News 76ers Team Notes

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Report: Tyrese Maxey expected to be ruled out for rest of 2024-25 season

Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

As expected, Tyrese Maxey’s fifth NBA season comes to an end after 52 games played.

Tyrese Maxey’s 2024-25 season is likely over. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Maxey is expected to miss the rest of the season due to a finger tendon injury.

Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey is expected to be ruled out for the rest of the season with a finger tendon injury, sources tell ESPN. Maxey has been sidelined since March 3 and has attempted to rehab the finger, but still is dealing with discomfort and needs treatment. pic.twitter.com/RXaaD0RXRU

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 3, 2025​

Maxey last took the court on March 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers, but signs of injury appeared before then, as his perimeter shooting noticeably declined. Now likely done for the year, his season comes to an early end with averages of 26.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.4 blocks over 52 games. Playing 37.7 minutes per game, he shot 43.7% from the field, 33.7% from three and 87.9% from the free-throw line, though injuries certainly impacted his efficiency late in the season.

As has been said many times this season, it’s been a rough one for the Sixers overall. However, Maxey was one of the few bright spots. After a slow start, he thrived as the team’s primary scoring option, with his best stretch coming in January — averaging 29.9 points, 7.1 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 46.9% from the field and 34.4% from three over 16 games. While the circumstances weren’t ideal, these reps as a focal point of opposing defenses should benefit both Maxey and the Sixers moving forward.

While Maxey is primarily known for his scoring, he also made significant strides defensively this season. His steals per game reached a career-high by a wide margin, placing him among the league’s top steals leaders. His improved defensive instincts, combined with his quickness and effort, made him a more well-rounded player — an encouraging sign for his long-term development as a two-way guard.

Maxey had been working toward a potential return this season, as hinted by head coach Nick Nurse. However, that now appears unlikely. In reality, a comeback never made much sense, as the Sixers have seemingly shifted their focus toward preserving a high draft pick. With this decision, Maxey joins Paul George, Joel Embiid, Jared McCain, and Eric Gordon as Sixers who have officially been shut down for the remainder of the season.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...-2024-25-season-philadelphia-76ers-sixers-nba

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers Bell Ringer: Bucks down Sixers behind dominant triple-double performance from Giannis

Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

Despite career game from Adem Bona, Sixers drop their 10th straight game vs. the Bucks.

Sixers Bell Ringer Season Standings:
Tyrese Maxey - 16
Quentin Grimes - 10
Joel Embiid - 8
Jared McCain - 8
Paul George - 7
Justin Edwards - 6
Kelly Oubre Jr - 5
Guerschon Yabusele - 4
Adem Bona - 3
Ricky Council IV - 2
KJ Martin - 2
Jared Butler - 1
Jeff Dowtin Jr - 1
Andre Drummond - 1
Lonnie Walker - 1
No One - 1

---

The Sixers welcomed the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday night for a battle of Eastern Conference foes. The Bucks were still without the services of Damian Lillard who remains sidelined due to blood clots.

The Sixers played their best quarter in a while in this one. They raced out to a 39-25 first quarter lead and led by as many as 17 in the first quarter. The Sixers were propelled by a dominant first quarter by rookie center Adem Bona who finished the quarter with 12 points on 6-of-7 from the field to go along with three rebounds and two blocks.

after Q1.@cryptocom pic.twitter.com/gzdvuQUAbg

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 3, 2025​

an Adem dunk to start us off! pic.twitter.com/0qXCdio7wa

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 3, 2025​

A Bucks 18-0 run spanning the end of the first and start of the second quarter allowed Milwaukee to retake control of a 40-39 lead early in the second quarter. The Bucks would go onto take a five-point lead before the Sixers made a run of their own to retake the lead late in the period. The Bucks closed the quarter with two straight buckets to head to the break with a 61-59 lead. The Bucks were led by none other than Giannis Antetokounmpo who finished the half with 20 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. The Sixers were led by 14 points respectively from Adem Bona and Jared Butler.

at the break. @cryptocom pic.twitter.com/d2Gc7ghLAD

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 4, 2025​

The third quarter was competitive throughout. The Bucks used a late third quarter surge to take a nine-point lead headed to the final period. Bona continued to impress. He erased and altered shots at the rim and dominated as a play finisher around the rim. The rookie big man finished the third with 23 points on 11-of-12 shooting. The Bucks led 96-87 after three.

