News 76ers Team Notes

[Philadelphia 76ers]

As trade deadline nears, Sixers find themselves in a tricky spot

Even with their dispiriting loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday night, the Sixers sit at 22-17, good for fifth in the East. If fans were told that would be the case back in October — and the team was getting MVP-caliber play from Tyrese Maxey, a physically improving version of Joel Embiid and a Rookie of the Year-level campaign from VJ Edgecombe — they’d have been ecstatic.

The Sixers have been one of the most pleasant surprises of the NBA this season. They have a legitimate chance at a guaranteed playoff spot and are only 2.5 games back of the two seed. A lot of things have to go right, but there’s a shred of hope after one of the most nightmarish seasons in franchise history.

But as the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaches, the team’s approach isn’t cut and dry. Do you make an all-in move trying to capitalize on what Embiid and Paul George still have in the tank? Do you look for future assets, letting the season play out with most of the current pieces intact? Is there a move to be made in the middle? Do the Sixers really let the air out of things and duck the tax (again)?

Let’s work backwards here and start with the possibility of a money-saving move. Man, after all the work Embiid and George have done to get back on the court and with the special season Maxey is currently having, it would be a massive disappointment if the team simply dodges the tax while making no moves of consequence.

As the Slopfather TrillBroDude points out on The Feed, something with the Memphis Grizzlies where they become a third team to facilitate a Ja Morant deal — taking back Jock Landale while moving Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon and a second or two — maybe threads that needle. Landale provides a slight upgrade over Drummond while also helping the tax bill. That type of deal would also clear the way for the Sixers to convert the contracts of Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker to standard deals. If that’s the only move made, it’s likely greeted with a shrug over pitchforks.

What about going all-in? It seems pretty obvious the Sixers need to tread a bit lightly there. Embiid and George are playing regularly and actively helping the team win games, but it’s still difficult to trust their health. If you use a valuable asset like the LA Clippers’ unprotected pick and then Embiid goes down again, that’s a tough pill to swallow.

If the Sixers go for a minor rotational upgrade over the guys on their current roster, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what they should target positionally. They still have a glut of guards, especially if Kelly Oubre, Jr., who can defend guards and provide supplemental ball-handling, remains after the deadline. They have options at the five with Embiid, Drummond, Adem Bona and even Barlow and Walker. The Sacramento Kings’ Keon Ellis and Indiana Pacers’ Jay Huff have been linked to the Sixers at those positions. Could they be tax-lowering guys that are also upgrades? Eh.

One area where the Sixers can genuinely improve is on the wing. George and Oubre are their only consistent rotation options. Justin Edwards has battled inconsistency in his second season and the only other rostered wing is two-way player MarJon Beauchamp. Every contender could use a 3-and-D wing. The Sixers are no different.

Of course, there are loftier names out there that could help the Sixers achieve the goal of improving the team now and in the future. The New Orleans Pelicans have reportedly been rebuffing teams calling about Trey Murphy … but you know that ain’t stopping Daryl Morey. Same goes for the Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson, Jr. if that organization looks for a full rebuild.

More realistically, there was a report last week that the Atlanta Hawks could consider moving Onyeka Okongwu. He’d be a super intriguing fit as a guy who can play next to and back up Embiid. Plus, he’s on a team-friendly contract and just turned 25 last month. Memphis’ Santi Aldama is in a similar boat, having just turned 25 and on a great value contract.

Here’s the thing: the Sixers might not even know the direction they’re going with a few weeks left until the deadline. But if the team is healthy and still winning games, it should make things interesting. It could be an opportunity to recapture a fanbase that’s rightfully been skeptical of being ten toes down on this team.

It could very well be up to the team to force Morey and the front office to make something happen.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...s-grizzlies-rumors-kelly-oubre-andre-drummond

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers host Cavs in final regular-season matchup

The Sixers are coming off another convincing loss to the Cavaliers, falling 133–107. Their third and final opportunity to secure a regular-season win against Cleveland comes Friday night, when they’ll once again host the Cavs.

Coming off a matchup just 24 hours earlier, the Sixers were outworked and outplayed on nearly every front. Cleveland caught fire from beyond the arc, knocking down 20 threes, with Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland combining for 55 points compared to just 25 from the Sixers’ backcourt. Evan Mobley was dominant on the glass, pulling down 13 rebounds and single-handedly out-rebounding Joel Embiid (4), Paul George (4) and Jabari Walker (4). Defensively, the Cavs were stifling, completely neutralizing Philadelphia’s backcourt and throwing the Sixers’ offensive sets into disarray.

