RSS 76ers Team Notes

[Philadelphia 76ers]

I love basketball, but have problems with the NBA

BERLIN, GERMANY - JANUARY 15: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addresses the media prior to the game of the Memphis Grizzlies and the Orlando Magic as part of the 2026 Berlin Games on January 15, 2026 at Uber Arena in Berlin, Germany. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mansoor Ahmed/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

How about some complaining that’s not Sixers specific for once?

The NBA, which I once thought about 15 years ago was primed to leap the NFL in the public consciousness at some point in my lifetime, can’t get out of its own way.

What happened to what used to be my favorite sport and my favorite league? I still love tuning into seeing the games greats a couple nights per week and, sadly, I am still gobbling up the garbage that is the Sixers, but my excitement level for doing so is in the gutter.

There are too many games. Players get hurt because there are too many games and the load management crisis leaves fans who forked over money to attend games and the ones at home paying for approximately 500 streaming services in order to watch this league out to dry. The product suffers. The regular season has become increasingly irrelevant, especially as players are judged solely by their playoff accomplishments. I remember the lockout-shortened season of 2012 had 66 games. There were too many back-to-backs during that period so it could fit in a truncated schedule because the season began on Christmas, but 66 is a great number to have owners still earn enough dough from gate receipts, concessions and to keep the TV executives and streamers happy.

Money is ultimately why it hasn’t happened and might never happen, but the league needs to take measurements to protect the association from collapsing and fading away. Sometimes, less is more. Each game would have slightly higher stakes, boosting fan interest and maybe, just maybe, players become more inclined to play more often during the doldrums of January and February.

Tanking also seems more rampant than ever. It would be rich for a guy who made his name talking about sports as a blogger during the Sixers’ Process era to complain about tanking, but as has always been the case even back a dozen years ago, tanking is an institutional problem rather than a team-specific one. It’s almost a necessity for teams to do so to find franchise-altering talent. I don’t fault teams for doing so nor their respective fan bases for rallying around it and dreaming about prospects, the lottery and the draft as we all in Philadelphia once did. The flattened lottery odds of recent years, however, have made the issue worse rather than fixing it.

Over the years and even this week, I’ve seen hypothetical ideas to fix tanking, including tournaments of the lottery teams or one-off games to decide the draft order. That’s so bogus. Why would any player want to compete in such a thing? Those guys are fighting for their basketball lives and they’re supposed to lay it on the line so their boss can draft their replacement? It’s nonsensical. The whole league has become nonsensical!

Sure, people were tanking way back in 1984 in a pre-lottery world for the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon. It’s not a new phenomenon, but it’s one that’s been exacerbated because there are too few good players to make up enough teams to produce winning, high-quality hoops. This isn’t about modern players not being as talented as the ones who came generations before them. There are players right now who will go down as some of the greatest to ever pick up a basketball, but in a five-person sport, the disparity between the all-timers and the also-rans is so evident. It’s why late-career Michael Jordan was able to have his Bulls teams put up 72 wins and beat up on 1990s expansion era competition. Expansion dilutes things and has for decades.

That’s what makes the rumors that the NBA is pushing for eventual expansion to 32 teams, with Seattle and Las Vegas as logical choices, so disheartening for people who understand all of this. Do you think there aren’t enough great players now to elevate 30 teams to contention already? Well, it’s about to get even worse. The basketball nerd inside of me who would go wild over following an expansion draft can’t even get truly hyped for that because I know what would eventually come from it: more tanking, more meaningless games and worse basketball.

I don’t want this to ultimately come off as a guy in his early 30s yelling at clouds. I came of age and fell in love with the sport in the immediate post-Jordan era. While watching Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady then helped me fall in love with the game, a couple decades later, I know that was sort of a bad era for the on-court product. I can be nostalgic for being in awe as a kid while knowing it wasn’t that great. The early 2010s were maybe the sport’s apex, but it’s been on a downward trend since then and I don’t know how to fix it. It’s sad.

Time’s yours, Adam Silver.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...pansion-draft-adam-silver-jazz-thunder-sixers

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

VJ Edgecombe named Rising Stars MVP with clutch performance

Feb 13, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team Vince guard VJ Edgecombe (77) of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots during an NBA All Star Rising Stars game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

VJ Edgecombe, the crunch-time machine, got after it once again on the national stage!

On Friday evening during the Rising Stars event, Edgecombe played for Vince Carter and Team Vince as part of the All-Star Weekend festivities. When I say this is the most unimportant basketball activity that the beloved Sixers rookie has undertaken in years, I truly mean it, but Edgecombe showcased the skills that have endeared himself so much to Philadelphia and that have everyone believing he will soon be a great NBA player.

In the semifinals matchup with Tracy McGrady’s Team T-Mac, Edgecombe dropped 17 points, including multiple threes, a downright beautiful finger roll and a mid-range jumper that made it a 41-36 game to have Team Vince advance to the championship round. Edgecombe scored Team Vince’s final 10 points on the road to a matchup against Carmelo Anthony’s Team Melo.

