The Numbers Sixers Fans Keep Skipping Past

By the 76ers Nightly Desk · Wednesday, September 16

Philadelphia's record starts over at 0-0, but the numbers behind it don't reset. Here's what the payroll, the health record and the box scores from last season actually add up to.

76ers Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Was last season really a lost year?

Philadelphia finished 45-37 last season with a 16th-ranked offense (114.3 ORtg), a 16th-ranked defense (114.4 DRtg), and a net rating of -0.1 that ranked 18th in the league. That's not tanking, it's the definition of average, and average is what got Daryl Morey fired in May after a second-round sweep by the Knicks.

Who actually led this team in scoring?

Jaylen Brown averaged 28.7 points on 71 games last season, edging Tyrese Maxey's 28.3 across 70, and both outscored Joel Embiid's 26.9 in a season Embiid played just 38 games. Health, not talent, decided that race, and it's the same variable that will decide this one.

What did the front office actually give up to get here?

Getting Jaylen Brown cost two first-rounders and two seconds sent to Boston, along with Paul George. Philadelphia still owns its own selections in 2027 and 2030, holds a swap right on 2029, and kept a protected pick in 2028 — control it paid a real price for.

Is Embiid actually going to be available?

Embiid played only 38 games last season while LeBron James, at 41 years old, played 60. Neither number is a diagnosis on its own, but stacked together they're the swing factor between a real contender and a team that spent this much money hoping health simply holds this time around.

Did the rookie actually earn his role?

VJ Edgecombe played all 75 games last season, put up 16.0 points a night and shot 35.4 percent from three as a rookie, numbers most of this roster's veterans didn't match. That production is why he's already the fourth-highest number on the payroll at $11.7M, ahead of players with a decade more experience.

The verdictAverage defense, a $213.2M bill, and two stars who play 38 and 60 games instead of a full slate — those numbers don't cancel each other out. They explain why Philadelphia is betting everything on this current group rather than what happens once games count.

What is Joel Embiid's contract worth this season?

Joel Embiid is set to earn $58.1M this season, the largest contract on Philadelphia's books.

How many games did the 76ers win last season?

Philadelphia finished 45-37 last season, ending in a second-round sweep by the Knicks.