Look away, 76ers fans. Your season’s disappointments are not done yet. The Paul George and Joel Embiid situations don’t even need reporting anymore. But they aren’t the only star players with their destinies written on the wall. ESPN’s Shams Charania has just confirmed that Tyrese Maxey is out for the season with an injury concern of his own, bringing his season tally of 52 games to a close.

It was a bit of a funny situation, as Shams got the update live on air from Rich Paul. While on NBA on ESPN, he said, “He’s been out since March 3rd. Of course with just 6 games left in the season, it was somewhat unlikely we’d see him play again… The Sixers actually pushed for Maxey to come back at some point this season, but he’s just not healthy. He’s still having discomfort, and he needs treatment in that finger so we will not see him back.”

Oh what a hard time to be a Sixers fan. Tyrese Maxey is what you’d call a ‘seasoned rookie’. He’s just 24, but has 5 seasons under his belt already. And he keeps improving year on year, with the current being his best, at least according to the box numbers. He set a career-high with 26.3 PPG, a slight increase over the 25.9 PPG breakout he had in 2024 while earning the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. But his finger tendon injury is worse than what they initially thought.

Philly currently hold a disappointing record of 23-53 and will not make it to the playoffs for the first time since Embiid’s rookie year in 2016-17. The 2024-25 season was supposed to be the year the 76ers finally broke through, with George joining Embiid and Maxey in a star-studded lineup, but injuries have derailed that dream—George has played just 41 games before battling groin and knee issues, while Embiid’s availability remains sporadic.

But ‘the Process’ is still under the gun, catching flames from ex-76ers stars like Marcus Morris.

Second surgery should be a “wake up call” for Embiid, says Morris

Is it too far to think that Joel Embiid might be getting the princess treatment at the Sixers? He’s on a mega contract, and is the best thing to come out of Philly in a long time. But his NBA career hasn’t really panned out how he’d expected it to. Funnily enough, it’s his left knee that’s proving to be his Achilles heel. And with news of his second arthroscopic surgery on his left knee due next week, Morris took to ESPN to vocalise deeper issues about the 76ers front office.

“When you talk about the dynamics of the front office and the way Daryl Morey carries his superstars. He’s not holding them accountable enough… Two surgeries at 14 months. Yes, he’s injured, but is it different things that you can switch right? Being there being in the locker room I can tell you firsthand Daryl Morey does not hold Joel and being accountable, right? You need guys around him to hold accountable, [and] that has to start at the top. Injuries happen. Why do these injuries happen? Because the player or whoever it is doesn’t have the guys on and on saying- ‘Listen, you need to be in the best shape’. The guy needs to be perfect.”

With Marcus being in the locker room for a year or so, his insights hold an ounce of water. It’s concerning if the top dogs in the franchise give him special treatment due to his wages or his talent. He does say that Joel’s time isn’t over, considering the fact that he’s just 31. But it’s something that has to be taken care of if Philly are to turn things around before the season slips entirely out of reach.

Neither of these concerns will change much for them though. The main objective for the 76ers now is to get through the season without losing any more men. But if there’s a way to put a cap to their injury woes this year, it’s by hoping Maxey’s treatment can salvage his season—and their faint playoff hopes—before it’s too late.