VJ EDGECOMBE FOR THE WIN pic.twitter.com/ShduedLrKQ

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 14, 2026

As Edgecombe heated up in the semifinals, Peacock commentator Reggie Miller remarked that Edgecombe was coming for the event’s MVP Award. That was the vibe and he was ultimately proved correct!

I was ready to be completely dismissive of this night entirely, writing that Edgecombe’s winning style of basketball probably wouldn’t gel well with first-time teammates rather than being in a more cohesive, season-long situation, but Edgecombe was a crunch-time maestro to open things up, playing more spirited basketball than anyone out there.

In the championship bout that was a race to hit or eclipse 25 points, Edgecombe wasn’t as pronounced as a scorer or ball-handler initially. He did the “little things,” once more pushing the ball in transition, working as a handy passer and playing all out defensively. Edgecombe made his scoring impact known once again, however, when things mattered the most. Edgecombe fought for an offensive rebound and put-back bucket that had Team Vince take a 23-22 lead late over Team Melo. It was pure effort with Edgecombe barreling through traffic. It was the type of energy that Sixers fans are already accustomed to seeing on a nightly basis with the rookie.

with the put-back! pic.twitter.com/mZy2NkUzZO

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 14, 2026

Driving to the basket for the win with Team Melo soon taking a 24-23 lead, Edgecombe was fouled and sent to the charity stripe. Edgecombe, naturally, sank both shots, giving Team Vince the 25-24 win.

I know the common refrain is that All-Star Weekend has been mightily diluted, but it was a blast watching Edgecombe do his thing. Let’s keep it rolling with Tyrese Maxey taking part in the three-point contest and the All-Star Game itself the next few days!

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...amed-rising-stars-mvp-sixers-all-star-weekend

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Tyrese Maxey eliminated after first round of 3-Point Contest

Feb 14, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Team USA Stars guard Tyrese Maxey (0) of the Philadelphia 76ers during a news conference for the NBA All Star game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

On Saturday, Tyrese Maxey was the first Sixers player to compete in the 3-Point Contest since Kyle Korver in 2005. Unfortunately for Sixers fans, Maxey was eliminated early, finishing with a score of just 17 in the first round and not advancing.

That’s fine. Save it for the stretch run to the playoffs, dude!

Kon Knueppel, Devin Booker and Damian Lillard were the three contestants who advanced to the final round. Lillard’s score of 29 narrowly left him the champion, the third time he’s won the event.

That’s all OK, but can I complain about All-Star Weekend for a second?

No, I’m not here to wax poetic about nostalgia and say it was all better when I was a kid because, in reality, I’m not sure how true that actually is, but the timing and attendance of the last two days confuses me deeply. I’m not sure what the actual attendance numbers said, but for the Rising Stars event on Friday, the Intuit Dome looked remarkably empty. How are they not even finding fillers for such an event? Saturday’s action began at 2 p.m. local time and looked just as sparse when it came to the crowd. There was still light out in Philadelphia when the 3-Point Contest started! This is all so strange. There was negative juice for what should be a celebration of professional basketball!

Sometimes, I feel like the NBA has passed me by, but I can’t understand how any of this is good for the future health of the sport.

Anyway, I’m sure Sixers fans would’ve liked to see Maxey advance and win on Saturday, but there are more important things on the team’s radar heading into the spring.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...iminated-after-first-round-of-3-point-contest

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

All-Star Weekend Saturday Thread

Jan 31, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) reacts to his teams three pointer against the New Orleans Pelicans during the fourth quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

If you’re a Sixers fan who skipped out on Friday night’s All-Star festivities, you missed a heck of a time. Beloved rookie VJ Edgecombe took home Rising Stars MVP honors. Edgecombe showcased everything that has made him a legitimate building block for this franchise during his first pro season during the mini-tournament, mixing clutch scoring with hard-noise play and, simply, a knack for winning basketball.

The Sixers have had their woes as of late, and, really, for a time much longer than that, but Edgecombe has got the goods. That helps a little, right?

As for Saturday night’s All-Star action, the highlight for Sixers fans is Tyrese Maxey taking part in the 3-Point Contest. Maxey will be joined by Devin Booker, Kon Knueppel, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Jamal Murray, Bobby Portis and Norman Powell.

No Sixer has ever won the contest previously, which dates back to 1986. Hey, there’s a first time for everything, right?

Enjoy a night of hoops, which will also feature the Shooting Stars competition and, of course, the Slam Dunk contest. Chat about it all below in our open thread!

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76ers-discussion-threads/86410/all-star-weekend-saturday-thread

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

2026 Rising Stars Challenge Thread

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 31: VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on January 31, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

All-Star Weekend gets underway at the Intuit Dome, home of the Los Angeles Clippers, on Friday night! After the celebrity game tips off at 7 p.m. on ESPN, which I cannot fathom anyone on planet Earth caring about, the Rising Stars Challenge begins at 9 p.m. and streams on Peacock!