This time around, there will be a few subtle differences. Garland, who scored 20 points, will miss this game, which would shake up Cleveland’s game plan. He suffered a leg and/or toe injury in their last outing and did not return. That absence should lead to more minutes for Lonzo Ball and likely Craig Porter Jr., who would soak up some of the guard workload. Mitchell would also be expected to take on additional playmaking responsibilities.

For the Sixers, the goal will be a stronger performance across the board. That starts with Tyrese Maxey, who turned in a rare off night, shooting just 5-of-16 from the floor. His backcourt partner, VJ Edgecombe, was also quiet, scoring only nine points on 3-of-10 shooting. With Garland likely out, both players will need to step up and deliver the kind of performances we’ve come to expect.

The Sixers also lost Dominick Barlow in their last game after he took a nasty fall. While X-rays came back negative, he could miss this game (more on that below). That likely would mean extended minutes for Jabari Walker. Walker played a limited role in the last game, but he brought good energy, hustled on the glass, and had some positive moments. The Sixers may lean on him more here, as he’s likely to draw the bulk of the Mobley assignment and be tasked with keeping the rebounding disparity to a minimum.

Injury report wise, things appear to be mostly good. Embiid and George are probable, with Kelly Oubre listed as available. Barlow is listed as questionable with a back contusion. The Cavs have a new addition to their injury report, with Garland ruled out in advance due to great toe soreness. Sam Merrill (hand sprain), Max Strus and Dean Wade are other key Cavaliers who will not be available.

The Sixers dropped the first game of this regular-season mini-series between the two clubs. The same was true against the Toronto Raptors, where they responded by winning the second leg of that back-to-back. Let’s see if the Sixers can replicate that success and split these two games against the Cavs.

Game Details​

When: Friday, January 16, 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: ESPN
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...ers-host-cavs-in-final-regular-season-matchup

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers Bell Ringer: Cavs jump Sixers in the East standings after two-game sweep

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 17
VJ Edgecombe – 5
Paul George – 5
Joel Embiid – 3
Andre Drummond – 2
Dominick Barlow – 1
Adem Bona – 1
Justin Edwards – 1
Quentin Grimes – 1
Jared McCain – 1
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1

---

The Sixers dropped their second game in a row to the Cavaliers on Friday, blowing an 11-point fourth quarter lead.

It was a second consecutive difficult night for the starting backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, combining for only 32 points. Cleveland’s second-year wing Jaylon Tyson put up a career-high 39 points, missing only four shots on 17 attempts.

This caused the Sixers to play through Embiid for most of the game offensively, which had some consequential side-effects in the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers’ relentless rim pressure in the final frame displayed Embiid’s physical shortcomings, and surged them back into the game with the chance to win the game in the final seconds.

Lonzo Ball inbounded the ball with eight seconds remaining, gave it to the on-fire Tyson who drove baseline and dropped off a beautiful wrap-around pass to Evan Mobley for an easy layup. With no timeouts remaining and just a few seconds remaining, the Sixers were forced into a last-second heave from Maxey, which missed wide right.

JAYLON TYSON FINDS EVAN MOBLEY FOR THE GAME-WINNER

CAVS COMPLETE THE COMEBACK AND WIN IN PHILLY! pic.twitter.com/vpDomPl9vp

— NBA (@NBA) January 17, 2026

Lets get to Bell Ringer, then forget this two-game stretch ever existed.

Joel Embiid: 33 points, 10-of-22 FG, 11-of-12 FT, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block

Embiid was the sole source of offense for the Sixers on Friday, as the Cavs continued to enforce strong defense against the Sixers guards. He got into a groove early on after making his first couple shots, and began mixing up his offensive attack.

His free-throw line jumper and appears to be in pristine condition as he continues to find his touch in the midrange. He had a couple possessions taking Mobley on with power dribbles, getting to his fade and the rim with ease.

Big fella with the corner three and he's got a game-high 28. Sixers up 73-64. pic.twitter.com/Fleir3sSkL

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) January 17, 2026

He was persistently drawing fouls no matter if it was Mobley or Jarrett Allen on him, slowing the game down to fit his style of play. He came out strong offensively in the second half, accounting for most of the teams points in the third. It would begin to trickle off in the fourth, as more was being asked of him on the defensive end. He had an insane chase down block on Hunter, but other than that, was largely getting picked on late with consistent rim attacks.

