The Philadelphia 76ers have perhaps the two most fragile stars in the NBA. Between Joel Embid and Paul George, this franchise is on shaky ground and led by two stars best known for their extensive track records — not of meaningful postseason success, but of injuries.
Last season, Embiid and George missed a combined 104 games — a huge number for a duo that makes up more than half of the team’s total payroll for 2025-2026. As such, it can’t be overstated how important it will be for the team to keep them if they want to go far in the playoffs, that is, if they can even get back to that spot.
Considering both players are already on the wrong side of 30, Nick Nurse and his staff will need to give Embiid and George as many nights off as possible next season. Of course, balancing that with maximizing their chances of getting as many wins as possible will be very important, so this plan will require a lot of careful planning and considered projections.
The 76ers are a mix of tried and tested players and young and fresh players, but their players, who are similar to the former, also tend to be the ones most prone to injury. Therefore, the team must be adept at knowing when to hold back in order to throw a stronger punch later.
The 76ers need to keep Joel Embiid and Paul George as much as possible for the playoffs
The 76ers can’t afford to have those so-called scheduled losses where they simply pick certain days, usually those in the midst or bookends of difficult scheduling pieces. Furthermore, outright sitting is not the only thing referred to by the act of preservation.
Of course, both Embiid and George will benefit from being sidelined here and there as a precaution. Since the 76ers have the most back-to-back sets in the NBA, it would only be wise if the coaching staff sees fit to do just that.
However, the most proactive measure that will ensure the team doesn’t have to sacrifice some game-winning goals is easing the pressure on the hardwood. The 76ers can no longer rely on both of their aging stars to do the heavy lifting. That would be downright irresponsible, if not downright foolish.
The nurse and his staff must come up with actual, game-sensitive plans to maximize their deeper roster and, for example, reduce the minutes of their stars. Their role should also be adjusted. Gone are the days of Embiid sitting alone in the post and trying to impose himself on his outsized opponents. George can no longer be seen as a showstopper in fastbreak situations.
These are just some of the things the Philadelphia 76ers can’t use next season if they want to keep both Joel Embiid and Paul George as fresh as possible for the playoffs, lest they risk repeating what happened last season, albeit with a few more wins, but with the attendant replication of such a high level of disappointment.
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