Philadelphia 76ers Injury Concerns Will End Their Title Hopes

Entering the court for his 24th season, though, is a red flag for James. During his time with the Lakers, LeBron missed a number of games due to groin strains, foot injuries, and high ankle sprains. Expecting a 41-year-old James, the oldest active player in the NBA, to be their primary point guard is already delusional. Expecting him to stay healthy enough to survive four rounds of postseason basketball is even crazier.

The 76ers front office can argue that their acquisition of Jaylen Brown boosts their championship run odds, but adding another injury liability doesn’t. Yes, it’s easy to point out that Brown has played more games than James with more points per game. A quick look at his injury history, though, reveals that he isn’t as durable as they think. Brown doesn’t have any catastrophic injuries that would cause him to miss a full season, but come postseason, it’ll be a miracle if he doesn’t go down in the first round.

The Supporting Cast Offers Hope

At the same time, completely dismissing the roster as a walking medical bill is far from the truth. The 76ers’ supporting cast isn’t entirely riddled with injury-prone players, giving the team much-needed support when the injury bug comes. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is expected to play on opening night since he’ll be fully recovered from right pinkie surgery he had in February. His recent injury history aside from the finger surgery, though, is concerning because of recent hamstring issues and facial injuries.

Beyond KCP, Tyrese Maxey exemplifies physical durability, serving as a reliable anchor who consistently carries the team’s workload. Throughout his rise to stardom, Maxey has routinely suited up for the vast majority of the schedule, playing anywhere from 52 to 75 games. Along with Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Adem Bona also bring an ability to carry a heavy workload of 70+ games and not worry about injury.

The 76ers have assembled a roster that looks terrifying on paper, but championship basketball is not played on paper. Embiid, James, and Brown give Philadelphia three elite offensive weapons, yet each comes with serious durability concerns. The 76ers may have enough talent to make the playoffs and even win a series or two, but definitely not a championship.