The Philadelphia 76ers have spent the past few seasons going all-in to chase a championship. But ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins believes that strategy has run its course.
Speaking on the Road Trippin’ podcast this week, the former NBA big man didn’t mince words: it’s time to blow it up.
“I would hit the reset button all across the board,” Perkins said. “It’s not just trading Joel Embiid and Paul George. I’m also hitting the reset button on who actually paid those guys and jumped the gun.”
The 76ers added Paul George in the 2024 offseason to a core that already featured Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. On paper, it’s one of the best rosters in the league. The 2024-2025 NBA season told us otherwise.
Philadelphia finished a disastrous 24-58 and landed near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. Embiid, still recovering from injuries, played in just 33 games and continues to show signs of long-term wear. He signed a colossal extension in 2024 worth over $240 million, raising serious questions about the team’s investment in his health.
George, meanwhile, was a disappointment in his first year with the team. The 35-year-old appeared in only 41 games, averaging 16.2 points on just 43% shooting — a steep decline from his previous form.
Perkins didn’t hold back on front office accountability either, taking a shot at GM Daryl Morey.
“Let’s be real here. Daryl Morey has not done a great job,” Perkins said. “Morey knew about these injuries and what Joel Embiid was dealing with, yet he gave Embiid an extension.”
The only consistent positive in Philadelphia was Maxey, who continues to emerge as a star For Perkins, he’s the one piece worth keeping if the team wants to start fresh.
With aging stars, bloated contracts, and no playoff success in sight, the 76ers are stuck in limbo. Perk believes they need to pick a direction—either continue down the current path or build a new future around Maxey and draft capital.
That future may require a full teardown. Trading the duo won’t be no easy task, but it may be necessary to reset the organization’s identity, culture, and timeline. Whether Morey is the right person to lead that reset remains another issue entirely.
As the 2025-26 season approaches, the clock is ticking in Philadelphia—and so far, the silence has been deafening.