Rick Carlisle, coach of the Indiana Pacers, hints at a roster-construction problem with the Philadelphia Sixers. The 2025 playoffs showed that youth and depth are key in today’s NBA. Carlisle brought the Pacers within one game of winning the championship. In a conversation with Basketball She Wrote, Carlisle said the Pacers played many guys to keep minutes reasonable and get into opponents’ legs. This is a hard style to play, but the NBA game is becoming a “play-hard league.” Roster construction is changing, prioritizing more good players over being top-heavy with stars.
The Sixers didn’t get this memo last offseason, spending most of their $60-plus million salary cap on Paul George instead of building a two-stars-and-depth model with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. George missed 41 games and had knee surgery. The Sixers signed Embiid to a $187.6 million extension, but he played only 19 games due to knee issues. It’s unclear if he’ll be cleared for training camp.
The Sixers are pivoting to a younger-and-deeper model, drafting VJ Edgecombe, signing Trendon Watford, and adding Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow. Young guards like Maxey, Edgecombe, and Quentin Grimes could be the team’s foundation. However, the Sixers might have $105-plus million in contractual dead weight with Embiid and George. Unless they stay healthy and return to All-Star form, they’ll be among the worst contracts in the NBA.
Embiid was a dominant scorer, but his mobility issues and knee injuries are concerns. Opponents exploited his limitations. The solution might involve more rotation, which Embiid has been hesitant to embrace. The Sixers’ medical team will work with Embiid and George to prevent injuries. Bona and Edwards can’t match Embiid and George’s impact, but some minutes from them are better than none.