For clarity’s sake, the Rising Stars Challenge will once again feature four teams playing in a three-game tournament. It’ll feature three teams of young NBA talent and a team of G-League players going against one another. The Sixers’ own VJ Edgecombe will be on “Team Vince,” coached by NBA legend Vince Carter.

The first Rising Stars game will get going at 9 p.m. and feature Austin Rivers’ “Team Austin,” the G-League squad, facing off against Carmelo Anthony’s “Team Melo.” At 9:55 p.m., Edgecombe and Team Vince will face Tracy McGrady’s “Team T-Mac,” which features Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel. The winners of each respective game will face off in the championship round at 10:35 p.m.

For each semifinal game, the first team to reach or exceed 40 points wins. For the championship, the winning figure is 25 points. Got it? Well, I barely do, but All-Star Weekend goes on either way.

Feel free to chat about the All-Star festivities, Edgecombe, the Sixers or legitimately anything else in our open thread for the evening!

There will be a recap of Edgecombe’s performance after Team Vince finishes up as well, so stay tuned to Liberty Ballers for that too! Let’s hope he balls out.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76ers-discussion-threads/86374/2026-rising-stars-challenge-thread

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Magic and Bird helped save the NBA, but Doc and Moses did their part, too

Basketball: Philadelphia 76ers Moses Malone (L) and Julius Erving on the bench during game vs Denver Nuggets at The Spectrum. Philadelphia, PA 2/16/1983 CREDIT: John Iacono (Photo by John Iacono /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X28070 TK1 R6 F18 )

It is NBA gospel to believe that Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, shining stars as they were in the East (and West), enabled the league to rise into the firmament, to become the Goliath it has since become.

Upon their arrival in 1979, they polished pro basketball’s profile, burying its sordid, drug-addled past and paving the way for the Michael Jordans and the Kobe Bryants and the LeBron Jameses.

And verily, David Stern and Adam Silver have said, it is good.

Julius Erving, forever the epitome of decorum and decency, is an unlikely blasphemer. And yet, Dr. J said this entire idea is “bullshit” in the 2025 book “Magic in the Air,” by Inquirer columnist Mike Sielski.

Erving believes that the NBA’s ascension can be traced not to the Bird-Magic bump but rather the league’s merger with the ABA in 1976 – that the resulting infusion of talent and flair led to a quantum leap.

The Good Doctor acknowledged in Sielski’s book that Magic and Bird brought “a great rivalry” from college to Los Angeles and Boston, respectively, where it became white hot. It was, Erving said, “a good story.”

“But truth be told,” he told the author, “I think in terms of the popularity of the league, the league was never more popular than it was after the ABA joined the league. Eleven All-Stars in that first All-Star game were from the ABA. That’s what saved the league.”

Both things can be true, of course. Erving and the ABAers brought talent, style and panache to a league sorely in need of all three. But in migrating to the two most storied franchises, Bird and Magic gave the NBA sizzle beyond measure. And that obscured all else … at least until MJ came along in 1984.

Recent media offerings have brought the ABA’s role in the NBA’s resurrection to the fore, none better than Luke Epplin’s new book “Moses and the Doctor: Two Men, One Championship and the Birth of Modern Basketball.” With a painstaking eye for detail and a novelist’s knack for narrative, Epplin – who in fact once dreamed of becoming a novelist – underscores the impact not only of Dr. J but another ABA alum of note, Moses Malone. And it is artfully framed around the Sixers’ 1982-83 championship run.

“My biggest thing is character,” Epplin, 47, said before a book signing last Tuesday, the day “Moses and the Doctor” was released.

That’s befitting of a man who had trained to be a novelist at Washington University in St. Louis, and who continued to write fiction into his 30s. Then he came to a realization.

“I sucked,” he told those who gathered at the signing, at a bookstore near Rittenhouse Square.

But, he added, “I use the techniques I developed as a failed novelist to write these kinds of stories.”

He did that in his 2021 book “Our Team,” about the Cleveland Indians of the late 1940s, and he does it here. In the process he echoes, at least to a degree, not only Sielski’s book, but also one authored in 2025 by Paul Knepper entitled “Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet,” as well as an Amazon Prime documentary released last week called “Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association.“

And really, what better characters are there than Doc and Moses? What better story is there than theirs? Erving was soaring and elegant, Moses down and dirty. They were perfect complements to one another, a veritable yin and yang.

While apart, their successes were considerable. Dr. J won two championships as a New York Net while keeping the ABA afloat, and Moses established himself as one of the greatest rebounders in history after becoming the first player to make the prep-to-pro jump. Epplin nonetheless argues that their tales were pockmarked with failure.

