This past offseason was supposed to change everything for the Philadelphia 76ers. Tobias Harris leaving for the Pistons, Paul George coming in from the Clippers, and tons of new roleplayers were supposed to turn the Sixers into one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA.
However, between injuries and drama, the Sixers stumbled out of the gate, winning two of their first 14 games this year. This forced them to play from behind the entire season. Recently, the Sixers have found better footing as they look to claw their way back in the Eastern Conference standings, winning five of their last seven games.
This iteration of the Sixers are working on living up to their potential, and with that comes some clarity on which pieces fit and which pieces do not. For this, the focus will be solely on veteran players who played on a different team than the Sixers last season, so players who the Sixers re-signed, like Kelly Ourbe, Kyle Lowry and K.J. Martin, and players drafted by the Sixers this year, like Jared McCain and Adem Bona, will not be included.
Guerschon Yabusele: A+
Guerschon Yabusele has been the biggest steal of the free agency so far through the season. After his performance in the 2024 Olympics for France, in which they won the silver medal, Yabu signed a one-year minimum contract to join the 76ers roster. Initially brought in to compete for playing time, Yabusele has become one of the most important role players on the 76ers roster.
Yabusele has spent years working on his game. Before this season, he had not played in the NBA since the 2018-2019 season. That year he appeared in 41 games and averaged only 2.3 points per game for the Boston Celtics. Now, with the Sixers, Yabusele is averaging career highs in nearly every category.
Yabusele is playing 23.8 minutes per game and has started in 10 out of 24 games. Yabu also averages 9.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists a game, with 47.6% shooting from the field and 37.4% from beyond the arc. For a guy who was just out of the league, Yabusele is showing everyone why he still belongs.
Paul George: B-
Paul George is a tricky one to grade. Had we slapped a grade on him earlier in the season, it would have been significantly lower. Between joining a new team and injuries, George could not find his rhythm in November. He averaged only 14.4 points per game on 37.8% shooting from the field and 28.6% from three. During this time, the Sixers went 2-9 in games George played in. Each game it felt less and less likely that the Sixers would even be able to make the playoffs, let alone contend for a championship. That all changed in December.
Paul George, who seems to be finally hitting his stride, has appeared in five out of the six games played by Philadelphia in December. In those five games, the Sixers are 4-1. Across those five games, George has averaged 22.0 points per game, capped with a massive 33-point explosion against the Charlotte Hornets, where he made six three-pointers.
Since December, George is shooting 52.5% from the field and 45.7% from three. While this is not a massive sample size for the veteran All-Star, it is a sign that George and the Sixers as a whole are moving in the right direction to keep this ship from sinking.
Andre Drummond: C+
When Andre Drummond signed with the 76ers, many fans, including me, were excited. When he had his first stint on the Sixers, Drummond was the best backup center that Joel Embiid has ever had. Drummond only played in 49 games in his first go-around with the Sixers before being traded, along with Ben Simmons, to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden.
With his tenacious rebounding and his ability to fill in as a serviceable starter, Drummond was a no-brainer to bring back to Philadelphia. The one-time Pistons centerpiece has had a fantastic transition over his last few years into being a backup center with the Sixers, the Nets, and the Chicago Bulls
This year the former UConn Husky has been a serviceable backup but has not been quite as efficient as many had hoped. His rebounding, while still one of the best in the league, has taken a slight step backward. Last year, for the Chicago Bulls, Drummond averaged 9.0 rebounds per game with a 29.3 rebounding percentage, according to Basketball Reference.
This season Drummond is averaging 8.7 rebounds with a 24.2 rebounding percentage in more minutes played. That rebounding percentage is the lowest it has been in his career except for his rookie season and his third season in the league. That being said, losing a step for Andre Drummond still leaves him as one of, if not the best, rebounder in the league.
Reggie Jackson: C
Reggie Jackson, the one-time NBA champion, signed a minimum contract with the Sixers to provide depth in the event of injuries, and he has done just that. Jackson has only appeared in 11 games this season but has been a good safety option in the event of injuries to the guard rotation.
In his very limited playing time, Jackson has averaged 4.2 points and 2.0 assists per game for the Sixers. He has also shot the ball from beyond the arc at a 44.4% rate. While Jackson may not have had a lot of playing time, he has shown an ability to impact the game as he did back on November 13 where he scored a season-high 13 points on good effiecny. While Jackson was not expected to be a major contributor this season, his playing time could be impacted by Jared McCain’s injury.
Caleb Martin: C-
Caleb Martin joined the 76ers from the Miami Heat on a four-year, $32-million contract. Since joining the team, Martin has brought the trademark Heat Culture with him and has continued to do all of the small things for the Sixers. The former Eastern Conference champion has struggled this season shooting the ball, but everything else he does extremely well. Martin is averaging 8.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game for the Sixers.
His efficiency has dipped from his previous years with the Heat, shooting 40.5% from the field and 29.4% from beyond the arc. Caleb Martin’s impact this season is not something that typically shows up in the box scores. Martin is second on the team in loose balls recovered. While this season hasn’t been perfect for Martin, he will have a chance to turn it around the more time he has to get comfortable playing with this roster and their stars.
Eric Gordon: D
Eric Gordon, at age 35, was brought in the offseason to be a reliable backup guard with shot-making ability. So far, during his Sixers tenure, Gordon has struggled to make a positive impact on the offensive side of the ball. In 17 appearances the former sixth man of the year is averaging only 5.1 points per game in over 17 minutes a game.
His efficiency has also dropped significantly since last year with the Suns. He’s only making 34.1% of his shots and 27.7% of his threes. Both of those percentages have decreased by more than 10% since last season. With Jared McCain out indefinitely due to a torn meniscus, Eric Gordon may have a shot to bring up this number as the team will look to their guard depth.
