Tyrese Maxey opened up about the mental toll of a brutal season and explained how mental health focus—journaling, reading, and leading the locker room—helped him rebound. He helped organize offseason workouts with the young core as the Sixers eye a healthier, steadier path back to contention. The club believes a healthy lineup around Embiid and a fully engaged Maxey can recapture their title-chasing ceiling.

With injuries decimated the roster, Philadelphia finished 24-58 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017. The offseason emphasis on health and leadership should set the tone for a more resilient 2025-26, as Maxey vows to keep spirits high and the team moving forward toward a potential title run.

Grimes chose a one-year, $8.7M qualifying offer with a no-trade clause, betting on a richer payday next summer as the Sixers balance payroll and the luxury tax. Philadelphia’s first formal offer was around four years for $39M, far below Grimes’ target, and the backcourt puzzle—Maxey, McCain, Edgecombe—could be compelling but pricey given Embiid and Paul George over $50M each this season. Philly carries 14 players and sits over the tax line, shaping risk and upside for 2025.

Grimes’ breakout numbers from last season—21.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.5 APG—keep the backcourt option lively, yet the Sixers must manage long-term budget realities. His leverage hinges on market interest next summer, while the team weighs immediate competitiveness against financial sustainability as they navigate a potentially decade-long core around Maxey, Edgecombe and Grimes.