Well, folks, here we are again. Another Sixers season spiraling down the drain like it always does. This time, the headliner is once again Joel Embiid’s fragile knees. Lisa Salters just dropped the bombshell that Embiid himself believes “it will likely take another surgery and a long recovery period” to get his knee right. Because, of course, it does.
And yet, somehow, someway, Daryl Morey is out here preaching championship aspirations. Yes, you read that correctly.
“We feel like that team has a real shot,” Morey told reporters with a straight face. “We’ve made our path to win harder, obviously. We’re going to have to fight to probably get into the playoffs, and then we’re going to have to fight to beat a very good team in the first round, but we feel like we would’ve had to play that team at some point to win the title anyway. And we’re just focused on [winning a] championship, and I know you have to squint a little, but we feel like this group can still do that.”
Ah yes, you really do have to squint—squint so hard your eyeballs might fall out—because what exactly is Morey looking at? This team is 20-31, barely hanging on at 11th in the East, and has looked nothing short of lifeless for most of the season. Sure, maybe in some alternate reality where Embiid is bionic, Tyrese Maxey becomes Michael Jordan overnight, and the Sixers don’t completely collapse under pressure, they could still be dangerous. But in this universe? Nah.
Let’s be real: this season is toast. The best thing the Sixers can do now is accept it, shut Embiid down, let him get his surgery, and go all-in on tanking for a high draft pick. Play it smart, let Jared McCain get fully healthy for next season, and actually build something sustainable instead of riding the yearly “maybe if Embiid stays healthy” rollercoaster.
There’s no shame in waving the white flag when the writing’s on the wall. The Sixers’ path to a championship doesn’t go through forcing Embiid back onto the court in a lost season—it goes through letting him heal and setting up next season properly. Next year, a fully rehabbed Embiid, a promising McCain, and a fresh young draft pick could actually give Philly some real hope.
But sure, Morey, go ahead and squint. We’ll be here watching this disaster unfold.
