Five predictions for the Sixers’ 2025-26 season

The 76ers are one of the least predictable teams in the NBA. They were expected to be among the league’s best last year and ended up competing in the tank race — and nearly won it.

Their stars were injured, their veterans were injured, and even their rookie first-round pick was injured. That said, we tried our hand at making a few predictions about the coming season. Five, to be exact.

OK, this first entry might not be the boldest prediction, because anyone can see that Joel Embiid and Paul George aren’t on pace to participate in training camp — which opens Sept. 24 — or play in the season opener just under a month later.

Both players have struggled with knee issues for the better part of the last year, with Embiid undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in April as he continues to recover from a meniscus tear suffered in 2023-24. For his part, George is fighting to shake off an October knee hyperextension that sparked a series of ailments that culminated with a workout injury and procedure on his left knee this summer.

Coach Nick Nurse and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey were noncommittal when addressing Embiid’s availability.

This could be simple logic as well, but I still feel compelled to address this topic because of how Tyrese Maxey’s 2024-25 season played out. Maxey, Embiid, and George were supposed to create a star trio as the Sixers were Eastern Conference contenders. Maxey instead ended up alone for the lion’s share of the season, and he struggled at times with that pressure and attention.

Defenses keyed on Maxey, who played through a hand injury before being shut down. With the guard fully healthy, we’ll soon see what Maxey learned from last season, and whether he’s prepared to return to his All-Star form while carrying the load.

» READ MORE: Scheduled losses, load management: Sixers must coddle Joel Embiid and Paul George to have a chance

Another player who missed extended time, Jared McCain, has documented much of his recovery from a knee injury, unlike Embiid and George. The most-watched video on his YouTube page — he has almost 5 million followers on TikTok, 1.8 million on Instagram, and nearing 300 thousand on the Tube — is titled “I Got Injured,” and he provided an update on his knee about two weeks ago.

The most recent video was another look at the diligence fueling McCain’s return after his rookie season was upended by a meniscus tear. He took cameras along as he went through form shooting at the practice facility, cold tub plunges, and sauna sessions. That work should prepare the guard to make an impact for the Sixers when he’s healthy enough to return.

Morey made a big bet on veterans during the summer of 2024, adding Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon, Kyle Lowry, and more. He has worked to get the Sixers younger since, but those three players will be back in Philly. Drummond played in only 40 games, Gordon had his moments but went down with a wrist injury, and Lowry, a former All-Star, has now become more coach than player. So the expectations from this group figure to be fairly low, and the results are likely to match.

Yes, he is in the final season of a two-year, $16.3 million deal. But Oubre won’t be leaving Philly because the Sixers don’t want to keep him. Oubre has quietly recharged his career after arriving on a one-year, veteran minimum contract in 2023. And the Sixers, with most of their salary cap tied up in Maxey, Embiid, and George, won’t have the money to keep him. Oubre will be 30 years old and in search of one final big deal when he hits unrestricted free agency next summer. He’s unlikely to play on a discount for a fourth year.