Philadelphia 76ers franchise legend Charles Barkley isn’t especially optimistic about the team’s outlook in the present, or for the future.
When it comes to Philadelphia’s first-round series with the Boston Celtics, Barkley simply doesn’t think that the Sixers have enough to get the job done, despite the best efforts of star guards Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe.
“They’re trying hard. I love [Tyrese] Maxey. I love V.J. [Edgecombe]. They just don’t have enough,” Barkley said on ESPN. “Those two kids are playing as hard as they can. They’re competing. … [Boston] just has a better team, more depth than the Sixers. The Sixers are doing the best they can under the circumstances.”
The “circumstances” that Barkley is referring to is the absence of star center Joel Embiid.
Charles Barkley Thinks 76ers Are ‘In Trouble’ Moving Forward Because of Joel Embiid
GettyCAMDEN, NJ – SEPTEMBER 13: Charles Barkley speaks at the podium prior to his sculpture being unveiled at the Philadelphia 76ers training facility on September 13, 2019 in Camden, New Jersey. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Embiid missed the first three games of the series against the Celtics after undergoing an emergency appendectomy earlier this month, and his status for the rest of the series is a question mark.
Questions about Embiid’s availability have unfortunately been a theme throughout his career, and that’s why Barkley isn’t bullish about the Sixers moving forward beyond the current campaign.
“That organization is in trouble,” Barkley said of Philadelphia. “As great a player as Joel Embiid is, he can’t stay healthy, and he’s there for another couple of years. Paul George is there for another couple of years.”
Barkley isn’t wrong. For as good as Embiid is when he’s on the floor, he’s been plagued by injury issues throughout his entire career, and they often interfere with his ability to be available during the postseason. There’s no reason to assume that this trend will change as Embiid continues to age, and he’s owed a staggering amount of money over the next three years.
Joel Embiid’s Massive, $193 Million Extension with 76ers Hasn’t Even Kicked In Yet
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty ImagesCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – DECEMBER 08: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates a basket against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at the United Center on December 08, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The three-year, $193 million extension that Embiid signed with the Sixers in September of 2024 hasn’t even kicked in yet. It’s set to begin next season.
Embiid is scheduled to earn over $57 million next season, over $62 million the following season, and then he’ll have a player option for $67 million for the 2028-29 season. That’s a ton of money for a guy who is consistently unavailable for his team in big moments, even if the injury issues aren’t his “fault.”
That’s why some have suggested that the Sixers try to trade Embiid over the offseason; simply to clear the massive contract off of the books and free up cap space that could be used elsewhere. Perhaps that will be something that the organization looks into, but finding a taker for that enormous contract could prove easier said than done.
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