The Philadelphia 76ers didn’t exactly bring holiday cheer with their latest performance - a flat outing against the Brooklyn Nets that left fans frustrated heading into Christmas. But one loss doesn’t define a season, and if you take a step back, the bigger picture in Philly is starting to come into focus. This team is in the middle of a transformation - not just in how it plays, but in what it wants to be.
Let’s rewind to last season. The Sixers finished with just 24 wins, a far cry from the expectations that usually follow a roster led by Joel Embiid.
So, the front office got to work. This past offseason wasn’t just about plugging holes - it was about reshaping the team’s DNA.
Gone was the league’s oldest roster, and in came a younger, faster, more athletic group. Now sitting at 16-12 and holding the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, the early returns suggest that shift is paying off.
The blueprint? Think of a hybrid between youth and experience.
Much like the 2024 Clippers, the Sixers brought in seasoned vets - Guerschon Yabusele, Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon, and Reggie Jackson - to support their new core of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George. On paper, it looked like a playoff-ready roster.
But as we know, basketball isn’t played on paper. Injuries and inconsistency have kept the trio from building real rhythm together.
Still, the glimpses we’ve seen hint at something intriguing.
Draft night confirmed the team’s new direction. Taking VJ Edgecombe with the third overall pick in 2025 wasn’t just about upside - it was a statement.
The Sixers were done playing slow, methodical basketball. They wanted speed, athleticism, and versatility.
And they needed it. Last year, they ranked 24th in pace, averaging just 97.4 possessions per game.
This season, they’ve jumped to 19th, up to 100.4. It’s not elite, but it’s progress - and that’s with Embiid and George still finding their footing.
The Sixers’ push toward a faster brand of basketball started with a focus on guard play. Quentin Grimes became a priority in free agency, and that decision came with trade-offs.
Yabusele, coming off a breakout year, wanted more than the veteran minimum. Philly wasn’t willing to overextend financially, especially when it meant keeping Grimes.
So when Yabusele signed with the Knicks on July 7, the Sixers stayed the course.
That choice is aging well.
Grimes, who ultimately accepted his qualifying offer on October 1, has emerged as one of the league’s top sixth men. He’s averaging 15.3 points and 4.4 assists off the bench, giving the Sixers a steady two-way presence and another gear in transition. Meanwhile, Yabusele hasn’t quite found his rhythm in New York, and trade rumors are already swirling.
While the Grimes move got most of the spotlight, Philly’s frontcourt additions quietly filled crucial gaps. Trendon Watford, Dominick Barlow, and Jabari Walker - all power forwards, with Barlow and Walker on two-way deals - have brought energy and versatility.
Watford’s ability to handle the ball and initiate offense has been a perfect fit for a team looking to push the pace. Barlow and Walker have added size and rebounding, helping the Sixers climb to 10th in the league in boards per game - their best mark since 2021-22.
And then there’s Maxey.
The 24-year-old guard has exploded this season, averaging a career-high 31 points per game. He’s not just thriving in the Sixers’ new system - he’s becoming the face of it.
With more space, more tempo, and more freedom, Maxey’s speed and scoring instincts have gone from promising to downright dangerous. He’s the engine behind this new-look offense, and the rest of the roster is starting to catch up.
No one’s calling the 76ers title contenders just yet. But they’ve laid the groundwork for something real - a team built on youth, speed, and resilience.
The growing pains are still there, and consistency remains a challenge. But the identity is forming, and that’s half the battle in today’s NBA.
So while the loss to Brooklyn stings, the Sixers are trending in the right direction. They’ve found pieces that fit, a style that suits their personnel, and a young star who’s ready to lead. That’s more than enough to earn them a spot on Santa’s nice list - and maybe, just maybe, a return to playoff relevance come spring.