While the NBA Playoffs are in full swing, now is a good time to recap the fantasy basketball season for all 30 teams.
In the following weeks, we will provide a recap for each team, starting with the team with the worst record and concluding with the NBA champion in June.
Next up in the series are the Philadelphia 76ers. With the offseason signing of Paul George, the expectation was that this group would be a serious contender in the East. Unfortunately, injuries derailed the team early. While Quentin Grimes would get hot late, the focus in Philadelphia was on doing whatever could be done to increase the chances of keeping its top-6 protected 2025 lottery pick.
Philadelphia 76ers 2024-2025 Season Recap
Record: 24-58 (14th, East)
Offensive Rating: 11.0 (23rd)
Defensive Rating: 117.3 (26th)
Net Rating: -6.3 (25th)
Pace: 98.13 (24th)
2025 NBA Draft Picks: 10.5 percent odds of winning draft lottery, 35
As noted above, the 76ers entered the season with expectations of being among the Eastern Conference elite, with Paul George joining Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Unfortunately, signs of trouble emerged even before training camp began. Embiid suffered a torn left meniscus in January 2024 and never seemed to recover completely. After hobbling through the Paris Olympics, the 7-footer was not ready for the start of the regular season, ultimately playing 19 games before being shut down for good just after the All-Star break.
George hyperextended his knee on two occasions early in the season, once during the preseason. Groin and knee injuries led to him being shut down in mid-March. Add in Maxey being limited to 52 appearances due to injuries, and the 76ers could never get going. Promising rookie Jared McCain suffered a season-ending knee injury in mid-December, robbing the fan base of one of the team's few bright spots from the early portion of the season.
By the end of March, the focus in Philadelphia was on doing whatever was possible to increase the team's chances of retaining its 2025 lottery pick. The selection is top-6 protected, with Oklahoma City claiming the pick if the 76ers fall outside of that threshold. Finishing with the fifth-worst record strengthened the 76ers' chances of keeping the pick, but anything can happen in the draft lottery.
Fantasy Standout: Tyrese Maxey
Having appeared in his last game on March 3, Maxey provided excellent per-game value in eight- and nine-cat formats when healthy. Appearing in 52 games, the 76ers guard averaged 26.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.8 steals and 3.1 three-pointers in 37.7 minutes, shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 87.9 percent from the foul line. Between the field goal percentage and a career-high average of 2.4 turnovers per game, Maxey's efficiency took a slight hit. However, he was still a top-10 player in nine-cat and a top-15 player in eight-cat formats.
Having a Yahoo! ADP of 26, Maxey exceeded the expectations of many fantasy managers; the availability was the sole issue. He missed six games in early November, but would only miss two more before a finger injury ended his season in early March. Will Maxey be a player worth reaching for in the first round of drafts next fall? That depends partially on how the roster around him looks, but the 76ers guard should be a relatively safe second-round selection at worst.
Fantasy Revelation: Quentin Grimes
Grimes began his season in Dallas, appearing in 47 games before being traded to Philadelphia at the February deadline in exchange for Caleb Martin (Philly also received a 2025 second-round pick). The combination of a move to Philadelphia and the team's many injuries thrust Grimes into a prominent role, and he took advantage of the opportunity. Starting 25 of the 28 games he appeared in as a 76er, the fourth-year guard averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.9 three-pointers in 33.7 minutes, shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 75.2 percent from the foul line.
That production was good for fourth-round value in eight-cat formats and fifth-round value in nine-cat formats. Is this production that Grimes would be able to replicate as part of a complete 76ers rotation? Probably not, as he would be no higher than fourth in the offensive pecking order. However, few expected Grimes to be the "silly season" asset he ultimately became. The timing was excellent, as he will be a restricted free agent this summer.
Fantasy Disappointment: Paul George
One could argue that Embiid should be the pick here, as he was only able to play in 19 games. But George's 41 games provided a larger sample size, and he struggled in his first season with the 76ers. The nine-time All-Star shot 43 percent from the field and 81.4 percent from the foul line, averaging 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.8 steals, 0.5 blocks and 2.3 three-pointers in 32.5 minutes per game. The scoring average was the lowest for George since the 2014-15 campaign, in which he was limited to six regular-season appearances after returning from a gruesome leg fracture suffered in the summer of 2014.
