It’s getting worse with every passing day. During the 2024 off-season, the Philadelphia 76ers were considered one of the title contenders after including Paul George. Everyone was expecting merry days at the City of Brotherly Love, but that wasn’t the case. After a series of injuries and a disastrous regular season run, now, the league has initiated an investigation. With 17 odd games left in the season, what could possibly go wrong? Not to forget, they have a $164 million worth of troubling update!

Firstly, let’s focus on the league’s investigation. As per Shams Charania, the NBA has initiated a probe on the 76ers regarding the team’s three stars Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and Joel Embiid for missing the recent games. Out of the three stars, the team has already ruled out the Cameroonian big man for the rest of the season, owing to his nagging knee injury. The latest reports stated that Embiid would undergo a season-ending surgery.

While it’s a valid reason to miss games, the investigation came into the picture after Maxey and PG missed the last few games. Especially with the Player Participation Policy in place, the league has all the right to investigate if there was any lapse. Recently, the league slapped a $100,000 fine on the Utah Jazz for violating the policy.

Lauri Markkanen, a 2023 All-Star, hasn’t stepped on the court since February 22 with a back issue. As the regular season comes to a close, there’s an infamous practice in the league—the bottom feeders might rush with the tank job to get the best lottery pick. In the same vein, when the league identified that Markkanen was available for the March 5th game against the Wizards and still missed the game, it dropped the hammer on him. So, what’s up with Tyrese Maxey and Paul George?

Amid the $164M concern, can the Philadelphia 76ers survive?

Just like Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George also had multiple injuries throughout the season. While they individually missed games for various reasons, they didn’t miss games together on a stretch. However, in the last 5 games, all three stars hadn’t participated. This ultimately prompted the investigation. 

Reportedly, Maxey has been dealing with a lower back and a finger sprain. Meanwhile, PG has been dealing with a groin and nagging knee injury. Moreover, Shams Charania’s latest reports stated that the 34-year-old forward would meet doctors this week regarding his groin and knee injuries and come up with a treatment plan, and also “including a possible procedure.” 

This ultimately meant only one thing. It’s less likely to witness Paul George again on the court this season. Along with battling injuries, the Sixers are also watching an eye-watering amount of money sit on the sidelines. And by eye-watering, we mean $164 million of their payroll. That’s right—95.98% of what they’re paying out this season is currently out of action. If this sounds like a financial horror story, that’s because it is.

Let’s break it down. Joel Embiid? $51.4 million. Paul George? $49.2 million. Tyrese Maxey? $35.1 million. That’s over $135 million tied up in just three players who aren’t suiting up. Toss in guys like Kelly Oubre, Andre Drummond, and Quentin Grimes, and suddenly, we’re looking at a team that’s essentially writing checks to its injury report.

Now, why does this matter beyond the obvious?

Well, the NBA salary cap for the 2024-25 season sits at $140.5 million—meaning Philly has blown past that limit, putting them into luxury tax territory. That’s bad news for a team that’s already down its stars and scrambling to stay afloat in the standings. Financial flexibility? Practically non-existent.

They’re not the only ones in this mess, though. Just ask the Dallas Mavericks, who found themselves with only seven healthy players after their Sunday loss to the Suns and barely $51,000 under the salary cap’s first apron. Jason Kidd pretty much called it a nightmare, and honestly? The Sixers might be living through something worse.

So, what now? Philadelphia has some brutal choices ahead. Do they push their luck, hoping Maxey or George return in time to salvage the season? Do they start planning ahead, knowing they’ll be stuck in cap purgatory if they don’t make major moves? One thing’s for sure: you can’t win a championship when your best players are making bank in street clothes.