After drafting V.J. Edgecombe third overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers’ President, Daryl Morey, declared that the team now had “one of the best backcourts in the league.” With Tyrese Maxey set to return to full health and Paul George entering his first full season in Philly, the front office is betting that the Sixers’ guard depth can finally unlock a new version of the team that won just 24 games and missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years. 

Injuries played the central role in that collapse. Embiid appeared in just 19 games all season. Paul George missed the final stretch due to a knee and groin complication after playing just 41 games. Maxey, too, missed time after suffering a hand injury post-All-Star break. Rounding things out, promising rookie Jared McCain, drafted to bring scoring relief in the backcourt, suffered a season-ending injury midway through the year. The 76ers’ core spent more time in rehab than on the floor together, and any semblance of chemistry was lost.

But with the Eastern Conference shaken by injuries—Jayson Tatum reportedly out for Boston, Tyrese Haliburton for Indiana, and Milwaukee still finding its footing post-Bud—Philadelphia sees a real window to contend. That’s the context that shaped Richard Jefferson’s comments on the Road Trippin’ podcast, where he described the 76ers as a team with the highest variance in the league. “Philly could be the best team in the conference next year if their guys are healthy and they are clicking and locked in. They could be the best team in the conference. They could also not make the postseason.” But it was the volatility of Joel Embiid’s health in particular that led Jefferson to dig deeper.

“Imagine a seven-foot dude that’s had three or four different knee surgeries,” he said. “We’ve seen over the course of NBA and athletic history that once you start having multiple surgeries on that knee, that becomes a very difficult management. Joel Embiid is one of the best players in the world. If his knee was 100% he would have played in 75 games every single year and had multiple MVPs. But because he’s managing a knee that he’s had multiple surgeries on.” Jefferson’s concern is grounded in Embiid’s documented medical history.

Dec 8, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) and forward Paul George (8) defend against Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn ImagesIn 2024, he underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. Less than a year later, persistent pain required a second operation on the same knee. This wasn’t new territory: Embiid missed the first two years of his NBA career due to foot and knee injuries. And in 2023, he admitted he was “worn down” during the playoffs, citing the same workload issues. By 2025, he publicly stated he would “probably never” play in back-to-backs again—an unprecedented decision for a reigning MVP still in his prime. Next, Jefferson compared Embiid’s situation to the decline of big men like Duncan, whose durability faded despite skill and discipline.

“Tim Duncan—he had a surgery on his knee and he always had to wear that knee brace. He had things he had to manage. So when you’re talking about coming into camp in shape—I don’t doubt that everyone’s going to come into camp in shape. But there’s still a level of management to Embiid’s knee. When he says he’s probably done playing back-to-backs… that’s management.”

And yet, despite all this, Jefferson finished with a reinforcement of what makes this season feel like a crossroads. The Sixers can’t afford another gap year—not with Embiid aging, the roster peaking, and the Eastern Conference in flux. “All I’m saying is—it’s now or never. It’s now or never for the Philadelphia 76ers. The East is wide open right now.”

That tension—the one between potential and uncertainty—is where the 76ers now live. The 19-year-old rookie V.J. Edgecomb could prove to be special, but even with him, there could be bumps along the way. But yes, the pieces are there. The competition is weakened. The time is now. But as Jefferson warned, this window can close just as quickly as it opened.