Even before the first knee hyperextension that George suffered, things did not get off to a good start, as team president Daryl Morey said that neither PG nor Embiid would play many back-to-backs, "if any." Those aren't words you want to hear or read if you're a fan of the team or a fantasy manager. Unfortunately, George was unable to stay healthy, being active for at least 10 consecutive games on only two occasions. Having received injections in his left adductor and left knee, he was shut down in early March. While the per-game value wasn't terrible, George's debut season in Philadelphia left a lot to be desired.
Fantasy Recaps/Look-Aheads
Joel Embiid:
While the 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player won a gold medal with Team USA at the Paris Olympics, he did not appear to be "right" physically. Having returned from a torn meniscus just before the end of the 2023-24 regular season, Embiid was a shell of himself physically during Philadelphia's first-round series with the Knicks. While it would be unrealistic to ask a player to pass on the opportunity to play in the Olympics, it's fair to wonder what the 2024-25 season could have been for Embiid had he been able to go through a complete recovery/rehab process.
Unable to make his season debut until November 12, Embiid played in 13 games before missing most of January with a sprained left foot. Add in the lingering left knee injury, and it was only a matter of time before things would get worse. Embiid made six more appearances after his return from the foot injury before being shut down for the rest of the season after the All-Star break. It was eventually decided that he needed to undergo another surgery on his left knee, and it is unknown when Embiid will be cleared to return to the court. While the per-game value was there, his totals value took a significant hit, and it's difficult to trust "The Process" for availability reasons. His days of being a first-round pick in fantasy drafts are likely over.
Kelly Oubre Jr.:
From a fantasy standpoint, Oubre has been a pleasant surprise in each of his two seasons with the 76ers. He started 57 of the 60 games he appeared in this season, averaging 15.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.2 three-pointers in 34.6 minutes. Improvements in rebounds and field goal percentage, as he shot a career-high 47 percent from the field, made Oubre a top-100 player in nine-cat formats. He would finish just outside that threshold in eight-cat formats. Unfortunately, Oubre did not play after March 12, as right ankle and right knee sprains caused a premature end to his season.
Boasting a Yahoo! ADP of 141, the "Tsunami Papi" was a consistent contributor for the 76ers and exceeded the expectations of fantasy managers. That said, his opportunities were boosted by the availability issues of Philadelphia's projected stars. For that reason, fantasy managers in standard leagues may not be willing to select Oubre within the first 100 picks of drafts. However, as the 2024-25 season showed, he's capable of providing that kind of value in the right situation. He has a player option worth nearly $8.4 million for the 2025-26 campaign.
Guerschon Yabusele:
Having last played in the NBA in 2019, Yabusele returned to the United States after an excellent run with France at the Paris Olympics. Philadelphia signed him to a one-year deal, hoping for him to provide additional frontcourt depth. Yabusele proved to be more than that, appearing in 70 games with 43 being starts. The 6-foot-8, 260-pound forward averaged 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.5 three-pointers in 27.1 minutes, shooting 50.1 percent from the field and 72.5 percent from the foul line.
Yabusele would see time at the power forward and center positions in his first season with the 76ers. While he did finish the season ranked outside the top-150 in eight- and nine-cat formats, Yabusele's availability made him worth the risk in many fantasy leagues. He'll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and there are likely to be multiple suitors for Guerschon's services. A return to Philadelphia may boost his early-season fantasy value, however, especially if Embiid is not ready to play.
Jared McCain:
The 16th overall pick in last summer's NBA Draft, McCain had the look of a player who could fit in immediately in Philadelphia. While the rookie began the season on the outside looking in regarding consistent rotation minutes, he would get his chance in early November. From November 8 onward, McCain would score 15 points or more in 10 straight appearances, including a 34-point night against the Cavaliers on November 13 and a 30-point effort in a November 22 win over the Nets. Unfortunately, the rookie would only make 23 appearances before suffering a torn meniscus in mid-December.
McCain, who was officially ruled out for the rest of the season on January 9, would average 15.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.7 steals and 2.2 three-pointers in 25.7 minutes per game, shooting 46 percent from the field and 87.5 percent from the foul line. While he was only a top-200 player in eight- and nine-cat formats, there is a path to fantasy relevance for McCain, provided he remains healthy. As was the case last fall, he's likely to be a late-round pick at best in most drafts ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.
