Jaw dropping stat puts astronomical price tag on the Sixers injuries

The cursed Philadelphia 76ers can't catch a break in what is already a nightmare season. Despite being viewed as one of the three best teams in the Eastern Conference in the preseason, they are on pace to finish with the fifth-worst record in the NBA. Injuries have played a starring role in their struggles.

Joel Embiid has already been ruled out for the season and faces off-season surgery to repair his knee. So has Paul George, who had been playing through injuries and struggled mightily this season.

Considering that the Sixers are among the most expensive teams in the NBA and have seen their two most expensive players miss a combined 104 games, they lead the NBA in salary lost to injuries.

Embiid made an astronomical $51 million this season, while George signed a 5-year, $214 million deal this past summer and played just 41 games on a $49 million salary.

It's possible, George's struggles are related to his injuries, and he could be much better next season. On the other hand, Embiid's offseason surgery could potentially bleed into next season, causing him to miss games next year. With so much salary tied up in two injured players, they desperately need to make the most out of a lost season.

With Joel Embiid and Paul George out, the Sixers must try to keep their draft pick.

With both players now ruled out for the season, the Sixers' focus will now turn to trying to keep their draft pick. Their pick is top-six protected, and if it falls out of the top six, then it is owed to the Oklahoma City Thunder. While they currently have the fifth-worst record in the NBA, that selection has nearly a 40% chance of dropping out of the top six.

That has added another layer of drama to the Sixers' season, with fans keeping a close eye on the standings, hoping that they hold onto that pick. If they are able to hold onto that pick, then they could add a top prospect that could be a rotation player in the short term and eventually a starter or even a star.

The latter would be a game changer since they could pair them with Tyrese Maxey long-term and steadily transition away from Embiid. On the other hand, if Philly can't and is forced to give up that pick, then that would be a gut punch.

After all, they may be handcuffed to this roster with few ways to improve. Embiid is under contract for the next four seasons and while the Sixers might be able to get out of that contract, that would mean that he'd have to miss an entire season or retire. They may also be stuck with George, with him having four years remaining on his contract.

Given how this season has gone, it would be fitting if they lose out on that pick with everything else having gone wrong. But they could take a big step towards retooling their roster around Maxey if they do. With both Embiid and George now out for the season, the Sixers must do everything they can to lose to avoid adding insult to injury.