Adem Bona: 4 points, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks

There are two moments to highlight from Bona’s performance. The first came in the second quarter where in a span of 30 seconds, Bona threw down a cutting dunk, defended Mobley on the perimeter, blocked Tyson’s layup, and blocked a Tyrese Proctor layup on the next possession.

What a sequence from Adem Bona!

A big-time slam followed by TWO incredible blocks

Tap to watch on ESPN: https://t.co/cMTBYNvzNm pic.twitter.com/WDR3yMsEc5

— NBA (@NBA) January 17, 2026

The second moment came in the fourth quarter, where he lost one of his shoes, and played about five possessions straight as if everything was normal.

Honorable Mentions: Tyrese Maxey (9 assists, 5 steals), Quentin Grimes (7 rebounds)

Both receive honorary nominations for their team-leading stats, despite both having subpar shooting nights.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...-embiid-adem-bona-tyrese-maxey-quentin-grimes

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Jared McCain assigned to Delaware Blue Coats

Jared McCain has not played more than 11 minutes in a game since Jan. 5. After he didn’t even see the court in Friday night’s 117-115 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, many people openly wondered whether he might be better served by a G League stint with Delaware. On Saturday afternoon, the Philadelphia 76ers arrived at the same conclusion:

Jared McCain assigned to Blue Coats, per Sixers.

— Paul Hudrick (@PaulHudrick) January 17, 2026

McCain played in a couple of games with the Blue Coats back in November. At the time, he was very recently removed from coming off the injury report for a torn UCL in his right thumb. He also hadn’t played an NBA game since December 2024 following meniscus surgery in his left knee, and going through a couple different brace options for that knee at the time. It made sense for him to get some game action in Delaware to assist in the proverbial ramp up so he could get back to receiving regular rotation minutes with the big club.

Now we’re in mid-January, and any progress has stalled, if not outright regressed. Head coach Nick Nurse is not trusting McCain with significant minutes, and in fairness, Jared has not been playing well. He is shooting just 35.4 percent on the season, including 32.3 percent from three-point range, and that’s supposed to be the strong area of his game. A recent tough stretch aside, the Sixers are winning games, or at the very least having games come down to the wire, and fighting for playoff position. Nurse is in a position where he wants his best players on the floor as much as possible, and it’s not as though he’s hurting for guard options.

However, as I wrote about a month ago, it’s not exactly a fair situation for McCain either. He’s coming off a couple of significant injuries, didn’t have a full training camp or preseason, and now is supposed to be out there like he never missed a beat? It has to be very hard to work yourself back into a rhythm in a real game environment when you’re maybe seeing two stretches of five-minute run on a given night.

Hopefully, another stint down in the G League will be just what Jared needs to knock the rust off and all parties will benefit in short order. The Blue Coats will next play a pair of games in Indiana against the Noblesville Boom on Sunday and Monday afternoon.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...ers-assigned-delaware-blue-coats-nba-g-league

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

When it rains, it pours this year in Philadelphia sports

This city can handle frustrating roster-building moves, and it can certainly handle losing. The constant barrage it’s come in this fall and winter is quite a lot to process.

It hasn’t just been a bad week for the Sixers, who capped off a 1-3 week by blowing a 10-point fourth quarter lead to an Eastern Conference rival. If anything, it’s been rougher on the other local ball clubs.

The Eagles’ title defense fell flat on its face in the first round of the NFL playoffs. A season’s worth of offensive frustration culminating in an extremely winnable loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

After three straight playoff flameouts, the Phillies appeared poised to finally shake up their lineup by adding infielder Bo Bichette, who just played a big role in Toronto Blue Jays’ run to the World Series. Not only did the Phillies fail to sign Bichette, but he ended up signing with the hated New York Mets.

The Phillies had agreed to Bo Bichette’s request for a 7-year, $200 million deal last night and believed they would sign him until the Mets swooped in with their 3-year, $126 million offer after losing out in in the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 16, 2026

I don’t really follow hockey at all but I see that the Flyers have now lost five games in a row as well.

This is not even the first week from hell Philadelphia sports fans have suffered in the past 6 months. Back in mid-October, the Phillies were eliminated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the playoffs, the walk-off play being a bone-headed play by relief pitcher Orion Kerkering errantly coming home with a comebacker as opposed to getting the easy out at first base.

That very same night, the Eagles suffered a humiliating loss to another division rival, the New York Giants. They didn’t just lose to a team that would win four games all season, but were run off the field in a 34-17 blowout.

The nice thing about having four sports team in your city is when one frustrates you, there’s normally another one getting their season underway or kicking into gear to distract you from that.