Justin Edwards:
While McCain was a first-round pick last summer, Edwards was not drafted before agreeing to a two-way contract with his hometown team on July 4. The combination of Philadelphia's many injuries and his play led to Edwards receiving a standard contract on February 9, and there may be a future for him in Philadelphia. He appeared in 44 games, starting 26, and averaged 10.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.6 three-pointers in 26.3 minutes. While Edwards failed to crack the top-200 in eight- or nine-cat formats, there were moments late in the season when he was worth the streaming risk. He's unlikely to be in a position where he should be selected in fantasy drafts in the fall, but the 6-foot-6 wing is an intriguing developmental piece for the 76ers.
Andre Drummond:
Given Embiid's injury history, Drummond was a worthwhile late-round selection for "insurance" reasons. Unfortunately, he also struggled with injuries last season, appearing in 40 games with his last being on March 12. Drummond averaged 7.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.5 blocks in 18.8 minutes, shooting 50 percent from the field and 62.2 percent from the foul line. For managers seeking to account for Embiid's injury woes, Drummond was eventually surpassed by Yabusele.
Drummond has a player option worth $5 million for the 2025-26 campaign. With Embiid's availability for the start of next season undetermined, Drummond's viability as a streamer will depend on what happens with Yabusele, who is an unrestricted free agent, and the other decisions Philadelphia's front office makes in the draft and free agency.
Kyle Lowry:
After signing with the 76ers in February 2024, Lowry played his first full season with his hometown team in 2024-25. Unfortunately, his days as a fantasy asset appear to be in the rearview mirror, as the veteran point guard provided minimal production in 35 appearances. Lowry averaged a career-low 3.9 points per game to go along with 1.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.8 three-pointers in 18.8 minutes, shooting 35 percent from the field and 81.8 percent from the foul line. While Lowry has value as a veteran leader, that does not help fantasy managers. He'll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and it would take a lot to make Lowry worth the risk in most fantasy leagues.
Eric Gordon:
Gordon was another of Philadelphia's offseason signings made in hopes of providing perimeter shooting around stars Embiid, Maxey and George. Unfortunately, injuries limited the veteran guard to 39 appearances, the last of which occurred on February 9. Gordon averaged 6.8 points, 1.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.4 three-pointers in 19.7 minutes, shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 75 percent from the foul line. Gordon was not much of an asset in fantasy basketball, an unsurprising development since few managers took the plunge in drafts, even in deep leagues. Even if Gordon, who will be an unrestricted free agent, returns to Philadelphia, that's unlikely to change in 2025-26.
Adem Bona:
The second-round pick out of UCLA did not play consistent rotation minutes until January, but he played some good basketball to close out his rookie campaign. In his last nine appearances, Bona averaged 15.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.7 blocks in 30.9 minutes, shooting 74.4 percent from the field and 64.7 percent from the foul line. Depending on what happens with Embiid (knee) and Yabusele (free agency), Bona will be a player worth keeping an eye on in deeper leagues, especially if Drummond (player option) does not return.
The field goal percentage, rebounds and blocks are where Bona can be especially valuable, even if he only logs around 20 minutes per game. He was a top-40 fantasy player during that nine-game stretch to end the regular season. Fantasy managers certainly should not expect that kind of value, but don't sleep on the second-round pick.
Lonnie Walker IV:
After being unable to find a landing spot in free agency, Walker began his 2024-25 season with Lithuanian club Zalgiris. He would eventually return to the NBA just after the All-Star break, agreeing to a deal with the 76ers. In 20 games, Walker averaged 12.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.5 steals and 2.3 three-pointers in 23.9 minutes, shooting 42 percent from the field and 80 percent from the foul line. He scored 24 points or more in three of Philadelphia's final four games, including a 31-point effort in an April 13 loss to the Bulls.
The 76ers hold a team option for Walker's services in the 2025-26 season, worth approximately $2.9 million. He would be cheaper than Eric Gordon, who has a player option for next season. Walker would not be worth drafting in fantasy leagues, but remaining in Philadelphia may give him a shot at achieving deep-league relevance at some point.
Restricted Free Agents: Quentin Grimes, Jeff Dowtin, Jalen Hood-Schifino
Unrestricted Free Agents: Kyle Lowry, Guerschon Yabusele
Player Option: Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon
Team Option: Lonnie Walker IV, Jared Butler, Justin Edwards
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Eric Samulski
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