Feb 11, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) reacts against the Toronto Raptors in the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

'I Would Hit the Reset Button' – Philadelphia 76ers Urged by Former NBA Player to Blow it All Up

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Jordan Samar | Last updated Aug 10, 2025 10:24 AM ET

Former NBA player-turned-analyst Kendrick Perkins strongly believes that the Philadelphia 76ers should start their rebuilding phase because they are going nowhere.

Besides blowing up the trio of Joel Embiid , Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George, Perkins also thinks that the president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey, deserves a huge chunk of the blame for their failed pursuit of a Larry O’Brien trophy.

“I would hit the reset button all across the board,” Perkins said on the Road Trippin’ podcast. “It’s not just trading Joel Embiid and Paul George. I’m also hitting the reset button on who actually paid those guys and jumped the gun.”

Dec 15, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers resident of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey speaks with the media before a game against the Detroit Pistons at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

“It’s time to clean the front office,” he added. “Let’s be real here. Daryl Morey has not done a great job. Morey knew about these injuries and what Joel Embiid was dealing with, yet he gave Embiid an extension.”

Philadelphia 76ers News: Joel Embiid gets questioned for his love for the game

In the same podcast episode, Kendrick Perkins also questioned Joel Embiid’s motivation ahead of the 2025-26 season, considering his extensive injury history.

Dec 8, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) warms up before a basketball game against the Chicago Bulls at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

“When you’re in love with the game, you miss the game. You want to do everything in your power. I’m not saying that he’s not, but I’m just saying, from the outside looking in, and from what I experienced, it’s not because of pressure,” Perkins explained about Embiid.

“It’s scary to me because when I’m looking at this situation with Joel Embiid, I’m saying his prime is not like everybody else’s prime. And so, with these concerns coming up, I’m like, do we have a two-three year window left for Joel Embiid at a high level?” he added.