The Philadelphia 76ers have struggled through an injury-laden NBA season that's left stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George sidelined for large stretches and eliminated any hopes of qualifying for the playoffs. The latest Sixers news shows Maxey could be sidelined even longer than expected.
Embiid and George have already been ruled out for the season, and there's been some concerning news surrounding Maxey.
Maxey, who is in his fifth season with the 76ers after being selected in the first round of the 2020 NBA draft, appeared to be wincing in pain as a limited participant in Friday's practice, Ky Carlin of 76ers Wire reported.
Maxey has not played since logging 23 minutes in the 76ers' 119-102 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on March 3.
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse revealed on March 28 that Maxey was already ruled out for an additional two games. There has not been a specific timeline released for Maxey's return, but Nurse indicated the guard's availability depends on his pain tolerance for the hand injury.
Tyrese Maxey work after practice today. It looked like he was wincing in pain at the end as he deals with his finger. Coach Nick Nurse did mention the other day that it's all about pain tolerance for Maxey at this point. He was a partial participant at practice today. #Sixerspic.twitter.com/ScAIzRZ1UY
— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) March 28, 2025
Maxey has been dealing with a finger injury that forced him to miss games against the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors over the weekend. He has a chance to return to the lineup against the New York Knicks on Tuesday, but the latest reports have not been optimistic on Maxey's recovery.
Maxey has also dealt with a back injury that's forced him to miss time this season. It's been a difficult season for Maxey in terms of staying in the lineup, and trying to lead the 76ers through a nightmare of a season. Nearly the entire Sixers roster has battled through injuries, but the guard has been excellent when on the court.
Maxey is averaging a career-high 26.3 points, shooting 43.7% from the field and 33.7% from 3-point range (at his highest usage rate yet), while adding 6.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game.
The guard is coming off an All-Star appearance and Most Improved Player award last season, and at 24 years old, is still one of the league's younger stars. With a huge $203 million contract through the 2028-29 season, Maxey appears to be the future of the 76ers with questions surrounding George and Embiid.
Related: 76ers Dealt Unfortunate News This Weekend
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This story was originally published March 31, 2025 at 12:16 PM.