76ers must blow it up, build around Tyrese Maxey

It's finally time. The Philadelphia 76ers have lived in the in-between for too long. Blow it up. After another disappointing season and Joel Embiid’s health fading fast, it’s time for a reckoning. The Sixers must detonate and rebuild around Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe.

Nick Nurse’s three-guard blueprint

Maxey’s 2024–25 advanced stats — 19.5 PER, 43.8% from three and 28% assist rate — reflect an all-around star entering his prime. He’s evolved from an open-floor energy guard to an offensive engine. Last season, without Embiid for most of it, he balanced playmaking and shot creation while keeping turnovers at a career-low 9.2%. Philadelphia’s offense moves because Maxey moves. His quick-decision drives and early-clock reads give the Sixers a stylistic identity they’ve lacked since the Jimmy Butler days.

There’s more brewing in Nick Nurse’s lab. The Sixers now have the skeleton of a modern three-guard lineup that could redefine their offense. Nurse’s point-of-attack creativity thrives on versatile guards who can handle, switch, playmaker and stretch (on catch-and-shoot threes). With Maxey, Edgecombe and Jared McCain, the Sixers can pressure defenses from every angle. Maxey’s gravity opens gaps; Edgecombe slashes like a young Dwyane Wade — that same burst of violence at the rim. Edgecombe’s arrival signals athleticism this franchise hasn’t had in years.

Joel Embiid’s decline can’t be ignored

Contrast that with Embiid’s decline: 0.9 blocks per game, his lowest ever, and a minus-0.3 defensive BPM. Opponents shot 67% within five feet when he was the rim protector. That’s a real decay. The eye test agrees: Embiid’s mobility and reaction time have waned, and his lift has been dulled by injury and mileage. Philadelphia went 24–58 as Embiid’s knee limited him to 19 games before a February shutdown. His April arthroscopic procedure was the latest reminder that “next year” might never arrive.

Time to rebuild before it’s too late

Even worse, the on-court product deteriorated when he played. The Sixers shot a dismal 29.8% from three during his minutes. Daryl Morey’s roster construction around Embiid, filled with low-ceiling vets, feels obsolete.

It’s time to cash out before they crash out. Embiid could still command two or three first-round picks, a solid foundational return that could accelerate a rebuild around Maxey and Edgecombe. The $106 million combined cap hit of Embiid ($55.22 million) and Paul George ($51.67 million) is a millstone. 

The Sixers need a new guard-driven identity. Maxey is the present. Edgecombe is the future. Blow it up, Philly. The Process is over. The pace begins now.