Coming into the 2024-25 season, there were high hopes for Tyrese Maxey. The Philadelphia 76ers guard has emerged as a true star for the Sixers and is likely to be the next franchise cornerstone after Joel Embiid.
However, as the Sixers struggled with health, Maxey was unable to produce at his usual level. Furthermore, his own fitness let him down as the season drew to an end. All in all, Maxey’s performances were somewhat of a disappointment, which often led to criticism from the media and fans.
When speaking to the media after the Sixers’ season drew to a close, Maxey admitted that he had never prepared for the type of season Philadelphia endured.
“I think the biggest thing is, man, like, and this is the first time I’ve ever been through something like this,” Maxey said, via Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire. “Honestly, I can’t sit here and say I prepared for this moment. I’ve never prepared for a moment like this, but my biggest thing is trying to keep everybody positive. At the end of the day, it does suck.”
Maxey doesn’t have an injury history like Embiid or Paul George. As such, there’s valid hope that he can bounce back next season and show legitimate improvement to his game and leadership.
Joel Embiid’s Approval Rating is Slipping
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s annual poll, Embiid’s approval rating among the fan base has reached a new low.
Between 2022 and 2024, 85-90 percent of Sixers fans wanted Embiid to remain with the franchise. Now, 47% of fans want to see Philadelphia move on from the former MVP. Such a rapid drop in fan sentiment has to be a concern for the front office and Embiid himself.
If Embiid is unable to stay healthy next season, and the Sixers continue to falter, we could be witnessing the final stage of Embiid’s tenure with the Sixers. Of course, if he comes back and dominates, his approval rating is likely to shoot right back up.
Paul George Opens Up on Debut Season With Sixers
During a recent interview with Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, George revealed his frustrations surrounding his debut season with the Sixers.
“To be honest, it was one of the toughest seasons for me. Just with a lot of adversity on the court, off the court,” George said. “The injury stuff … was some stuff I didn’t necessarily know I had going on until deep diving and finding out. There was other stuff I didn’t know that was causing my limitations, which was frustrating — not being able to do things I normally could do, and finding out the reason why. Those things are being addressed, so that’s the positive.”
The Sixers need all three of Maxey, Embiid and George at full strength if they’re going to contend for a championship. Daryl Morey knew the risks when pairing an injury-prone George and Embiid together. Now, the hope must be that next season is one of consistent health.
Because when they’re at full strength, the Sixers are one of the best teams in the NBA, and at times, are borderline unstoppable.
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