With the Sixers' 2025-2026 season ending after a second-round sweep by the New York Knicks, the Sixers must shift gears for their offseason plans.
President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey has already made this move, heading to Chicago to attend the NBA Draft Combine. After an inspiring yet underwhelming playoff run, and in the spirit of evaluation, it is now time to look back at how each member of the Sixers performed this season.
The first player to grade is Joel “The Process” Embiid.
Embiid is the cornerstone of the Philadelphia 76ers. One of the most dominant and skilled big men in NBA history, Embiid has been the focus of team-related discourse throughout his career. This season was no different.
Between injuries and the organization prioritizing financial savings over adding talent, few players could have done nearly as much as Embiid did this past season with what he was given. His resilience and drive were once again put to the test, and Embiid did not fail to live up to the lofty expectations placed upon him.
Availability remains the biggest concern surrounding Embiid, and it’s ultimately what prevented a higher grade. Once again, he dealt with more than his fair share of injuries this season. Appearing in just 38 games for the Sixers, he spent this season battling to get healthy once again.
While there was still plenty of frustration around his availability, the 7-foot-plus, 280-pound center was still, more often than not, the most skilled player on the court when he was available, especially in the back half of the season. He finished his regular season averaging 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds a night. Embiid’s regular season ended early due to appendicitis.
While this was a major concern, especially with the playoffs starting, Embiid still returned from his surgery quickly, joining the Sixers in the middle of their first-round matchup against the Boston Celtics after just a 17-day recovery. Embiid spearheaded the Sixers' miraculous 3-1 comeback in the opening round of the playoffs. Against the Celtics, Embiid averaged 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists a night, winning in three of his four appearances.
While Embiid and the Sixers went on to lose to the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs, Embiid still showed exactly why he is one of the best players in the league. He ended his playoffs with an average of 24.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists a night in seven games. With that in mind, Embiid was not a perfect player for the Sixers this year. At times, he struggled defensively, largely due to his recovery from injuries all year. He began the year still recovering from the injuries that held him back last season and ended it recovering from his appendectomy.
While this season was Embiid’s third straight in failing to play even 40 games, his impact this year was certainly felt throughout the team. Nearly every player on the court for the Sixers plays better when Joel Embiid is on the court. Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes, VJ Edgecombe and Kelly Oubre Jr all take significant leaps in true shooting percentage when sharing the court with Embiid.
While Embiid was still unable to reach the conference finals, this past playoff run saw him vanquish one of the biggest demons of his career in the Boston Celtics. While there will surely be more discourse throughout the offseason about Embiid, he's continued to make it clear that he's willing to self-sacrifice and play through the pain more than most.
To recover from his appendectomy in just 17 days and immediately be the biggest catalyst for change in a 3-1 comeback cannot be understated. While this season didn’t end the way many were hoping, Embiid’s play this year more than justifies the grade he received.
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