Philadelphia 76ers Season Preview: Everything Hinges On Joel Embiid’s Health

Joel Embiid’s health is the key to the 76ers this season. That doesn’t mean he needs to play all 82, just playing 50+ games would be a success after last season. If he’s on the court and playing to his best ability, the team has a chance to win.

Philadelphia’s most recent update on Embiid’s health was simple, which is all that was needed. They stated everything is on track, and so far no setbacks. This may appear as the usual report following an injury, but it was needed for 76ers fans.

Embiid is still likely to miss most back to backs regardless of injury, and unfortunately, Philadelphia plays the most in the entire NBA. If he is able to stay on the court for a good amount of the other games and not feature any new injuries, the 76ers’ season could drastically change.

How Important Is Edgecombe?

VJ Edgecombe is where all the hype is heading into the regular season. The athletic freak of nature has been seeking opponents to posterize every chance he gets. That’s great and all, but the 76ers need him to be more than just a walking highlight reel. They need him to actually contribute in a major way, which is a lot of weight to put on a rookie’s shoulders.

Edgecombe will be given the opportunity to play meaningful minutes from the start. He will have a chance to start at SG next to Tyrese Maxey, and he will also get minutes at SF and PG. The injury to Jared McCain bumped up his role even more, and now he has a chance to prove himself early.

Edgecombe’s rookie year success is pivotal if the 76ers have any goals. Without him, they could very well be in a similar spot to last season. Head coach Nick Nurse said they plan on becoming a faster team, and Edgecombe certainly fits that criteria.

Is Paul George Done?

Paul George signed a massive contract just last offseason with the 76ers. This has turned into a huge mistake after just parts of one season. George has been everything that Philadelphia was hoping he wasn’t. He has regressed while also becoming more injury-prone. His age indicates this may not be a one-year thing.

George will still have the opportunity to prove this false, as he will be starting and playing some of the most minutes on the roster when healthy. The 76ers desperately need him to be productive, as he is one of the few players capable of playing PF. He may not be the prototypical four, but he’s at least a body who could eat minutes there.

Starting Lineup Predictions

The 76ers’ starting lineup has the three core players and two unknowns. Maxey will start at point guard, Embiid will start at center, and George will start at one of the forward positions. The shooting guard spot has multiple candidates worthy of filling that spot, but power forward is the real unknown.

Quentin Grimes, McCain, and Edgecombe will all be in consideration for a starting role. Grimes likely fits best next to Maxey with his defensive capabilities, so he probably starts in that spot. Once McCain is healthy, is could prove to be too valuable sitting on the bench, and may force Philadelphia to start him.

Trendon Watford is someone to keep an eye on throughout the preseason for the 76ers. His playstyle could fit beautifully with the rest of the lineup, making him a real candidate to start at power forward. The other option would be to start Kelly Oubre at SF, and George would slide over to PF. That would be a less flashy option, but it is certainly still on the table.

End Of My 76ers Rant

The 76ers have much different aspirations heading into this season when compared to recent years. It feels like the opening goal is no longer to openly say they want to win a championship. Daryl Morey has taken a different approach this year, basically saying instead they need to prove everyone else wrong.