The 76ers aren’t ready to tank, but could that change soon?

The Philadelphia 76ers they are in a difficult position; At 15-24, Philly is 11th in the Eastern Conference, and while the roster usually indicates a contender-level team, constant struggles with injuries have made it increasingly unlikely that the Sixers will be able to salvage this season.

After signing Paul George in the offseason to pair with Joel Embiid and Tirese McKayit looked like the 76ers could be among the best teams in the East this season. However, each of the trio missed time, slowing the development of chemistry and leading to numerous losses.

The half of the season is approaching, ace as well as the NBA trade deadlineThe Sixers will have to make some tough decisions. Last year, the team became somewhat of a seller at the trade deadline, prioritizing offseason salary cap flexibility over potential postseason success in 2024. They’ll have to do a lot this time around and either choose to stay the course and hope George, Embiid , and Maxi can stay healthy long enough to make a breakthrough in the postseason, or will have to essentially give up the short-term in the hope that it will pay off down the road.

“It could be a sign that things are about to pick up in Philly, where the 76ers have now lost four in a row and are entering a brutal stretch of their schedule,” ESPN’s Tim Bontemps wrote. “Between now and the trade deadline, Philly has 10 of 11 games against teams ranked .500 or better, and eight of those 11 games come as part of back-to-back sets.”

“That leaves open the possibility that this stretch of the schedule could leave Philadelphia in such a huge hole that even making the playoffs — the 76ers are currently two games behind the Bulls for 10th — could prove impossible.” That, in turn, could lead to a pivot toward maximizing the team’s chances of keeping its top six protected first-round picks in this year’s draft. And while sources said the team remained focused on maximizing the potential of this group for this season, rather than maximizing lottery odds, the next three weeks could easily see the 76ers change their style.

Currently, the Sixers’ first-round pick (8th overall) would go to the Oklahoma City Thunder as a result of a trade with OKC in November 2020. Even if the 76ers decide to compete and try to get into the top six and keep their pick, it won’t be easy. The Portland Trail Blazers and Brooklyn Nets are slated to go sixth and seventh in the draft, going 13-27 and 14-27. Each team would appear to be much better equipped to get through the season, especially since the Nets have yet to part ways with Cam Johnson, their best remaining player.

If Philadelphia decides to win, it will almost certainly need all three of its best players to do so. Embiid, the 2023 NBA MVP, is currently sidelined with a sprained foot. He has played in just 13 games this season and has missed the last six games.