Cheer up Philadelphia 76ers fans. Picking those battered bodies off the canvas and fighting on is what your great city is known for. That's why one of Philly's favorite sons is a fictional boxer whose likeness is forever immortalized by a statue that sits at the grassy knoll near the Museum of Art's steps.
A 13th-placed finish in the Eastern Conference stung, but this isn't something that hasn't happened before. Think back to the emotions felt from 2013 until 2017. Think about winning the NBA Draft lottery in 1996 and scoring Allen Iverson.
This organization will rise again. All it needs is some good fortune. One or two players could shift the balance of power in the East, and from what we are hearing, one of pro basketball's top stars is open to exploring new opportunities.
Might Giannis Antetokounmpo embrace the challenge of a rebuild?
Okay, so it's hard to read the above question and make a ton of successful arguments for why the answer might be "yes". That's obvious. Why would Giannis Antetokounmpo join an organization that's seemingly further away from title glory than the Milwaukee Bucks are? Then again, what is hope without hope?
Reports about Giannis' future in Milwaukee comes after an early exit from the NBA's postseason. Sure, a dream acquisition by Philly seems nearly impossible. How would they even afford him, right?
Daryl Morey scoffed at the idea of trading Joel Embiid. Still, theories have been tossed around about a Sixers trade to land Giannis since the Bucks' exit from the playoffs. Some have been dismissed quickly, especially in Milwaukee for obvious reasons, but there were also times when it seemed like landing James Harden or Paul George also seemed unlikely.
It's easy to make arguments for dismissing Philly's chances of wooing Giannis. A potential rebuild is obviously one of them, but what if he could be talked into believing one or two moves could again make the 76ers one of the true contenders in the Eastern Conference?
No one is discussing that, but this isn't a wild swing taken with no aim. The 76ers are one or two moves away from again being a contender in the Eastern Conference. What if they added one of the 2025 NBA Draft's top prospects thanks to the lottery? What if Embiid and/or George are retained, and what if rehab goes well and they recover from injury?
Team president Daryl Morey remains cautiously optimistic about Joel Embiid's health. If Paul George can enjoy his own recovery, perhaps the Sixers season we expected this time around simply comes later than we expected.
Antetokounmpo's acquisition certainly expedites the process, even though that means Embiid or George would probably have to leave. What this could look like is unknown, considering the Sixers aren't believed to be shopping one of their top players.
No one will swipe anyone's fan badge if they decide to ignore the chatter about Philly's dream acquisition, but the first step to that have been taken... sort of. Giannis to Philly feels more possible than it did just 24 hours ago.
Philly will rise again. Hopefully, they'll do so sooner rather than later, just like Rocky, and while the Italian Stallion's fight vs. Ivan Drago should have been halted midway through Round 1 after the third or fourth knockdown. Fiction is stranger than reality sometimes.
The 76ers took some body blows and uppercuts during the 2024-25 NBA season. They are down but not out. This story has a happy ending (we hope, for Philly's sake). Besides, no one writes better underdog and comeback stories than the City of Brotherly Love.
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