The Sixers Are Thriving, But Is It Time to Move On from Embiid?

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The Philadelphia 76ers are off to their best start in years, sitting at 4–1 with a top-five offense and a renewed sense of direction. But as surprising as it sounds, the team’s early success has sparked a serious question:

Are the Sixers actually better without Joel Embiid at the center of everything?

This analysis comes from a recent episode of Harrison Talks Pod where we broke down why Philly’s hot start might be revealing a changing identity for the franchise.

Offense Reborn: The Maxey Era Has Officially Begun

The Sixers’ offensive profile looks almost unrecognizable compared to past seasons.

  • Offensive Rating: 122.3 (Top 3 in the league)

  • FG%: 47.0 | 3P%: 41.3 on 15.6 made threes per game

  • AST%: 61.9, equaling crisp ball movement and sharing the rock

  • Turnovers: Only 13.3% , creating clean, controlled, confident basketball

  • True Shooting: 60.4%

This isn’t the slow, foul-hunting, Embiid-centric offense of old. Philly now scores just 20% of points from free throws, a huge drop from their past identity, while 37% of their points come from three-point range.

The difference is rhythm. With Tyrese Maxey leading the way, the Sixers have found a flow-driven, pace-balanced style built on spacing and speed. When Embiid sits, the offense opens up, running clean two-man actions between Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe that mirror the best guard tandems in the league.

Defense Tells a Different Story

For all their offensive fireworks, the defense has struggled and that’s where the Embiid question grows louder.

  • Opponent FG%: 47.7%

  • Opponent Paint Points: 49.2 per game. Far too high for a team with a reigning MVP center

  • Defensive Rating with Embiid ON: 130.4 (!!)

  • Defensive Rating with Embiid OFF: 118.0

Those numbers suggest something’s off. Whether it’s conditioning, health preservation, or a change in coverage, Embiid’s rim protection and defensive presence haven’t matched his reputation so far.

If the team defends better when your supposed anchor sits, it’s fair to start asking: Is the system moving past him?

Tyrese Maxey: From Sidekick to Superstar

Make no mistake, this is Tyrese Maxey’s team now.

  • 35.2 PPG | 8.2 AST | 4.8 REB | 40.4% 3PT | 88.7% FT

  • Usage: 31% | True Shooting: 63% | Net Rating: +9.6

He’s evolved. Maxey’s drives generate 1.27 points per possession (top 10 league-wide), and his playmaking has become functional and efficient.

He’s already posted two 40-point games this season and has scored 26+ in every outing. The leap isn’t luck, it’s the culmination of three years of steady growth, now unleashed in a system that fits him perfectly.

The Youth Movement Is Real

While Maxey headlines the story, the Sixers’ young core has been quietly spectacular:

  • VJ Edgecombe (rookie): 24.3 PPG | 6 AST | 53.8% FG | 45% 3PT

  • Quentin Grimes: 17.3 PPG | 47.6% 3PT | +19 +/- vs. Wizards

  • Kelly Oubre Jr.: 44.4% 3PT and strong two-way energy

This group brings speed, athleticism, and efficiency. Crucially, they don’t need Embiid’s post gravity to generate open looks; the spacing, movement, and chemistry do the work.

The Embiid Problem: Great Player, Uncertain Fit

On paper, Embiid’s stats still impress:

  • 17.2 PPG | 6.0 REB | 3.8 AST | 56.8% FG | 36.4% 3PT
    But his impact metrics tell another story.

  • Usage: 33% despite only 22 MPG

  • Net Rating: -7.3, the team performs worse when he’s on the floor

He’s taking fewer post-ups (down 33%), fewer free throws (just 5 per game), and settling for more trail threes. The physical dominance that once defined his game looks toned down, perhaps intentionally, but it changes the team’s rhythm.

The Financial Reality

The Sixers’ top three salaries: Embiid ($55M), George ($51.7M), and Maxey ($38M), total nearly $145 million, or 75% of the payroll. Embiid’s contract climbs to $67M by 2028–29, while George’s extends into his late 30s.

With the NBA’s new CBA tightening flexibility around the tax aprons, keeping this roster intact while evolving stylistically is nearly impossible.

Why Trading Embiid (and Maybe George) Makes Sense

Sell High: Trade an MVP-caliber player while he’s healthy and the optics are strong.
Fit the Future: Maxey (24) and Edgecombe (20) define a fast, free-flowing style that Embiid and George slow down.
Asset Reset: Moving Embiid could net multiple rotation pieces and draft capital while avoiding second-apron penalties.
Fan Narrative: If Philly keeps winning, a trade could be seen not as betrayal, but evolution.

Still, the road isn’t simple: Embiid’s $200M+ contract, health concerns, and limited suitors make any deal complicated.

Listen to the Full Breakdown

This discussion comes from the latest episode of Harrison Talks Pod, your go-to destination for smart, entertaining NBA analysis.
In this episode, we break down the Sixers’ transformation, Tyrese Maxey’s rise, and the Embiid trade question shaping Philly’s future.

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