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Only in the City of Brotherly Love; Ask yourselves a question. No, instead, ask three... How is it possible that a dark cloud continues to hover over the Philadelphia 76ers despite their ownership of the third-overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft? Is that simply the result of playing in a demanding sports town? Has the organization earned this honor because they have disappointed their fans time and time again?
Be forewarned. Reasonable thought, emotional responses, and heated debates can all be born as a result of trying to answer those questions. In a town that appreciates the beauty of great basketball but has sometimes been robbed of seeing any, the stakes are high for obvious reasons.
What Philly does next is a franchise-altering decision. Its result can catapult the Sixers back into relevancy or set the franchise back for several more seasons. Daryl Morey and company have to nail this, and that may be part of the answer to the first question.
This is how it's possible for fans to have knowledge of their favorite team owning the third-overall selection in an NBA Draft and be terrified of what is coming.
To make matters worse, there aren't many other reasons to find excitement in the rest of the Sixers' offseason.
There is too much money committed to Philly's 'Big Three'.
It would be wonderful to be able to state that this roster could be fixed by simply adding some difference-makers by way of free agency. That won't happen.
The 76ers, in three signings, assured Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George just under $1 billion over the life of all three contracts. If the math is correct, more than $144 million is tied up in Philly's big three next season.
That's 77% of the payroll. That allows minimal room to maneuver, and paying the third overall pick will make it difficult to pay and hang on to Quentin Grimes and Guerschon Yabusele, especially when one factors in this next nugget.
Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond, and Eric Gordon are expected to pick up their player options to return next season.
The player options owned by Eric Gordon, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Eric Gordon will obviously all play a role in Philly's salary structure. According to multiple reports, all are expected to pick up their respective options and return to Philly next season.
All three players are expected to pick up their respective options and return to Philly next season. Adding these three contracts to the ledger will make it even more impossible for the front office to be competitive in free agency, as the biggest shockwave would be the 76ers hugging the luxury tax.
The 76ers have huge decisions to make with Quentin Grimes and Guerschon Yabusele.
Philadelphia cleaned up some cap space by trading Caleb Martin to the Dallas Mavericks to acquire Quentin Grimes and a 2025 second-round pick last February. The theory was they were doing so to free up money to re-sign Yabusele. Now, they have a dilemma.
No one thought Grimes would play as well as he did and present Philly with the reality that it isn't out the realm of possibility that they'll lose both players.
As mentioned earlier, Yabusele is an unrestricted free agent. Grimes is also a free agent, but restricted. The latter earned $4.2 million during the 2024-25 NBA season and outplayed his deal once he arrived in Philly.
He pitched in by averaging 21.9 points, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game while playing 33.7 minutes per contest. Keeping him in the fold is a top priority, but it will require he be paid more money, and that will exhaust whatever hope remains of an action-packed NBA offseason for Philadelphia.
Fingers are crossed for the coming NBA Draft. Fingers are crossed that Embiid and George's rehabilitation efforts go smoothly.
More 76ers on SI
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TODAY'S BEST
Mikal Bridges Embraces Knicks After Extension
One of the New York Knicks' biggest remaining offseason questions was finally settled last week, with their most pressing extension candidate finally getting the long term deal he's been seeking. Mikal Bridges agreed on a four-year, $150 million contract extension, signaling the joint interest the parties have in making it work long-term. Bridges wasn't the cleanest fit in his first year with the Knicks, but New York bet on his pedigree and opted to roll with the asset in locking down a major piece on a potential Finals team. The Knicks were excited to clean up some of the questions about how their finances would be allocated going forward, and as it turned out, that excitement was mutual. Bridges posted a picture of his playing in Madison Square Garden not long after, sending some direct appreciation to his team. The settlement now locks the Knicks' entire starting lineup in through the 2028-29 season, giving this core several more whacks at winning it all in the vastly weaker Eastern Conference. Their top six players are all returning, and they've already spent the summer consolidating the bench while finding a head coach better suited for the score-first core in Mike Brown. Questions still abound concerning whether the Knicks have enough defenders to make the Jalen Brunson-Karl-Anthony Towns pairing work on defense, but the hypothetical version of Bridges should be enough to make their jobs easier alongside fellow wing defender OG Anunoby. Should Bridges rediscover some of his old defensive mastery while scoring at a more efficient clip in a role that better suits his game, this contract could look like a steal by decade's end, as their star forward no longer has reason to worry about his security.
