Philadelphia 76ers X-Factors For The 2025-26 Season - Joel Embiid and Paul George

One is a former MVP, five-time All-NBA, and two-time scoring champ; the other is a nine-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA member, and four-time All-Defensive Team selection, and yet both are seen as X-factors in how the Philadelphia 76ers fare this season.

Joel Embiid, the figurehead of “The Process,” has never played more than 68 games in a season and suited up for just 19 in 2024–25, earning $51 million. Last year, the Sixers made a big splash in the offseason, bringing in Paul George as a free agent, paying $49 million only for him to play 41 games. That’s $100 million for two players to play a combined 60 games. It’s no wonder the team finished with a 24–58 record and thirteenth place in the Eastern Conference.

While both players have demonstrated their obvious game-changing talent over the years, their injury history presents the 76ers with the ultimate wild card that could determine whether the team contends for a top seed in the East or once again falls into the draft lottery.

Embiid, when on the floor, can dominate both ends of the court. However, his recurring knee, ankle, and back injuries have given fans just a fragment of what could have been a dominant career. A fully healthy Embiid transforms the Sixers into a title contender, but long absences clearly disrupt team chemistry and momentum.

George’s arrival in The City of Brotherly Love was meant to provide the team with a secondary scoring source and a versatile defender to complement Embiid. However, knee and groin injuries have severely impacted his availability over the last couple of years. 

Fans are optimistic entering the 2025–26 season, having witnessed Embiid take part in a recent team scrimmage, while George has been seen playing 1-on-1 in practice and doing non-contact work. It is realistic to believe that Embiid could be in the lineup come October 22 when the team opens the season against the Boston Celtics.

For the Sixers, “The Process” game plan is a thing of the past, with this season seeming to be the final kick at the can. If the team can get at least 55–60 games with both their stars on the court at the same time, and if their young pieces like Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, and VJ Edgecombe can step up, there may be something to look forward to for Sixers fans this season.