Malone broke in with the Utah Stars as a 19-year-old in October 1974, then bounced from team to team. Indeed, one of pro basketball’s great what-ifs is how things might have turned out if the Portland Trail Blazers, his first NBA landing spot, had held onto him, given the subsequent injuries suffered by Bill Walton. As it was, Malone never appeared in a regular-season game for the Blazers, who traded him to Buffalo, leading to another what-if: The Braves (now the Los Angeles Clippers) had Bob McAdoo! And Ernie DiGregorio! And Adrian Dantley! And the eternally underrated Randy Smith!

Moses played exactly two games in Buffalo before he was shipped out to Houston, where he blossomed. Even led the undermanned Rockets to the 1981 Finals, at which point he argued that he and four guys from his native Petersburg, Va., could take down Bird and the mighty Celtics. We’ll never know, but certainly the Rockets couldn’t; they lost in six games.

Meantime Erving, acquired by the Sixers from the cash-strapped Nets in the fall of ‘76, was experiencing his own frustrations. As part of a talented but dysfunctional ‘76-77 Philadelphia club, he lost in the Finals to Walton’s Blazers. Then Doc fell short against Magic’s Lakers in the ‘80 and ‘82 Finals as well.

By that point Dr. J was a beloved figure – the sport’s foremost ambassador, a high-profile pitchman and the perfect teammate. Bobby Jones, with whom Epplin spoke for his book, once told me for one of mine that unlike other superstars, Erving was “an encourager.”

“He wasn’t arrogant,” Bobby said. “He didn’t consider himself better than anybody. He worked as hard as anybody, if not harder. Didn’t put anybody down for the mistakes that they made. That’s easy to do at that level, when the game’s on the line or something’s on the line. He knows he can do it, but you’re in a position where you have to do it, and you don’t, it takes strength of character to say, ‘We’re in this together. We win together, we lose together.’ I think that was probably, to me, his greatest quality.”

That is as great a testimonial as any teammate could offer another, but that’s Bobby. And that was Julius. Which is why everyone – and I mean everyone – wanted to see him win an NBA championship.

It’s also why he was beginning to wonder if he ever would. He cried in the Los Angeles Forum’s visiting locker room after the Sixers were eliminated by the Lakers in six games in the ‘82 Finals.

To revisit the Biblical theme: Julius wept.

When Epplin learned of this, it immediately struck a chord.

“I thought, there’s the break right there: Why is Julius Erving crying?” he told last week’s gathering.

The answer is simple: Dr. J would not be fulfilled without a title. His tale would be incomplete.

Then Moses came to Philly via trade, bringing with him the means of completion and redemption. No longer would the Sixers be bullied inside. No longer would they have to live with inconsistency at center, as had been the case with the eternally entertaining and eternally frustrating Darryl Dawkins. (Caldwell Jones had been around, too. But he was more a complementary piece than the dominating force Moses was, and was ultimately jettisoned in the Malone trade.)

The following spring, back in the Forum, the Sixers finished off a sweep of a Lakers team that by the end was without McAdoo, James Worthy and Norm Nixon due to injury – i.e., two Hall of Famers and a terrific guard.

No matter, though – the Sixers were the best team all year, storming to 65 victories and then nearly fulfilling Moses’ fo’, fo’, fo’ playoff prophecy. (And consider how Moses, famously averse to media interactions, uttered two of the greatest quotes in NBA history – this one, and the one about the dudes from Petersburg.)

It is a testimony to Malone (who died in 2015) and Erving that they were able to meld their talents, that they knew they needed each other at that point in their careers. And it is testimony to Epplin that he was able to deftly navigate this most fascinating period in the history of the Sixers, and the league. That he was able to retell a tale that needs to be retold, for the sake of context. It is inarguable that Bird and Magic brought a great deal to the table, but Moses and Dr. J are among those deserving of a seat, too. In this book, each is given one.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...alone-larry-bird-magic-johnson-nba-aba-merger

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Report: Sixers to convert Jabari Walker’s deal; sign Tyrese Martin to two-way deal

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 14: Jabari Walker #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates after dunking the ball during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images

ESPN’s Shams Charania has reported that the Sixers will be signing Jabari Walker to a two-year standard contract. Walker hasn’t been able to play for Philadelphia since Feb. 3 after playing the maximum 50 games on his two-way contract.

The Philadelphia 76ers intend to sign forward Jabari Walker to a new two-year contract, sources tell ESPN. 76ers and Klutch Sports' Rich Paul and Anthony Fields negotiated the new deal for Walker, who earned a rotation role after maxing out the games allowed on his two-way deal. pic.twitter.com/1f0Qcxwiv6

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 16, 2026

With Cameron Payne returning to the team as well, the Sixers roster will be filled out with 15 players.

Details of this contract haven’t come out just yet, but Derek Bodner of PHLY has been doing some math on when the Sixers can use two prorated minimum contracts while staying under the luxury tax. Doing so now seems to signal that they were able to.

Ran through the numbers the other day, but we're now at the point in the schedule where the Sixers can fit two prorated vet min contracts without going over the tax, hence the timing of the Cam Payne news.

