With nine games remaining in the regular season, the Philadelphia 76ers face a dilemma. To tank or not to tank? That is the question. The answer to this riddle is Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey. He’s been out of Philly’s lineup since earlier this month, dealing with multiple injuries. The Sixers are tied with the Brooklyn Nets for the fifth-worst record in the NBA.
Reports surfaced Wednesday that Maxey could return before the end of the season. If the Sixers are looking to maximize their draft lottery potential this won’t help. Adding Maxey’s 26 points and six assists back to the lineup for even a few games could derail any hope of landing the top pick in June’s draft.
Tyrese Maxey could get the 76ers enough wins to miss out on Cooper Flagg
It sounds like the decision is up to Maxey since it’s a pain tolerance issue. If he’s able to force his way back onto the court Philly could end up winning a few games down the stretch. That would only push them further away from even a top-three pick let alone No. 1 overall. Cooper Flagg is this year’s prize everyone wants at the top of the draft. The Sixers are likely out of that contest but losing out could boost their odds.
Let’s not act like this franchise hasn’t “tanked” in the past to get the players they wanted. Philly folks don’t like this but you all remember “the process.” Years of alleged tanking to land Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Over a decade later, not much has come of that other than Embiid’s MVP award in 2023. It feels like the Joel Embiid era of dominance is quickly coming to an end. So, the Sixers need to be prepared. If that means shutting Maxey down the rest of the way, they may need to swallow that pill.