Analyzing Philadelphia 76ers Depth For 2025-26 Season: Joel Embiid's Swan Song?

The Philadelphia 76ers enter the 2025-26 season swinging at generational potential, on paper, at least. Tyrese Maxey, a 25-year-old All-NBA guard, and returning veteran Paul George are surrounded by a crop of intriguing newcomers, including No. 3 overall pick V.J. Edgecombe and second-rounder Johni Broome. Yet one looming question dominates all: Will this be Joel Embiid’s final act in Philadelphia?

The 2024-25 campaign ended in harsh reality, as the Sixers limped to a 24-58 record, finishing 13th in the Eastern Conference. That performance led to sweeping changes in leadership, but not in vision. Head coach Nick Nurse inherits a team still clearly built around Embiid, whose chronic knee, back, and sinus issues have left the former MVP visibly worn down. 

In a recent feature, both Embiid and club insiders acknowledged the mounting physical toll, spurring speculation that, at age 31 and with $193 million still left on his deal , this may indeed be the beginning of the end for Philly’s franchise centerpiece. 

While the core isn’t going anywhere, front office architect Daryl Morey now wrestles with a payroll on the brink: the team is just under the first luxury-tax apron (set at roughly $195.9 million), limiting financial flexibility and forcing the Sixers to rely on prudent mid-tier signings like Kyle Lowry (re-signed on a one-year vet-minimum deal) and hopeful depth additions like Eric Gordon and Trendon Watford. 

With Embiid’s availability likely to vary, the supporting cast takes on high-stakes importance. The projected starters carry heavy burdens, but behind them is an untested core of Jared McCain, Eric Gordon, Adem Bona, and others, players expected to survive the crucible of load management, injuries, and playoff pressure.

In this feature, we’ll dissect that depth chart player-by-player, matchup-by-matchup, projecting how many quality minutes this group can produce and whether this team, talent-laden but fragile, can ride through a long season. And, most importantly, is 2025-26 truly Embiid’s swan song?

Starting Lineup

Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes*, Paul George, Kelly Oubre Jr., Joel Embiid

*Assuming he re-signs

Tyrese Maxey concluded the 2024-25 campaign as the Sixers’ unquestioned engine, averaging a team-high 26.3 points, 6.1 assists, and shooting 43.7% from the field, earning first-time All-Star honors before a finger injury shut him down in March. With Grimes next to him on the wing, assuming he re-signs, the Sixers have a rising two-way threat. 

Grimes delivered 14.6 PPG, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists on 46.7% FG, and when starting, his production jumped to 20.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 4.1 APG in 37 starts. Despite limited playoff exposure, he’s proving to be a perfect complement to Maxey’s ball-dominant chaos. 

Paul George, at age 35, still chipped in 16.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 4.3 APG, though his efficiency slipped to 43.0 FG%, and his minutes were managed after a knee procedure. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 15.1 PPG and 6.1 RPG on 47% shooting, but his woeful 29.3% mark from three and inconsistent defense left critics unsold on him as more than a gravity option.

 And Joel Embiid… he averaged 23.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 4.5 APG in just 19 games before undergoing a second knee surgery that ended his year prematurely. In short, high-end production remains a possibility, but the lineup swings heavily on wellness, a treacherous foundation in today’s play-for-load-management NBA.

Bench

Kyle Lowry, Jared McCain, V.J. Edgecombe, Eric Gordon, Justin Edwards, Trendon Watford, Adem Bona, Andre Drummond

The bench is a patchwork of savvy vets, recovering rookies, and developmental projects, but nobody can reliably replicate starter-level output if health fails up top. Kyle Lowry, now 39, averaged just 3.9 PPG, 1.9 RPG, and 2.7 APG on 35% shooting, but his value is experiential; he’s Philly’s unofficial on-court coach. 

Jared McCain, acquired for his high Penn State upside, fractured a lateral meniscus after 23 promising games and still undergoes rehab, and his return timeline is clouded. At the more electric end: V.J. Edgecombe was a defensive standout at Baylor with 15 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.2 APG, and 2.1 steals, earning All-Big 12 honors as a freshman. 

He flashed in the summer league, and paired with Maxey/McCain/Grimes, Philly could tempt opponent backcourts into mismatch hell. Then you’ve got Eric Gordon, veteran floor spacer at 6.8 PPG, 40.9% 3PT, and 36 years young, even though a wrist surgery sidelined him deep into the season.

Anchoring the forward rotation are two athletes in different stages of growth: Justin Edwards averaged 10.1 PPG and 3.4 RPG with decent 45.5% shooting as a rookie, and earned minutes partly for his positional versatility. Trendon Watford posted solid end-of-season per-game numbers (10.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.6 APG at 46.9% FG) so he can make an impact in limited minutes. 

