On a scale from chill to full-blown panic, where do the Philadelphia 76ers stand? They’ll slap on their poker faces, but trust me, the mask is slipping. Fans see through it—hope is a fading whisper in Philly. When Daryl Morey threw $211 million at Paul George, the dream was clear. It was all about George, Embiid, and Maxey lighting up the court. Reality feels more like the plot of a horror movie with too many jump scares. And that dream is definitely on backorder.

Look, the science has always been simple, adding PG13  to the roster never meant that the Sixers were going to become title contenders. No. Even with a strong core featuring The Process and Maxey, Embiid’s injuries and unavailability always cast the heaviest shadow. His absence weighed more heavily on the team than anything else. Adding George caused no changes, instead adding to the trouble.

The Sixers’ health saga turned into a full-blown nightmare. Paul George’s past playoff stumbles hinted at trouble, but the reality was brutal: the power trio combined for a mere 112 games—and only 15 of those together. So, they hit pause on half the season, resting stars and guarding that tricky OKC draft pick like hawks. A masterclass in survival, or just a saga of shattered hopes? You decide.

Now, the troubles seem bigger as George is about to miss training camp as well as preseason. The Athletic’s Zach Harper wrote: “George had surgery on his left knee last month and will be re-evaluated before training camp. That doesn’t mean he’ll be back. It just means we’ll likely get an update from the Sixers on his status on media day. This is already troubling news for George, who has played just 304 games, or a little more than 50 games per season, over the last six seasons. Maybe I’m being too reactionary, but with the Sixers, it’s better to assume the worst and hope for the best than to assume the best or even just solid news.”

Well, the 35-year-old veteran entered the offseason hoping to hit the ground running. Instead, he faced a setback—a left knee arthroscopic surgery after an offseason workout injury. Confidence? It’s wavering. Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints warns that Paul George might miss the start of training camp and possibly the entire preseason. Philly’s bright new hope currently sits sidelined, and no one hoped the wait would feel this long. Now, last season, George’s scoring nose-dived to a paltry 16.2 points per game, his worst since 2011. Yet, he still hauled in 5.3 boards and dished 4.3 assists. Injuries stole 41 games, leaving fans wondering if the star’s spark flickered too soon.

And well, Joel Embiid’s situation adds more fuel to the fire. The former MVP is still battling recovery from his own knee surgery. While the Sixers spin hopeful tales, the NBA whispers doubt. The 31-year-old Embiid is far from out of the woods. The Sixers hope Embiid’s knee heals, but recent whispers cast doubt. They snagged rookie VJ Edgecombe with pick three at the draft and bring back Jared McCain, last year’s breakout, despite his knee setback. Still, full health feels like a fantasy as training camp and preseason approach. Reality bites hard sometimes.

Meanwhile, Paul George’s health woes aren’t Philly’s only headache. Contract talks with Quentin Grimes add a fresh twist, threatening to squeeze the Sixers’ wallet even tighter. While whispers swirl about Grimes taking a modest qualifying offer, Philly’s juggling dollars and dreams, trying to stay flexible without losing their grip on a squad already battling more than a few scars.

Apart from Paul George, the 76ers have more trouble brewing

Quentin Grimes remains a key free agent puzzle piece for the Sixers this summer. Both sides want a deal, but talks drag on in limbo. Jake Fischer hints the stalemate won’t last, expecting a new contract above Grimes’ $8.7 million qualifying offer. Philly’s banking on mutual benefit—because nobody likes a standstill when millions are on the table. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps noted: “If Grimes accepts the qualifying offer from Philadelphia — rather than paying him a long-term, eight-figure annual contract — the 76ers could enter the season a few million dollars into the luxury tax, allowing them to potentially dip under it if this season goes like last season.”

Now, the Sixers are playing the waiting game with Grimes, who lacks competing offers except from cap-strapped Brooklyn. If Grimes takes his qualifying offer, Philadelphia risks losing control next summer when he becomes unrestricted. That would push Daryl Morey into trade mode, hunting for partners before the clock runs out.

Meanwhile, Jake Fischer also tweeted: “I can absolutely say that the #Sixers [organization keeps saying] that Quentin Grimes is their top priority, it’s just a matter of dollars and cents. There is some buzz about him wanting to take the qualifying offer too. But I think at the end of the day, as things get closer—as we get into September and maybe even closer to October—that there will be enough synergy between Griems and the Sixers because [he’s] never made significant money throughout his tenure as an NBA player … he absolutely stands the benefit from taking a significant offer, whatever it ends up being from Philadelphia … They’re willing to go past the second apron at certain points in the season, but they wanna maintain flexibility right now.”

The Sixers’ season feels like a tightrope walk over a canyon of “what ifs.” Injuries, contracts, and uncertainties swirl in a perfect storm, testing Philly’s grit and patience. Still, hope lingers—fragile but stubborn—as the clock ticks toward training camp. Will they rise or crumble? Only time knows, but one thing’s for sure: this saga is far from over.