Q4 up next. @cryptocom pic.twitter.com/buevr6dQKs

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 4, 2025​

The Bucks put this one away without much resistance in the fourth. Frustrations boiled over for Nick Nurse as he was ejected halfway through the period. The Bucks would go onto win by a final score of 126-113.

Adem now at points early in Q4! https://t.co/tugP8CmMAs pic.twitter.com/ZcJjIvn7hW

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 4, 2025​

final. @cryptocom pic.twitter.com/JTMw0HWf6G

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 4, 2025​

Time for the Bell Ringer.

Adem Bona: 28 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals, 13-of-15 from the field

Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

Bona put in the best performance of his young career. He had a career-high 28 points and showcased his typical hyperactivity on both ends. Bona altered shots at the rim, was active in passing lanes, skied through the air for multiple monster dunks and finished pretty much everything at the rim. Bona also took on the primary defensive matchup against Giannis Antetokounmpo throughout the game. While the results were mixed for Bona in that one-on-one matchup and the stat sheet shows that Giannis dominated the game, Bona did have his moments of holding his own. Bona, still just 22 years old, continues to show he is a piece that Sixers fans should be excited about going forward.

Guerschon Yabusele: 22 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 8-of-15 from the field

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Yabusele turned in another very good performance like he often has this season. The Sixers Frenchman knocked down four from beyond the arc to go along with a steady diet of post ups and cuts to the rim. Yabu’s connective passing and team defense continue to be positives in his game as well.

Quentin Grimes: 24 points, 10 assists

Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

Grimes once again made a living at the free throw line in this one as he got there nine times. Grimes continues to excel in his high usage role as the Sixers primary scoring and creating option. Grimes made several nice passes in this one — a few of which did not lead to assists. QDot, regardless of the score or lineup, is on the floor which shows his adaptability and maturity in leading the Sixers down the home stretch of this all too forgettable season.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...grimes-nick-nurse-76ers-giannis-antetokounmpo

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Rucker’s mailbag: Capture the Flagg, Quentin Grimes’ future, the doomsday lottery scenario

Photo by Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

With the Sixers officially eliminated from the playoffs, I ask the fans for their thoughts and questions.

The Sixers, currently 23-54, have officially been eliminated from playoff contention. They also currently sit in the fifth spot for next month's NBA draft lottery. After a nightmare of a season there could be a beam of light at the end of the tunnel. Where do the Sixers go from here? What should we expect? I asked the fans for their questions and thoughts for my final Sixers mailbag of the regular season.

Let’s get to it.

if the sixers do not get their pick, what should the team resort to next ?

— Tyrese Rucker (@tyrucker_) March 28, 2025​

In a season that has already been a nightmare, a scenario in which the Sixers lose their draft pick (top-six protected) to the Oklahoma City Thunder would be the ultimate doomsday for the organization and its fans. One of the few glimmers of light to come from this disaster of a season is the hope that the Sixers retain their draft pick in a loaded draft class.

In the scenario that the Sixers do not get their pick, a lot of questions will have to be asked within the organization. What would the Sixers’ immediate plan be for the 2025-2026 season? What would their plan be long-term? Do the Sixers try to offload Paul George and Joel Embiid and fully lean into a rebuild? What would the cost be to get off of those contracts? A lot of questions that I — and I don’t even think the Sixers — know the answer to right now.

I would imagine a top priority, especially in this scenario, would be to retain Quentin Grimes on a long-term deal. Grimes has blossomed in his opportunity with the Sixers and shown that he is capable of being much more than just a 3-and-D guy as he was relegated to in Dallas and New York. The first question I think the front office should ask themselves is how they best optimize Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain and try to build out the rest of the roster to fit to their strengths.

