This is a bummer to write, so much so that an asterisk felt needed. The 76ers have done everything they can to instill confidence in their championship hopes—including their deadline deal for sharpshooter Buddy Hield—but the injury bug has once again threatened to derail this team.
Reigning MVP Joel Embiid, who arguably appeared on course to claim that hardware again, recently went under the knife to address a meniscus injury in his left knee. The Sixers have predictably struggled mightily without their star, posting a 2-4 record with the seventh-worst net rating (minus-8.8) since he went down.
Philadelphia obviously has zero shot at the crown without a healthy Embiid manning the middle. The Sixers are optimistic he'll return in time to lead them into the playoffs, but it's not at all a sure thing.
"We're hopeful," 76ers president Daryl Morey told reporters. "Feedback has been more good than bad since we first heard about what led to his procedure. So, we're hopeful, and we're building the team to make it better this year. Obviously, it's not at 100 percent."
If not for the injury, Philadelphia would have certainly commanded our trust going forward. A healthy Embiid is in the thick of the best-player-on-the-planet discussions, Tyrese Maxey is a surging star, Hield essentially creates optimal spacing by himself, Tobias Harris is a rock-solid third option and the Sixers have sufficient depth all over.
With no promise of Embiid returning to full strength now, it's impossible to buy into this team. Hopefully that changes between now and the curtain dropping on this 82-game campaign, but until it does, it's more than justified to be highly skeptical of this squad.
Zach Buckley covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on X, @ZachBuckleyNBA.
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