ESPN NBA analyst Tim McMahon didn’t hold back when talking about the Philadelphia 76ers recently. He called out the team’s foundation “flimsy” and pointed directly at Joel Embiid and Paul George. Two stars, two max contracts and yet their struggles with injuries are impossible to ignore. Sixers fans should be fed up and the pressure keeps mounting as hope for a title slips further away.
Their window was always going to be small with Embiid and his injury history, but now it feels like they may have missed it completely.
MacMahon on the Sixers:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) July 15, 2025
"They are built on a foundation of two max players who might be the two worst valued contracts in the NBA and it is not about talent" pic.twitter.com/vj3SZCmLkw
"They are built on a foundation of two max players who might be the two worst valued contracts in the NBA and it is not about talent"
Risky business building around two injury prone max players
McMahon said what many Sixers fans fear most. The roster is built around two players with some of the worst value contracts in the league. Embiid and George were paired together with the hope of reinvigorating the franchise. Instead, both missed big chunks of last season. McMahon thinks it’s a huge risk for Philly to bet the team’s future on stars who can’t stay healthy.
The Sixers have tied their hopes to Embiid and George, but the foundation is far from solid. Any chance of a deep playoff run depends on whether these two remain on the court producing at a high level.
Philadelphia owes Joel Embiid $242 million through 2029 after his most recent extension. George signed a four-year, $211.5 million deal. That’s over $400 million committed to just two players. These are some of the most expensive deals in basketball right now. This limits the team’s options and puts a heavy burden on both stars to deliver, which is hard to do when you spend more time in street clothes than a uniform.
The toll of injuries and Philly’s future
Embiid suited up for only 19 games last season due to knee surgery. George missed 41 games and had another knee procedure himself. Along with Tyrese Maxey, the trio played together in just 15 games all year. Injuries kept the stars off the floor and the Sixers failed to build any real chemistry.
If Embiid and George can’t stay healthy, team president Daryl Morey will need to work his magic once again or risk being on the hot seat. Fans in Philly are losing patience by the minute with the way this franchise looks. The 2025-26 season could decide whether this roster gets another chance or faces a total rebuild soon.