What do you think Quentin Grimes role will be if sixers keep their pick and they have a healthy roster next season?

— Uncle Elroy (@KingZelly63) March 29, 2025​

Grimes has been a revelation for the Sixers ever since they acquired him from the Mavericks at the NBA trade deadline. Grimes has had the best season of his career and has likely played himself into a sizeable new contract this summer as he enters restricted free agency.

Grimes season averages with the Sixers:

22.0 PPG
4.9 RPG
4.3 APG
38.5% from three
61.0 TS%

Grimes not only has the highest usage rate of his career, but he’s also done it on some of the best efficiency of his career. If the Sixers keep their pick, which they currently sit at 64% odds to do so, then you’re adding another high-profile young player to the roster who will likely garner a lot of minutes and touches.

I believe the Sixers will target a forward or potentially a center depending on where their draft selection falls and who is available. In that case, I do not think that will affect Grimes’ role. Now, if the Sixers do have a fully healthy roster next season, that would obviously change things for Grimes from where they are now, which I do not think is all that bad.

Grimes has shown he’s far more capable than just standing in the corner and shooting catch-and-shoot threes and attacking closeouts. I foresee Grimes’ role next season being one of two things — the first being the starting shooting guard in the backcourt alongside Maxey, the second being the sixth man and first guy off the bench. I think Grimes can thrive in either role.

As a starter next to Maxey, Grimes can take on the tougher nightly guard assignments defensively, while being able to play both off and on the ball as Maxey can do both of those things as well. As the sixth man Grimes could lean even more into a creation and scoring role as a microwave go-to guy while also still providing a positive impact on the defensive end. Grimes could be one of the leaders for Sixth Man of the Year or form one of the better starting backcourts in the NBA next to Maxey.

If Embiid and George are on the team and healthy, all the better as the Sixers would have no shortage of scoring options and floor spacing. In the scenario that all these things fall into place the Sixers could be looking at a sharp and swift turnaround back towards the top of the Eastern Conference next season.

if the sixers do get flag what is this teams ceiling?

— @lex (@lex_perc) March 28, 2025​

Did someone say Capture the Flagg?

The dream offseason for the Sixers starts and ends with winning the NBA Draft lottery and acquiring Duke star do-it-all forward Cooper Flagg. Flagg, who I have gone on the record proclaiming as the third-best overall prospect I have ever scouted dating back a decade, would change the fortunes and outlook of the Sixers’ franchise overnight.

The ceiling for the Sixers in the immediate and long-term would be winning the NBA championship and the ceiling for Flagg would be All-NBA player and a future MVP of the league. Flagg is one of the most flawless prospects to enter the NBA this century — a legitimate two-way superstar who can take over games with his scoring, defense and playmaking ability. Thinking of an immediate future of Flagg plugged into a lineup alongside the likes of Maxey, McCain and Grimes — and potentially Embiid and George — is downright euphoric.

The 18-year-old Flagg would sooner rather than later become the face of the franchise and one of the poster boys of the NBA and the next generation. On May 12, that is what is potentially at stake. We can only hope the lottery and basketball gods smile down on the Sixers like they did in 2016 and 1996.

Enjoy.

Cooper Flagg will be a top 10 NBA player before the end of his rookie extension.

There is no such thing as too much tanking if it gets you Cooper Flagg

pic.twitter.com/d0BPT0rale

— Calvy J (@CJRealHoops1) March 28, 2025​

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...raft-lottery-odds-cooper-flagg-quentin-grimes

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Should the Sixers draft Khaman Maluach in the top six?

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Sixers fans are surely gushing over the possibility of Cooper Flagg coming to Philadelphia while watching the Final Four. But there are a few other draft prospects on Duke that are worth discussing.

We’re down to just three more games left in the NCAA Tournament as the Final Four tips off in San Antonio on Saturday night. Auburn and Florida will get things started just before 7 p.m. ET. Duke and Houston will follow with the winners squaring off in Monday’s National Championship game. We highlighted Auburn’s Johni Broome and Florida’s Alex Condon as possible targets for Philadelphia early in the second round of this summer’s draft. We also discussed Duke’s Sion James as a second-round target.