As someone who not just blogs about the Sixers, but covers them, I’ve detached myself from rooting for them. That certainly isn’t the case for those other two teams.

Back on Oct. 9, the day of Game 4 of the NLDS and the Thursday Night Football matchup, I was dying for that Eagles game to kick off. Like so many, I was skeptical of the Phils being successful on their third attempt at running it back, and when they were already on the brink of elimination, I was just ready for it to be over.

It might be unfair to lump the Sixers in with this for just losing three games in an 82-game season, all of which to playoff teams. That’s nothing compared to the existential problem of an aging roster, or one that just seems to not like each other.

While I was already watching the Sixers take on the Raptors because it’s my job, I’m sure there were many ready to flip right over once the Eagles offense embarrassingly fizzled out in the second half at home against the Niners. After getting through an Eagles season that was miserable from the very first week, fans could immediately switch over to see the Sixers fumble a game in both regulation and overtime to the Toronto Raptors, a team they’re neck and neck with in the Eastern Conference standings.

After rebounding with a win in the follow-up to Toronto, they were still winners of seven of their last 10 games and had two nationally televised games to show both their fans and the larger NBA audience reason to feel good about this franchise again.

They might have gotten smoked by the Cleveland Cavaliers, in the first matchup, but they had an opportunity to get them right back on Friday. With the Cavs down Darius Garland, it was the perfect chance to give the city a palette cleanser after the Bichette news broke earlier in the day. Phillies fans especially needed the Sixers to get a win, to have something to point at to say, “at least it’s not all bad.”

For so long it looked like they would pull out the win the city needed. Joel Embiid was in complete control offensively as he dropped 33 points, and the Sixers built a 10-point lead in the fourth. That quickly crumbled though, giving the Sixers another frustrating loss at the buzzer — that lead gone along with any hope of reprieve from this miserable week.

Look, this is just a Sixers blog, I get that. Maybe you don’t care about the Eagles (God bless you), the Phillies (seriously good call), or the Flyers (no, that’s a great call, though.) This city is built by 4-for-4s though.

For anyone who falls in that sort of boat, the pain these teams caused haven’t just been frequent, it’s been relentless.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...len-hurts-offense-phillies-bo-bichette-flyers

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Poor close, Cavs’ hot shooting doom Sixers, who move to 10-11 at home

A fitting loss to cap off a terrible Philly sports week

The Sixers blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, falling 117-115 at the last second to the Cleveland Cavaliers, completing the sweep of the season series.

Joel Embiid had a classic Joel Embiid performance, leading all Sixers with 33 points shooting 10-of-22 from the floor. Tyrese Maxey at least looked better than he did Wednesday, putting up 22 points on 9-of-23 shooting, hitting a game-tying floater but not a potential half-court heave to win it.

VJ Edgecombe was again derailed by foul trouble, finishing with 10 points going 4-of-5. Paul George quietly steadied the second unit, having 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting along with five assists.

Jaylon Tyson led all scorers with 39.

Somehow Dominick Barlow was not only available, but back in the starting lineup after suffering a nasty looking back contusion Wednesday, leaving every Sixer available. The Cavs were down Darius Garland, Dean Wade, Sam Merrill and Max Strus.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter​

• Yet another game with a fast offensive start as the teams combined to make 11 of their first 14 field goal attempts. Embiid got dunked on by Evan Mobley to open up the game’s scoring, but had comfortably settled in to his midrange by the nail on the other end. The Sixers were the first team to make an impact on the defensive end of the floor. Dominick Barlow didn’t seem too hampered, blocking a shot and ripping the ball away from Donovan Mitchell on two early plays while Maxey snagged an early steal as well.

pic.twitter.com/CWMDLFUugk

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) January 17, 2026

• That aggression, and some miscommunication, got the Sixers in a bit of trouble. Multiple times early two Sixers would follow the same Cavalier, leaving another wide open, but they were meeting even less resistance on the other end. Embiid and Maxey went to their actions frequently and got a good look just about every time, including a beautiful one-handed layup by Maxey after Embiid’s bounce pass led him perfectly to the spot.
• Embiid wouldn’t stay as efficient from the field but he continued to control things, getting a couple trips to the line to round out a 13-point quarter. The offense did miss him when he checked out, going scoreless after he buried a three at the 3:13 mark. Cleveland buried a couple threes in the final minute to knot the game at 31 after one.

Second Quarter​

• Maxey came off the floor but with George and Edgecombe returning it once again gave the offense some structure — the latter got himself a really nice layup cutting around the former. The Sixers also had their best stretch of protecting the basket to this point, thanks in large part to two blocks from Adem Bona.