Justin Fields Called 'Biggest Loser' In Jets Training Camp
The New York Jets opted to cut Aaron Rodgers and sign Justin Fields to replace him during the offseason. This kind of commitment to Fields should bolster his confidence, but it could also place a lot of pressure on his shoulders. To this point, Fields has looked solid in training camp, aside from a scary toe injury that was quickly resolved in July. Justin Fried of the Jet Press recently reported that Fields' training camp may have reached a new low over the weekend as the young signal caller struggled. "Justin Fields put together his best practice of the summer to this point on Friday, completing his first 12 passes en route to an excellent all-around performance. The same can't be said about his showing on Saturday, however," Fried wrote. "Fields finished the day an abysmal 2-of-10 in the air, including a drop from rookie tight end Mason Taylor. "Some of his incompletions were catchable balls, but the Jets' passing game struggles on Saturday can largely be blamed on No. 7. Fields did flash his running ability with a 25-yard rushing score on the first play of red-zone drills, but the Jets would like to see more consistency in the air from the starting quarterback. Saturday's scrimmage was far from his best showing of the summer." Fields is a runner first at the NFL level, but his arm is nothing to scoff at. For most of training camp, his arm talent has been better than advertised, but during Saturday's scrimmage, it just wasn't there. A 2 for 10 performance is unacceptable for a $40 million quarterback who was signed to take over the team. The running game should open up the passing game for the Jets, which is going to need to be the case if Fields is going to struggle like this. However, it's just one day of camp. It's nothing to be too concerned about. Just because Fields lost this specific practice doesn't mean he's heading in the wrong direction as a whole.
Milwaukee Brewers: Nestor Cortes Gone, Standout Rookie 3B Has Emerged as Gem from Would-Be Lose-Lose Trade
Starting pitcher Nestor Cortes was the centerpiece of the Milwaukee Brewers‘ return haul from trading co-closer Devin Williams to the Yankees last December. Eight months later, Cortes is a member of the Padres, logging all of two starts in Milwaukee before injuries sapped his season. Over in New York, Williams lost his closer’s job, got it back, and has had one good month en route to a 5.04 ERA. Without the other part of Milwaukee’s incoming package, then minor-league third baseman Caleb Durbin, the trade would look at this juncture like a lose-lose scenario. Thanks to Durbin, it’s been anything but for the Brewers. Caleb Durbin is Milwaukee Brewers’ diamond in the rough Durbin didn’t make the spring training cut. Instead, the Brewers went with fellow rookie Oliver Dunn as the team’s starting third baseman. Durbin went down to Triple-A Nashville. Dunn didn’t last. After he struggled through the first three weeks of the season, he and Durbin switched places and the latter hasn’t squandered his shot. Following a slow start, he’s turned up the heat at the dish while playing outstanding defense. He’s had an OPS around .800 for over two months now and has his season slashline up to .263/.344/.372. His 2.2 WAR in 86 games played is tied for 10th among all third basemen, making him one of the position’s more valuable players. The Brewers saw plenty of promise in Durbin when they traded for him, coming off a strong season with New York’s Triple-A affiliate. Even though he didn’t, he was a decent candidate to make the team out of spring. The team likely didn’t see a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate, which he is. By WAR, he and Braves catcher Drake Baldwin have contributed the same value to their teams, more than any other NL rookies. Cortes, on the other hand, was supposed to be a consistent cog in the rotation. Last year for the Yankees, he made 30 starts and recorded a 3.77 ERA. Instead, he’s still making his way back from injury ahead of start number three this season. In San Diego. Of course, Milwaukee did turn him into outfielder Brandon Lockridge, who will provide depth while Jackson Chourio is hurt. To dump Cortes’ salary, however, they had to attach a prospect, infielder Jorge Quintana. Neither Cortes nor Williams has been what the receiving team hoped. Both will be free agents this offseason. Only the Yankees, however, are at risk of walking away empty-handed. With years of team control remaining, the Brewers have in Durbin what looks to be their third baseman of both the present and future. The trade didn’t deliver according to expectations, but it’s hard to be too upset with the results.
Texas' Arch Manning has concern on OL after season-ending injury
Texas, the No. 1 team in the preseason coaches poll, has a big concern for its offensive line with a few weeks to go before it opens the season at Ohio State on Aug. 30. Per On Texas Football, right tackle Andre Cojoe suffered a season-ending injury. Per On3, the injury is believed to be a torn ACL. The third-year offensive tackle has played in four career games and was competing with Brandon Baker for the starting job on the right side. "Texas O-lineman Andre Cojoe suffered what’s feared to be a torn ACL, Inside Texas has learned," wrote Eric Nahlin of On3. "Cojoe was in competition with Brandon Baker for Texas’ right tackle role during preseason camp. Baker is set to win the starting job with Cojoe out for the season. The second-year offensive lineman played in eight games for the Longhorns in 2024, including against Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinal. The loss of Cojoe is a big blow to the Longhorns' depth on the offensive line that is tasked with protecting quarterback Arch Manning. On3 projects true freshman Nick Brooks to become the swing tackle behind Baker and starting left tackle Trevor Goosby, a tall order for an 18-year-old in the SEC. Texas comes into the season with high expectations in Manning's first season as a full-time starter. How comfortable Manning is behind his offensive line will play a key role in how efficient the offense is. Texas ranked 118th in sacks given up in 2024 with 37. Those hits took a toll on Quinn Ewers, who played through injuries while leading the Longhorns to the CFP.
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