There are a few Duke Blue Devils who will hear their names called well before James in this June’s draft though. The most notable name is Cooper Flagg who has been the consensus No. 1 overall pick since before the college season started. Kon Knueppel appears to be a lock to go in the lottery thanks in large part to his shooting stroke. But perhaps there is no more polarizing target for Philadelphia in the first round than the center for the Blue Devils, Khaman Maluach.

Let’s first acknowledge that if Maluach is seriously in play for the Sixers, it means they had a middling result in next month’s lottery. Should Philadelphia go into the lottery with the fifth-best odds at retaining the first overall pick, that slot would also come with a 42.1% chance of moving into the top four. There would be a 64% chance that the Sixers hold on to their top-six protected first-round pick if they occupy the fifth lottery slot. With the top four looking more and more likely to be Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey and V.J. Edgecombe, Maluach would probably come into consideration for the Sixers if they land the fifth or sixth overall selection.

Of course, having this discussion at all would still be a good thing as it means the Sixers avoided the doomsday scenario of sending the seventh or eighth overall pick to Oklahoma City. But it is a complicated conversation if the Sixers land at five or six in the first round. Should they spend a highly-coveted asset that they did not expect to have at the beginning of the season on a center?

There are two pretty clear schools of thought on what the Sixers should do with this pick, if retained. On one hand, 2024-25 was a season from hell and things can’t possibly go as bad for Philly in 2025-26. In a bad Eastern Conference, the Sixers could definitely get back to the playoffs next season. In this scenario, the team had better injury luck in 2025-26 than it did in 2024-25 and of course some of that might involve increased productivity from Joel Embiid.

On the other hand, 2024-25 was a very clear signal to Daryl Morey and the rest of the front office that it must continue to get younger and view future contributions from Embiid and Paul George as bonuses. The more you operate under this assumption, the less of a consideration returning to the playoffs in 2025-26 becomes and drafting the best player available with this pick is the easy choice.

In other words, the Philadelphia 76ers are at a pivotal crossroads. Do they go all-in on ushering in a new era for the organization or is a quick fix in play? It’s a very hard question to answer when you don’t have any idea how Embiid’s arthroscopic surgery is going to go or what further medical decisions might need to be made concerning Embiid. In a perfect world, the Sixers could opt to send Oklahoma City a 2025 first-rounder and guarantee themselves a high pick in 2026 when there’s more clarity on Embiid’s status. But the world we’re living in will likely have the Sixers drafting in this summer’s top six, and then sending a first-rounder to the Thunder in 2026.

Imagine if the Sixers passed on Maluach, he became a stud, potentially for teams they see a lot of like Brooklyn or Toronto, Embiid’s career fizzled out and the player Philly drafted became a bust. On the flip side, even if Embiid doesn’t return to being his old self, a player at another position coupled with the returns of Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain and some form of Embiid could have next season looking kind of fun.

It’s also entirely possible that Philadelphia’s draft board rates a wing player like Tre Johnson out of Texas, or even Knueppel, higher than Maluach and this entire discussion is much ado about nothing. It’s one thing to take an insurance policy for Embiid in the back half of the first round. But if you’re taking one in the top six, you are either more negative about Embiid’s future than you’re telling everyone publicly, or you love Maluach that much.

With a very limited offensive arsenal at the moment, Maluach is very clearly a center at the moment and him sharing the floor with Embiid would be a work in progress. But standing at 7-foot-2 he’s an elite rim protector and a switchable defender to where he’s almost certainly to be one of the first 10 picks in this year’s draft.

If you want my two cents, I would draft Maluach if he’s the best player on the Sixers’ board at five or six. It’s too hard to rely on anything from Embiid that would merit passing up the best player available this high in the draft. Maluach is the only player that poses this kind of a conundrum as most of the other top prospects are guards and wings. But that’s why he’s the most polarizing draft prospect for Philadelphia as we close in on one month before the lottery.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...four-cooper-flagg-khaman-maluach-kon-knueppel