Fantasy Basketball Exit Interview: A second-round sweep pushes 76ers to confront future

Aging stars with expensive commitments

Joel Embiid made it through — well, sort of. Availability was a consistent issue during the regular season, with the former MVP playing in just 38 games, perpetuating his narrative as a fantasy headache. That’ll likely continue because the Sixers need a healthy Embiid for the postseason. He was the difference-maker in the first-round series against Boston, leading them to defeat the Celtics for the first time in a playoff series since 1982. That won’t help in fantasy, and I’d anticipate his 46th overall ADP falling even further ahead of next season. With Kawhi Leonard back to his former self, Embiid is now the greatest high-risk, high-reward player in the game.

Paul George's best days as a fantasy asset are behind him. Despite finishing 72nd in High Score on a per game average and 31st in 9-cat, like Embiid, he played fewer than 40 games. George was suspended for 25 games for violating the NBA anti-drug policy, which he attributed to an error in his medication. True or not, PG’s body is failing him. It’s pretty concerning that PG admitted to spending this offseason “figuring out how to get his explosion back.” George is 36, coming off another letdown, averaging 17-5-4 on 43% shooting. I wouldn’t draft George inside the top 75 like this season, as the injury and production aren’t worth the cost.

Final thoughts

Embiid's massive three-year contract, which lasts through the 2028-29 season, kicks in this offseason, complicating any trade scenario. George is also sitting on the books for an average cost of $55M for the next two seasons. Changes are inevitable after the embarrassing sweep by the Knicks, and the front office may feel the heat.

Philadelphia holds the 22nd pick in a deep draft — the price for the (questionable) Jared McCain trade — giving them at least one asset to work with. The core four are all draftable heading into next season, but Maxey and Edgecombe provide the most upside. I’d stay away from Embiid and George and look to see which players re-up (Kelly Oubre Jr.), leave (Quentin Grimes) or join the squad.