The Philadelphia 76ers’ recent struggles show no signs of stopping. After a brief period of success, where they won four consecutive games, the team has now hit a rough patch, losing four of their last five. Their latest defeat came at the hands of the Detroit Pistons, which was especially concerning as it occurred when Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George all played together. Maxey and Embiid had decent performances, but George continues to disappoint, failing to meet expectations for a player with a four-year, $212 million contract.
When George was signed last summer, the 76ers were viewed as championship contenders. Now, they may not even make the play-in tournament. While Maxey has stepped up several times, Embiid and George have struggled. Embiid remains an elite talent when healthy, but his inability to stay fit raises concerns about his long-term future at just 30 years old. Meanwhile, George’s performance has significantly declined, and his long-term contract is beginning to look like a mistake.
As a result, many are questioning whether the 76ers should abandon ‘The Process’ and initiate a rebuild. Kendrick Perkins seems to support this idea. While discussing Embiid and George on ESPN, Perkins stated:
“Trade them both.”
He continued, “This offseason, we’ve been talking about where Kevin Durant is gonna go with the Phoenix Suns. Same thing with the Philadelphia 76ers. Joel Embiid and Paul George are both in Tyrese Maxey’s way.”
If this season turns out to be a failure for the 76ers—something that seems likely—it may be time to hand Maxey control of the team and move on from Embiid and George. Jared McCain, a promising rookie, was also in the Rookie of the Year race before an injury. The 76ers could build a future around Maxey and McCain if they choose to rebuild after years of disappointment.
