It must be tough being a 76ers fan right now. You’re 12th in the East, lost 9 games on the trot, and your star man Joel Embiid doesn’t look like he’s anywhere close to getting back in the 5. Their next game is against a warrior’s team bang in form with 4/4 wins, but is there really a point anymore? While that might seem like a rhetorical question, they might actually have to tank the rest of their season to not lose their top-6 protected draft pick to the top-of-the-table OKC Thunder.Back when Paul George was traded to the Clippers from the Thunder, the trade package proved to be a lot more beneficial for the Oklahoma team than expected. In the package, OKC received Danilo Gallinari, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 2021 first-round pick (Tre Mann), 2022 first-round pick (Jalen Williams), 2023 first-round pick (Jaime Jaquez Jr.), 2023 first-round pick swap, 2024 first-round draft pick (Dillon Jones), 2025 first-round pick swap and 2026 first-round pick.This is a common practice in the NBA. Teams are free to trade their draft picks if they find themselves in situations of need immediate improvement in their squad with established players. As for the 76ers, they owe a first-round pick to the Thunder for the 2025 NBA Draft. For them to get PG-13, the Clippers had to include the pick as well. This pick is top-6 protected, meaning if the 76ers’ pick is among the first six in the draft, they retain it; if it’s seventh or later, it conveys to the Thunder.Dec 30, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks on during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn ImagesHeading into the Warriors game, the 76ers currently have a record 20-38. With the Thunder looking to be the bookies’ favorites to rep the West in the Finals, the draft pick is a bonus for them to strengthen an already fantastic and young squad. Sitting 12th in the West means the Sixers seem to be in the running to retain the protected pick, but the existence of the draft lottery means there’s no guarantee of the same. Don’t worry, I’m just as dumbfounded as you are about their situation. But their season goes from bad to worse, as Joel Embiid has no hopes of returning soon.ESPN insider puts Joel Embiid return possibility to restDespite all the trouble the 76ers have been through this season, the injury to Joel Embiid seems to grab the headlines the most. He’s only played 19 games for the Philly outfit this season due to a persisting issue on his left knee, which has required surgery and frequent injections to quicken his return. But Shams Charania from ESPN has rubbed salt on the Sixers’ wounds by putting his whole season in doubt.“His status for the rest of the season certainly for the next few games very much in question and up in the air. The way he looks this season playing through from what I’m told regular and frequent injections in his left knee,” said Charania.Seems like ‘The Process’ might take a little more time a patience from a Philly perspective. JoJo has averaged 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists this season. His talent was never in doubt, it’s just his availability that’s a huge asterisk over what could’ve been a career filled with excellence. Shams on Joel Embiid:“His status for the rest of the season certainly for the next few games very much in question and up in the air. The way he looks this season playing through from what I’m told regular and frequent injections in his left knee” pic.twitter.com/yqTomR2ZjY— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) February 26, 2025Safe to say that being a Sixers fan at the moment is like being a Manchester United fan- you have all the history backing you, but the present is as painful as stepping on a block of Legos. From strategically having to tank the season to praying for Embiid’s quick return, the going’s gonna get tough before it gets better for Philadelphia.The post 76ers Face Looming OKC Thunder Fear as National Reporter Drops More Troubling News on Joel Embiid appeared first on EssentiallySports.