What a sequence from Adem Bona!

A big-time slam followed by TWO incredible blocks

Tap to watch on ESPN: https://t.co/cMTBYNvzNm pic.twitter.com/WDR3yMsEc5

— NBA (@NBA) January 17, 2026

• Thanks to seven steals in the first while only giving it away once themselves, the Sixers were thoroughly dominating the turnover battle. Just after extending their lead to double digits, two turnovers of their own gave that momentum right back to Cleveland. Edgecombe had the ball taken away from him way too easily while Kelly Oubre Jr. threw a pass that was way too easy to pick off. Those were big reasons for the 8-0 run the Cavs ripped off, but Craig Porter Jr. missing a pair of free throws settled things down for the moment.
• Maxey was able to spring free for an open three off the catch as well as a steal-and-slam, but this was another half in which he was struggling to create. The length Cleveland was throwing at him might have bothered him, but he just seemed to be having a harder time holding on to the ball. The Cavs were only able to load up on him more when Edgecombe had to sit the end of the half with foul trouble. Quentin Grimes replaced him and looked rough missing his first three shots of the night, but buried two threes to give the Sixers a seven-point lead at the half.

Third Quarter​

• Both Embiid and Tyson started the second half with the same rhythm they started the game with. While Embiid continued to enjoy open midranges off pick-and-pops, something just seemed slightly off with his two-man game with Maxey. For example, he threw the between-the-legs way drop pass way too early and dumped it into Jarrett Allen’s lap.
• A strong take with his left hand was just the type of basket Maxey needed, though that didn’t seem to get him going in any way. Another silly mistake, this time Oubre needlessly fouling Nae’Qwan Tomlin on a dunk again, gave the Cavs momentum to cut into the lead the Sixers threatened to push to double digits.

Rese to the hoop! pic.twitter.com/QSNXBj67wh

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 17, 2026

• Oubre did his best to make up for it though — he put back a missed Embiid layup, created a fast break layup for himself by running out after a miss, and knocked down a three. The Cavs took advantage of yet another sloppy turnover, but Maxey answered with a contested three to beat the shot clock and keep the lead at seven as the third expired.

Fourth Quarter​

• Sitting a good chunk of the game in foul trouble, Edgecombe hadn’t scored since his perfect 3-of-3 start to the night. Naturally, he opened the scoring for the Sixers in the fourth, matching a Mitchell three with one of his own. His second-unit running mate helped him lead the way as George knocked down a couple of baseline jumpers.

3J! pic.twitter.com/uJNsoM9Odw

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 17, 2026

• The Sixers’ offense went cold enough after that for the Cavs to rip off a 10-0 run to tie the game. It wasn’t due to getting bogged down either. They pushed up a possession to get Maxey a wide open three in the corner that he missed, Grimes beat his man off the dribble for a wide open layup but just smoked it. The Sixers answered with a 7-0 run, for once it was them taking advantage of silly mistakes. Tyson messed up taking the inbound and turned it over after another Maxey fast break layup, and Mobley stepped out of bounds trying to drive from the corner on the following possession.
• Once again, the Sixers ran bland offense down the stretch, and it again cost them. The first was a play that took way too long to develop after Maxey got doubled, Embiid couldn’t feel the defenders coming as the slow lob pass came to him and it was stolen. Maxey then went nowhere on a drive and had his runner blocked by Mobley. Embiid tried to post up Allen, got stonewalled and threw up an airball. Cleveland stormed back with another Tyson three giving them a one-point lead with less than two minutes to go.
• Maxey had a lot more space on his next drive and got fouled, retaking the lead at the line. They forced a miss on the following possession, but swinging to an open Oubre resulted in a missed three and De’Andre Hunter put Cleveland back in front. George was able to shake his defender but his turnaround jumper in the paint was no good.
• George and Oubre both played tough defense on Mobley who missed as well, but Oubre got enough forearm to be whistled for a foul — a challenge couldn’t overturn it. Mobley split his pair, giving the Sixers a chance to tie or go in front with 22.2 to go. Maxey and Embiid spent most of that time exchanging the ball, giving Maxey runway to tie the game with a floater with 8.1 seconds remaining. Cleveland went to their hot hand, Tyson got the ball on the baseline, spun, beat his defender, and drew to the help to get Mobley an open dunk with four seconds to go. Now of timeouts the Sixers could only get up a half court heave that didn’t fall.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...re-recap-joel-embiid-paul-george-tyrese-maxey