Still one more slot to fill. https://t.co/5UDwQHGseD

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) February 16, 2026

Walker’s promotion will also open a two-way spot for the team to use. Bodner reports former Brooklyn Net and Allentown native Tyrese Martin will fill that slot.

Once the Sixers convert Jabari Walker to a standard NBA contract, they intend to sign Tyrese Martin to a two-way deal to fill their open two-way slot, per source.

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) February 16, 2026

Walker, who played in 45 of those 50 active games will suddenly come as some much needed depth for a Sixers team; Payne and Martin as well. As the last two games before the All-Star break showed, it only took a couple guys getting sick for the team needing to play Kyle Lowry extended minutes.

Walker’s averaged 12 minutes a night putting up 3.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in that time. He’s given the Sixers some solid hustle off the bench, in the 76th percentile for defensive rebounding rate while having career-highs in block and offensive rebounding rate, per Cleaning the Glass.

Martin, 26, is a combo guard who stands at 6-foot-6. He played his college ball at Rhode Island and UConn before being selected in the second round by the Golden State Warriors in 2022. He was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in a draft night deal. He spent two years in the G League before getting a two-way deal with Nets ahead of last season. Brooklyn converted him to standard contract in 2024-25, but recently waived him on Feb. 5 after a busy trade deadline.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...ers-to-convert-jabari-walker-to-standard-deal

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers come out of All-Star Break with a chance to right the ship

The second month of the calendar year started with a couple of convincing wins over the Clippers and Warriors for the Sixers in the midst of a West Coast swing. Since that Warriors win on Feb. 3, Philadelphia has won one game. It got blown out by Portland and New York in its final two games before the All-Star break and the team’s trade deadline certainly left fans scratching their heads to say the least.

However, as the team prepares to resume its season, there’s reason to believe it can start racking up some wins again. Three of the Sixers’ first four games out of the break are against sub-.500 teams with Atlanta, New Orleans and Indiana on the horizon. The first week of March also features a home game against Utah and another Atlanta game as well. While the last couple of weeks have been rough, it’s important to keep things in perspective as Philly prepares to resume the season with a record of 30-24.

The Sixers’ preseason win total was 42.5 at most sportsbooks entering 2025-26. Barring a cataclysmic final two months of the regular season, they’re going to go over that number. Should they finish in the neighborhood of 44-46 wins, that would likely be enough to avoid the play-in tournament as one of the top six seeds in the Eastern Conference. Who in their right mind would complain about that?

Perhaps the last couple weeks have given Sixers fans a sobering reality check that it’s the same old Sixers team that’s going to disappoint you the moment you allow yourself to get sucked back into believing they could make a deep playoff run. Frankly, for as much as the franchise has been made fun of for its countless exits in the second round of the playoffs within the last decade, just making it to the second round this spring would be an overachievement.

Whether you cared or not about the All-Star weekend festivities, the Rising Stars challenge was another nice moment in the spotlight for VJ Edgecombe who continues to look like one of the NBA’s best rookies in 2025-26. Games like Atlanta, New Orleans and Indiana offer Edgecombe and the rest of Philly’s younger players who have been seeing a lot of minutes a chance to prove they belong in the NBA. In Edgecombe’s case, these upcoming games are a chance for him to show he can thrive in the NBA.

If you check the secondary market prices for these games, you’ll notice they aren’t expensive, and why would they be? The Sixers are a slightly better than average team in the East with an exhausted fanbase that has largely tuned them out and these upcoming opponents are certainly not generating any buzz. But racking up wins against some of the NBA’s bottom feeders should at least rebuild the team’s confidence after getting whitewashed by Portland and New York prior to the All-Star break.

A lot of this probably sounds like patting a high school team on the back for beating a team that barely has enough players to even play the game should the Sixers start the second half hot. But this is the lens that we must continue to view 2025-26 through. Philadelphia is never going to be considered one of the NBA’s upper echelon title contenders. But it should still be good enough to dispose of the majority of the lottery teams on its schedule. Expectations go away by the time the playoffs come around this spring because they never were that high to begin with for this season. That’s actually kind of refreshing, and so yes, it’ll be nice to see the Sixers pick up a few wins out of the break, regardless of who the opponent is.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...ll-star-break-with-a-chance-to-right-the-ship

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Rockets draft pick tracker: Might as well, right?

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 22: Alperen Sengun #28 and Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets talk during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Arwen Clemans/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Whether you like how they got there or not, the Sixers now have a draft pick in the 2026 NBA draft. Of course they owe their own pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the price they paid for getting off Al Horford’s contract back in the 2020 offseason.

Thanks to another deal with the Thunder, one you can spend plenty of time arguing over on this very blog, the Sixers are now in control of the Houston Rockets’ first-round pick in this upcoming draft. So, every week we’ll be checking in on the Rockets to see how they’re doing and where the Sixers’ pick might fall as a result.

