level. It’s an opportunity for George to prove his star quality and to justify the Sixers’ faith in him, Powell and Weiss write.
With the Sixers on the outside looking in for the postseason, Fred Katz of The Athletic notes that they owe their first-round pick to the Thunder if it lands outside the top six. The Sixers currently have the eighth-highest odds for the No. 1 overall pick. With that in mind, Katz ponders whether the Sixers could do what the Mavericks did in 2023, when they fell out of the playoffs and thus, kept their top-10 protected pick, landing a Finals contributor in Dereck Lively II. This stretch without Embiid ahead of the trade deadline could reveal their plans not only for February, but potentially for the draft as well.