Adem Bona, the high-upside youngster, shot a lofty 70.3% over 5.8 PPG and 4.2 RPG, albeit in limited minutes, underscoring his finishing prowess as a low-risk mid-to-late rotation piece. Lastly, Andre Drummond returned to partially stabilize the glass with 7.3 PPG and 7.8 RPG on 50% FG; he even averaged nearly 9.4 boards per 36 minutes after limited starts.

Roster Strengths

The strength has to come with star power and big-name talent if the franchise can keep them healthy and on the court together. Tyrese Maxey enters the 2025-26 season coming off a career year, 26.3 PPG, 6.1 APG, and 3.3 boards per game, while shooting 43.7% from the field, and demands defensive attention nightly. Add Joel Embiid, who, when healthy, and you still have one of the most imposing duos in the Eastern Conference. 

Even Paul George, at 35, chipped in 16.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 4.3 APG on 43% shooting, veteran savvy that matters in crunch time. The Sixers also have rising youth and disruptive depth. No. 3 pick V.J. Edgecombe adds real rookie juice; he can be in contention for Rookie of the Year if he gets off to a strong start. 

Add in Jared McCain, whose Duke pedigree whispers future upside, and Justin Edwards (10.1 PPG on 45.5% FG in 44 games), and he secured a standard contract after just one year on a two-way deal. Trendon Watford, signed on a dirt-cheap deal, projects as a Swiss-Army forward with per-36 numbers of 17.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists last season.

There is also some veteran glue and surprising energy. Kyle Lowry remains the ultimate glue guy at age 39: he adds leadership and steady playmaking, even if last season’s numbers dipped to 3.9 PPG and 2.7 APG on 35% shooting. The guy still raises teammates around him. 

Eric Gordon provides perimeter gravity and efficient shooting, particularly when Maxey rests. Meanwhile, Adem Bona brings rim protection and efficient finishing (70.3% FG on 5.8 PPG/4.2 RPG), and Andre Drummond gives rebound engine reinforcements with 7.8 boards per game on 50% FG. This group, though imperfect, boasts a rare blend of speed, shotmaking, and glimpses of continuity.

Key Weaknesses And Concerns

If Embiid doesn’t make it to 60+ games, the offense collapses. He’s had two major left knee surgeries in under 18 months and played just 19 games in 2024-25 despite averaging 23.8 points per outing. 

Paul George, meanwhile, is 35 and coming off another knee surgery; expect more missed games and reduced explosiveness this season. Without both stars operating in tandem against playoff-level opponents, this core looks more band-aid than backbone.

Not to mention, the Sixers leaned massively on Maxey last year; he accounted for 30% of the team’s shot creation. Beyond him and Lowry, there’s no consistent secondary playmaker. Kelly Oubre Jr. averaged 15.1 PPG and 6.1 rebounds on 47% shooting, but made just 29% of his threes and didn’t elevate his defensive impact as hoped. 

Eric Gordon and other role players are fine in small doses, but in extended stretches without a break or a reliable plan B, things can spiral fast. Also, Philadelphia is now fighting to stay out of the first luxury-tax apron, but barely, and that’s before re-signing Quentin Grimes, who looks eligible for a raise of twice his 2024-25 salary. 

Realistically, they're hard-capped on the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. If Embiid or George shows cracks or Maxey needs help, Morey won’t have cap room to jolt the roster, but they’ll face serious luxury penalties for going further over. Depth now is depth forever.

Philadelphia 76ers Need To Get Off To A Strong Start To The Season Or Blow It Up Completely

The East is wide open, but slow starts cost dearly, putting them on the razor’s edge of play-in territory. The Eastern Conference has fallen off, the Celtics are shedding assets, the Bucks lost Lillard, the Knicks are hindered by coaching changes, but the Sixers only look like contenders if they sprint out of the gate. If they land in the play-in or worse? The window closes fast.

With Embiid’s minutes expected to fluctuate and Paul George easing back from surgery, the backups are likely to handle a serious load early on. That makes the pre-holiday schedule critical. An 8-game win streak without your full roster becomes a fake victory if you drift later in the season. Coach Nurse must have combinations up and running in October, not bedded in February, or risk losing playoff seeding to injury or inconsistency.

Overall, either this becomes your opening act or time for a teardown. There’s no middle ground. If Philly starts 6-6 or worse before Thanksgiving, it’ll be clear, this team isn't built for a playoff run with this supporting cast. 

The front office must then choose: double down on small moves and pray for health, or pull the plug, trade assets, and free the cap space for a true championship window. No watering down the message, it’s win early, or it’s time to reset.