While the Sixers’ 7-5 record is a relatively positive outcome given the uncertainty surrounding the team, their problematic health, and the memory of their miserable start to a nightmarish 24-58 campaign last season, it also highlights some missed opportunities. Of the Sixers’ five losses, a few—including Friday’s defeat at the hands of a depleted Detroit Pistons team—have been avoidable.
That the Sixers can withstand some injuries, bungle some games, and still see plenty of reasons for optimism is a testament to how much more pleasant everything has been this season. However, there are real causes for concern, both in terms of recent play and looking ahead. This is a very flawed team, even if it is much closer to being good in a normal capacity than anybody expected.
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### Quentin Grimes: Turnover Troubles
**100%**
The percentage of Quentin Grimes’ appearances in which he has recorded multiple turnovers.
Quentin Grimes and VJ Edgecombe have shared backup point guard duties when Tyrese Maxey has been off the floor this year. The level of success in those minutes has been difficult to quantify. Twice the Sixers have overcome relatively poor Maxey outings by winning his rest minutes, but on the whole, they have been shredded with the sixth-year star guard off the court.
While both Grimes and Edgecombe have more than enough skill to handle some ball-handling duties in an NBA rotation, neither is a true primary creator. With Edgecombe in a particularly tough slump of late, more responsibility has fallen on 25-year-old Grimes—whose optimal role is likely as a secondary option on the perimeter and a tertiary option overall.
Grimes gets to fill that role when sharing the floor with Maxey and Embiid, but because Embiid has missed six of the team’s 12 games and no other competent ball-handlers exist on the roster besides Edgecombe, Grimes has rarely been utilized in an ideal fashion.
A player turning the ball over with the ball in his hands is not surprising, but Grimes’ ball security issues have been pretty pronounced over the last few weeks. On Friday, while he was not the lone bad actor in the Sixers’ disastrous 15-point fourth quarter, he certainly did not help them stay afloat.
It’s not that Grimes should be relegated to an off-ball role, on this team or any other. But ideally, the blossoming skill he showed handling the ball during the final two months of last season would be a luxury rather than a necessity. Grimes has largely been very good in his first full season with the Sixers and could quietly be one of the biggest beneficiaries once Jared McCain gets fully right, even if that cuts into his minutes.
**MORE:** [Jared McCain makes progress with Blue Coats: ‘I’m getting there’](link)
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### Justin Edwards: Confidence Building Through Performance
**12.0**
Justin Edwards’ three-point attempts per 100 possessions.
When a player shoots 8-for-9 from the field and 5-for-6 from three-point range against a rival in front of his hometown crowd on national television, it’s expected that their confidence will skyrocket. Justin Edwards had looked jarringly timid to start his second NBA season, but his signature performance last week might have unlocked something.
During his rookie campaign, Edwards was a tantalizing prospect and quickly earned head coach Nick Nurse’s trust because of his ability to make quick decisions. Self-awareness is a tremendous skill, and Edwards immediately understood he was not a player who should dribble much. Whenever the ball swung his way, his decision—a shot, a swing pass, or a drive—was made instantaneously, and more often than not, prudently.
Early this year, Edwards seemed in his head. Hesitancy on spot-up threes, lack of force driving, and indecision leading to turnovers were noticeable. But after Tuesday’s breakout against the Celtics, Edwards took six more triples on Friday night in Detroit, hitting three of them.
His season-long three-point shooting numbers now look stellar, but watching the shots he took against the Pistons reveals a massive difference from a week ago. After what happened at the end of the first half Friday, Edwards continuing to find his best form will be even more important.
**MORE:** [Edwards stays ready, and ‘the work shows’ with late-game heroics vs. Celtics](link)
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### Kelly Oubre Jr.: Injury Concerns
**36.7**
Kelly Oubre Jr.’s minutes per game in 2025-26 before leaving Friday’s game early with a left knee hyperextension.
Kelly Oubre Jr. has been an incredibly consistent piece for the Sixers this year. After a so-so performance on opening night, he strung together eight consecutive quality outings before falling into a mini-slump. His constant availability and effort have been extraordinary; Oubre cares deeply about starting and had earned every bit of a job many suspected he would lose early in the season.
The Sixers will provide an injury update for Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers by Sunday evening, but left knee hyperextensions typically cause players to miss time.
If Oubre does miss time, the return of Paul George would be especially helpful. The slow nature of the nine-time All-Star’s recovery has been painstaking for many Sixers fans, though the team acknowledges he is in the final stages of returning to game action.
Elsewhere, Edwards becomes even more important as a player with defensive range similar to Oubre’s. Although Edwards is a wing by trade, coach Nurse likes putting him on guards, asking the 21-year-old to chase them around.
Sliding Grimes up to small forward in three-guard lineups alongside Maxey and Edgecombe more frequently is the most obvious solution, but this would exacerbate their already nonexistent guard depth behind those three.
Another option could be Eric Gordon, who has seen limited use this season but remains the ultimate floor spacer and has Nurse’s trust on defense despite his size.
**MORE:** [Sixers falter offensively late, drop winnable NBA Cup game @ depleted Pistons](link)
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The Sixers’ season so far has been a mixture of promise and frustration. While there are clear reasons for optimism, health and roster limitations continue to pose challenges moving forward. The team’s ability to adapt and improve will be critical to turning regular-season opportunities into long-term success.
https://www.phillyvoice.com/sixers-news-analysis-schedule-highlights-quentin-grimes-agent-kelly-oubre-jr-injury-update-justin-edwards-nba-rumors/
