Every Philadelphia 76ers fan wishes they had a neuralyzer from \u2018Men In Black\u2019 to erase their memory of the 2024-25 NBA season. It would\u2019ve been impossible to imagine things would go as badly as they did for them. Their big three of Paul George, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid only played 619 possessions together due to injuries. Now that the team is nearly healthy, optimism is beginning to creep back up.<\/p>\n
Health has always derailed the Philadelphia 76ers\u2019<\/a> hopes of contending for a championship. In their 2024 first-round series against the New York Knicks. Despite Embiid averaging 33.0 points and 10.8 rebounds, he wasn\u2019t playing close to his full health. That is just one of the many examples over the past few seasons.<\/p>\n If the Sixers could string together a healthy season, they could immediately jump to one of the top teams in the NBA<\/a>. That is a tall task considering Embiid played just 19 games, and George showed up in 41 games. Regardless, Tyrese Maxey<\/a> hasn\u2019t lost hope in this core.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to be extremely healthy and extremely together and find ways to get better. Not just as a team, but individually as well. I\u2019m going to do my part as far as getting better and getting the team more camaraderie so we can be more successful this season,\u201d\u00a0Maxey said<\/a> in an interview with\u00a0Bleacher Report.<\/p>\n One thing is certain: Maxey is going to be out there to give his team the best chance to win. The 24-year-old star played in just 52 games, but that was in large part due to the team shutting him down late in the season in hopes of securing high lottery odds.<\/p>\n Maxey averaged a career-high 26.3 points per game along with 6.1 assists. Of course, this went under the radar since the Sixers were among the bottom of the East. Their disappointing 24-58 record isn\u2019t indicative of what their ceiling is for the upcoming season, and Maxey knows that<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWinning is the biggest thing,\u201d Maxey said. \u201cI\u2019m someone who believes in winning. I don\u2019t believe in small accolades, I don\u2019t believe in moral goals. I believe in winning. I\u2019ve won all my life, so that\u2019s what we\u2019re trying to get back to.\u201d<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t that long ago that Maxey proved that he\u2019s one of the best young players in the league. In the 2023-24 season, he won the Most Improved Player award, while earning his first All-Star appearance. This past season humbled the entire Sixers roster, specifically, Maxey, which has pushed him to work even harder this offseason.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to talk about it as much, I want to get out there and show everyone this season. I\u2019m trying to prove some people wrong. Not just myself, but the team as a whole. We\u2019re in this position where we can be dangerous,\u201d\u00a0Maxey proclaimed.<\/p>\n On paper, the Sixers still have a deadly roster. Considering teams such as the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics won\u2019t be as good due to Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum missing the entire season, it opens the door for the Sixers to make a move.<\/p>\n