And what a time to start checking in on them as well. Houston, with a 33-20 record, currently sit as the fourth seed in the Western Conference. With that being the seventh-best record in the league, they would be giving the 24th pick in the draft to the Sixers if the regular season ended today.

That’s far from set in stone, as the Rockets are just a half game up over the Los Angeles Lakers and only two games up in the loss column over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the West. In terms of league-wide standings for draft order, the Cleveland Cavaliers are right in that bunch as well with a 34-21 record.

With how bunched up the middle of the pack is, there could be a ton of movement between now and the end of the regular season and a Houston slump to help the Sixers out is not impossible.

Going 6-4 in their last 10 games, the general vibes around the Rockets seemed a bit off after they’ve come down to earth from a scorching start. The vibes there may now be in utter chaos thanks to another potential Kevin Durant burner account saga.

After some pressed him on X for business investments off the court, fans began to post leaked group chats of supposed Durant accounts talking all kinds of trash about current and former teammates and coaches. None of these accounts have been provably verified as Durant’s, but the story quickly became the talk of the league, something that will be in the minds of that locker room, whether it’s true or not.

The Sixers won’t be counting ping pong balls in the lottery like last year. Their process to acquire this Rockets pick may come back to bite them, but at the same time, they might have picked the perfect team for their fans to hate-watch for the rest of the regular season.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...ain-trade-2026-nba-draft-pick-houston-rockets

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Editor-in-chief mailbag: It’s a race to the finish

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 15: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the USA Stars Team speaks to the media after the 75th NBA All-Star Game as part of the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend on February 15, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Evan Yu/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The All-Star break is the unofficial midway point of the NBA season, but the Sixers have just 28 games remaining, beginning Thursday night as they host the Atlanta Hawks — a team they really need to beat, quite frankly.

Coming out of the break, the Sixers sit at 30-24, good for the sixth seed (and final guaranteed playoff spot) in the East. The conference is jumbled — the Sixers are five games back of the two seed, but five games up on the nine seed. These last 28 games will determine a whole lot.

After a quiet deadline that saw the team make no additions, Cameron Payne was brought back from overseas to take up the team’s final standard roster spot. Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker had their two-way deals converted. Dalen Terry and Tyrese Martin took over the vacant two-way slots.

So, what are your most pressing questions and thoughts as the Sixers resume play?

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...tor-in-chief-mailbag-its-a-race-to-the-finish

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Joel Embiid out vs. Hawks as he deals with shin soreness

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 11: Joel Embiid #21 and Kyle Lowry #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers look on during the game against the New York Knicks on February 11, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Well, that’s not going to help start the second half on the right foot.

The Sixers have ruled Joel Embiid out for their first game back out of the All-Star break against the Atlanta Hawks with shin soreness. While he hasn’t been ruled out for any further games, the team has released a short update.

“While participating in a right knee injury management program during the All-Star break, Joel Embiid reported soreness in his right shin,” the team’s release said. “Following a consultation with doctors, Embiid has received daily treatment, while progressing through on-court work and strength and conditioning.

“He will be OUT of tomorrow’s night game vs. Atlanta and will be reevaluated ahead of the team’s back-to-back this weekend. Further updates will be provided later this week.”

Joel Embiid reported soreness in his right shin. Following consultation with doctors, Embiid has received daily treatment, while progressing through on-court work and strength and conditioning.

He’s OUT tomorrow, reevaluated ahead of the back-to-back this weekend, per Sixers.

— Paul Hudrick (@PaulHudrick) February 18, 2026

So it would appear this shin soreness popped up in his right leg. That one hasn’t been plagued by injuries or required a number of surgeries, but it has caused Embiid problems as of late. He missed the last two games before the break with right knee soreness.

It’s especially unfortunate because the Sixers have really needed him on the court as of late, losing six of their last seven games without him in the lineup. Those last two games before the break were especially bad blowout losses, including a 49-point drubbing at home against the New York Knicks.

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For more on how the Sixers front court depth can hold up behind Embiid, this very blog covered the topic earlier as a part of a second-half preview.

At least the rest of the Sixers’ injury report is clean, with only Johni Broome and MarJon Beauchamp doubtful on G-League assignments. That means Quentin Grimes is good to return — he missed the last two games before the break as well with an illness.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...d-out-vs-hawks-as-he-deals-with-shin-soreness

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers host Atlanta Hawks coming off All-Star Break

PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 30: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers guards Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks during the game on November 30, 2025 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The NBA is back, and so is Sixers basketball as the regular season heads into its final stretch. After the All-Star break, where VJ Edgecombe earned Rising Stars MVP honors and Tyrese Maxey’s team won the All-Star Game, the Sixers return looking to snap a two-game losing streak. They begin by hosting the Atlanta Hawks before heading out on a three-game road trip.

