NBA
Charles Barkley believes the 76ers are the best in the East if they can stay healthy
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated4 hours ago on October 03, 2025
In 2024-25, the Philadelphia 76ers finished with a 24-58 record. That was their worst since 2015-16. Injuries piled up for the Sixers last season. One-time MVP Joel Embiid appeared in just 19 games for Philly.
With the 2025-26 season just weeks away, the 76ers are keeping an optimistic approach. So is former 76er, turned NBA analyst, Charles Barkley. Recently, the Hall of Famer was exclusively interviewed by Steve Bullpet. Barkley believes the East is wide open in 2025-26. That’s why he thinks his Sixers could “be the best team in the East.” Charles Barkley knows that it will require the 76ers staying healthy.
Do the 76ers have a chance to win the Eastern Conference in 2025-26?
Charles Barkley says the 76ers are the best team in the East
“I mean, s***, the Sixers, if they could get healthy, they might be the best team in the East. I know the Knicks and Cleveland are probably going to be favored. I think the Hawks got better. But, man, I gotta tell you… pic.twitter.com/yatYhXjHhV
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 2, 2025
Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Cavaliers and Knicks are the top teams in the Eastern Conference. That’s largely because several teams are missing their top player due to injury. Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton both tore their Achilles in the 2025 playoffs. The Celtics and Pacers would likely be favorites in the East if not for those injuries. However, the Cavs and Knicks are the strongest Eastern Conference rosters on paper.
However, ESPN’s Charles Barkley believes the Eastern Conference is “up for grabs” this season. The Hall of Famer was recently interviewed by Steve Bullpet. They discussed a variety of topics, including Barkley’s 76ers. He spent the first eight of his 16 professional seasons with Philadelphia. While it requires the Sixers to stay healthy, Barkley believes Philly could be the last time standing in the East.
Charles Barkley believes that the Philadelphia 76ers can be the best team in the Eastern Conference this season, but only if they’re healthy 👀 pic.twitter.com/PCNYW4OqON
— Ball Exclusives (@ballexclusives) October 2, 2025
The 62-year-old knows that Joel Embiid and Paul George need to be active and at their best for the Sixers to compete. That was not the case in 2024-25. Joel Embiid has a lingering knee injury. He appeared in just 19 games for the 76ers. Additionally, Paul George battled several injuries last season. The nine-time all-star started 41 of the team’s 82 games.
Philadelphia needs the 2023-24 version of Paul George. He started 74 of 82 games for the Clippers that season. George averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. The 35-year-old was even voted an all-star in 2023-24. Can he bounce back in 2025-26? Additionally, the team needs Joel Embiid to be back at his MVP form. At his best, he is still one of the top centers in the NBA. How far can Joel Embiid and Paul George carry the 76ers in 2025-26?