The Sixers and Hawks last met in December, when Atlanta escaped with a narrow 120–117 win. A lot has changed for the Hawks since then. Trae Young is gone, now in Washington, and in his place are CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. Meanwhile, Jalen Johnson has taken a major leap. In the middle of a breakout season, he has emerged as the franchise cornerstone as the organization shifts its focus toward building around him.

Philadelphia did a strong job containing Johnson in that previous matchup, holding him to 5-for-17 shooting. Slowing him down again will be a priority. Johnson has been outstanding this season, averaging 23.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists through 50 games while shooting 50.2 percent from the field, 35.3 percent from three, and 77.8 percent from the free-throw line.

Even without Young, Atlanta still has plenty of scoring around its new centerpiece. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has revitalized his career and developed into a legitimate two-way threat, putting up 20.1 points per game while shooting 37.3 percent from deep. McCollum is adding 18.8 points per contest, and recent addition Jonathan Kuminga will be looking to make his mark after moving on from Golden State.

On the Sixers’ side, things have been just as fluid. Over the past few weeks, they’ve basically held open tryouts, cycling through two-way and 10-day contracts while the roster sorted itself out after an eventful, or depending on your perspective, completely uneventful trade deadline. Stability has not exactly been the theme.

Charles Bassey and Patrick Baldwin Jr.’s 10-day deals have expired. In their place, Cameron Payne returns from overseas, Jabari Walker is back in the mix, and two-way players Dalen Terry and Tyrese Martin join the fold (though the Warker and Martin moves are not official yet).

Now that things are beginning to stabilize, this matchup feels like a chance for the Sixers to reset before heading out on the road. With the revolving door of short-term additions finally slowing down, they’ll look to build some continuity and turn the page heading into the trip.

Prior to the break, Joel Embiid missed two games for knee management. The team downplayed any real concern, but Embiid will not suit up for this game with a different reasoning (more on that below). Without Embiid, and with Paul George serving his suspension, the offense has leaned heavily on Tyrese Maxey and whoever else could generate a decent look. It hasn’t exactly been a formula for consistent firepower or playmaking.

The time off should help across the board, not just for Embiid. Maxey has been logging a league-leading workload, and VJ Edgecombe hasn’t been far behind. For the 20-year-old, this is the most basketball he’s played at any point in his life. Getting close to a full week off should give the Sixers’ backcourt some much-needed fresh legs heading into the stretch regular season run.

The Sixers will be without Embiid (knee management, shin soreness) and George (suspension). Johni Broome and MarJon Beauchamp are doubtful with G League assignments. For Atlanta, Kuminga is the only key player out, as he rehabs from a knee injury.

The Sixers looked like a shell of themselves heading into the All-Star break. Maybe it was tired legs. Maybe it was trade deadline whiplash. Maybe it was the constant roster shuffle or the lack of availability. Most likely, it was all of the above. Either way, this is a chance to reset and get back on track, starting tonight.

As it stands, they sit just 1.5 games above the final playoff spot in the six seed, so there isn’t much room for error. The upcoming road trip includes some very winnable games, making this stretch even more important. A win at home followed by at least a 2-1 showing on the trip would put them in solid position as they push to secure a playoff berth.

Now it’s about which version of this team shows up. Do they look refreshed and reenergized after the break, or does this turn into a repeat of their earlier matchups with Atlanta, when they fell just short? We’ll soon find out.

Game Details

When: Wednesday, February 19, 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...-host-atlanta-hawks-coming-off-all-star-break

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers Bell Ringer: Sixers simply not good enough in third loss of season to Hawks

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 19: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on February 19, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 20
Joel Embiid – 9
VJ Edgecombe – 7
Paul George – 6
Dominick Barlow – 2
Andre Drummond – 2
Jared McCain :’( – 2
MarJon Beauchamp – 1
Adem Bona – 1
Justin Edwards – 1
Quentin Grimes – 1
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1

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The Philadelphia 76ers fell 117-107 to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday in their first game back from the All-Star break.

Joel Embiid was out for this one after reporting shin soreness over the hiatus. The Sixers said at practice on Wednesday that the big fella will be re-evaluated before the team’s weekend back-to-back after missing the Sixers’ first game back from the All-Star break.

And boy did this look like the first game after some time off. Just ugly all-around, honestly, with the feeling of a random pick-up game more so than an NBA contest. The Hawks never got too far ahead but the Sixers just couldn’t seem to make up much ground at any point until it was too late — it probably didn’t help that they shot 38.4% from the floor (33-for-86). Atlanta wasn’t much better, but clearly they were better enough.

This is the Sixers’ third loss this season to a now 27-30 Hawks squad.

The Sixers will now hit the road for a weekend back-to-back, visiting the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.

Until then, let’s get to the Bell Ringer.

VJ Edgecombe: 20 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block

The rookie looked fresh and energetic coming off the All-Star weekend where he was the MVP of the Rising Stars game last Friday evening. Edgecombe led the Sixers in the first period with 11 points on 4-for-7 field goal shooting (2-for-4 from long range) and was really the only offensive juice Philadelphia had in an ugly 26-point first.

Speaking of long range, he hit this triple to beat the buzzer at the end of the opening frame.

VJ Edgecombe with 11 points in Q1 after sinking this ridiculous buzzer-beater three! pic.twitter.com/MU8k822v1u

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) February 20, 2026

Edgecombe cooled off a bit after that hot start, but the rookie didn’t stop contributing. Per usual, he was the best when the Sixers’ backs were against the wall. He had seven points and a few great defensive plays in the fourth as the Sixers were trying to pry a victory from the jaws of defeat.

The rookie finished this one with 20 points (7-for-15 field goal shooting, 3-for-8 from long range) with nine rebounds, a steal and a block.

Adem Bona: 9 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks in 19:40

I don’t think you could possibly ask for more hustle from a guy. Adem Bona came out with a fire for this contest and was absolutely all over the court. By halftime, he had already racked up four blocks and four rebounds (three on the offensive end) in under 10 minutes on the floor. That doesn’t happen by coincidence. It happens from making sure you’re at the right place at the exact right times (with precise execution on the blocks) to make the plays.

In addition to putting up five points of his own in that first half, there’s one play I specifically want to highlight on the offensive end that turned what would have been Atlanta ball into three points for the Sixers.

Excellent awareness/hustle from Adem Bona giving the Sixers possession and Quentin Grimes sinks the triple off the Cam Payne inbound! pic.twitter.com/NKwYTf62R9

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) February 20, 2026

That’s an Adem Bona play. The hustle, the awareness and the execution.

And it’s a play that won’t show at all on a stat sheet. That’s what Bona does, the energy and hustle plays that don’t always show in the form of eye-popping stat lines — but if you’re watching, you know exactly what he’s bringing for the Sixers, especially in games like Thursday’s.

Bona finished this one with nine points, seven rebounds and four blocks in 19:40 on the floor.

Don't ask me why Adem Bona was on the bench to close out Sixers-Hawks I thought he was an absolute monster on the floor tonight.

9 PTS (3-5 FG), 7 REB (3 OFF), 4 BLK and a number of hustle plays that'll never show on a stat sheet, in 19:40

Here's some highlights from Bona… pic.twitter.com/I8diwY7Wdk

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) February 20, 2026

Tyrese Maxey: 28 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Tyrese Maxey is far from perfect right now. His shot selection has been leaving a lot to be desired and is leading to some really inefficient shooting lines, but he is undeniably still able to string together bursts of scoring for this Sixers’ squad and leads the offensive production when Embiid is sidelined. Tonight was another one of those nights. He shot just 34.8% from the floor (8-for-23) — but he also led the Sixers with 28 points.

Maxey had an especially strong third period — the period where it typically all gets worse somehow for the Sixers — with 11 points on 4-for-7 field goal shooting with a few timely triples to keep Philadelphia within striking distance of Atlanta. However, he then put up just three points (all free throws) in the entirety of the fourth.

Tyrese Maxey with his own 5-0 run with a slam and a step-back triple pic.twitter.com/j53iZYZO1I

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) February 20, 2026

I’m conflicted personally putting Maxey here. I feel like I have to, because he did lead the Sixers scoring and had a number of good defensive plays… but his game continues to be off in a concerning way. From the shot selection and poor shooting to his demeanor and emotional reactions throughout games, it just feels like Maxey is far from at his best right now.

But here we are. Maxey finished the night with 28 points, three rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. He played nearly 39 minutes.

Quentin Grimes: 14 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block

Someone is feeling good after some time in the sun! Quentin Grimes has not been having a ton of success as of late making much impact for the Sixers, especially struggling shooting, so seeing him start tonight going 3-for-3 from the floor (2-for-3 from three) for nine points was an encouraging sight.

And five more quick points from Quentin Grimes! pic.twitter.com/ptCqe1aRBR

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) February 20, 2026

It didn’t feel like Grimes was forcing things on Thursday and he was actually one of the more efficient shooters for the Sixers, ending up 5-for-9 (55.6%) on field goals (2-for-4, 50% from long range). It wasn’t anything that’s going to break records or majorly turn heads, but getting 14 points off the bench from Grimes feels like a step in the right direction — hopefully a direction he can keep moving in.

He finished Thursday with 14 points, two rebounds, one assists and a block.

Kelly Oubre Jr.: 17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block

Felt like this was a quietly decent game from Kelly Oubre Jr. This certainly wasn’t his best game shooting, going just 4-for-13 on field goals, but it wasn’t really anyone on the floor’s best game shooting. Even with that inefficiency, Oubre was able to score 17 points tonight, including five in the final frame as the Sixers attempted to mount a comeback.

In that same late stint, he also came up with a number of massive defensive plays, including a block and a steal, to give Philadelphia even the suggestion of a chance.

Oubre finished the contest with 17 points, three rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...nta-hawks-adem-bona-vj-edgecombe-tyrese-maxey