The offseason goes by much quicker when the local team reels in the best free agent on the market and is objectively considered to have had one of the two or three best summers in the NBA.

Yet, here Philadelphia is, in the middle of August, unpacking the regular-season schedule for the 2024-25 season.

Paul George is slated to make his Sixers debut at home against the Milwaukee Bucks on October 23. He'll make his return to Los Angeles and visit Intuit Dome for the first time on November 6. The Sixers will visit the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day.

Philadelphia will get national attention purely on the backs of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. George introduces another layer of interest. About 33 percent of Philadelphia's games will be on national television. That doesn't include what happens if the Sixers advance beyond the Group Play stage of the Emirates NBA Cup.

Oddly enough, that number is actually down from where it was last season, when the Sixers were dealing with the turmoil of James Harden's trade request. In fact, the Sixers rank behind a number of teams in national audience this season:

Three toughest stretches

November 2 through November 24 (12 games)

The Sixers get two days off after Tobias Harris' return to Philadelphia before hosting the ostensibly much-improved Memphis Grizzlies. Then, it's out to the west coast for three games against the Suns, Clippers, and Lakers. Three of the four games are on one day's rest.

Then, they return to Philadelphia for three games. A potential snooze fest against Charlotte on one day's rest following the game against the Lakers in Los Angeles. No time for jet lag because the Knicks are in town after one day off. The three-game stop at home ends with the Cleveland Cavaliers - the second leg of a back-to-back.

The Sixers then head down south to visit the Orlando Magic. They finally get two days of rest...in Miami. They climb out of that trap and head to Memphis for another date with the Grizzlies on one day's rest.

Finally, an easy one, even on one day's rest: home against the Brooklyn Nets. Get treatment quickly because the Clippers come to town 47 hours later.

January 10 through February 9 (17 games)

Let's start off with this: 17 games in 30 days. Ouch.

The Sixers get a snooze fest at home against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, January 8, before hosting the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, January 10. How about a quick flight to Orlando and then right back home to host Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday? Oh, and then the Knicks are in town the very next night.

Two days of rest, and then it's a road back-to-back against the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks. One day off to enjoy breathing in Denver before facing Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, and a flight all the way back home to take on the Cavaliers 71 hours later. That same night, off to Chicago for the second leg of a back-to-back.

Two days off before a home back-to-back with the Lakers and Sacramento Kings. Then, the Nuggets visit under the Friday night lights. Boston comes to town on Sunday. Ice those knees because a Dallas-Miami home back-to-back starts on Tuesday.

A small reward for their troubles in the form of the Pistons in Detroit on Friday. It wraps up with a trip to Milwaukee on Sunday.

April 1 through April 7 (four games)

Two at home, two on the road. It starts in New York on one day's rest. It ends in Miami on one day's rest. The Sixers host the Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves - each with one day between games - in the middle.

Three easiest stretches

November 27 through December 8 (six games)

73 hours after hosting the Clippers, the Sixers host the Houston Rockets. Then, it's off to Detroit and Charlotte for a mini road trip. Back home for two against the Magic. It wraps up with a Sunday matinee against the Bulls in Chicago. The Charlotte visit and the first home game against the Magic is a back-to-back. But, Philadelphia gets two days off between Detroit and Charlotte. Everything else is spaced by one day.

February 11 through February 24 (five games)

This stretch has the All-Star break in the middle, so ample time to rest up.

The Sixers host the Toronto Raptors before playing in Brooklyn the very next night.

Then, did someone say Cancun?

The Sixers return from the All-Star break with a home game against the Celtics. One day off before hosting the Nets, followed by another day off before the Bulls come to town on Monday.

April 9 through April 13 (three games)

It starts with the final road game of the season on one day's rest: a trip to the nation's capital. Then, it's two home games to wrap up the regular season. Atlanta and Chicago, both spaced by one day of rest.

The Andre Drummond games

This, of course, is also known as the 'Adem Bona, use your fouls wisely, buddy' section.

The Sixers have 15 sets of back-to-backs. President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey has mentioned that Embiid will likely not play in one leg of each of those sets.

Drummond will ostensibly start those games, with Bona the only other player on the roster resembling a traditional big man.

November 12 and 13: vs. New York, vs. Cleveland

December 3 and 4: @ Charlotte, vs. Orlando

December 20 and 21: vs. Charlotte, @ Cleveland

January 1 and 2: @ Sacramento, @ Golden State

January 14 and 15: vs. Oklahoma City, vs. New York

January 18 and 19: @ Indiana, @ Milwaukee

January 24 and 25: vs. Cleveland, @ Chicago

January 28 and 29: vs. LA Lakers, vs. Sacramento

February 4 and 5: vs. Dallas, vs. Miami

February 11 and 12: vs. Toronto, @ Brooklyn

March 3 and 4: vs. Portland, @ Minnesota

March 9 and 10: vs. Utah, @ Atlanta

March 16 and 17: @ Dallas, @ Houston

March 23 and 24: @ Atlanta, @ New Orleans

March 29 and 30: vs. Miami, vs. Toronto

As daunting as some of those stretches appear to be, the Sixers have the tenth easiest schedule in the NBA this season, according to Positive Residual.

And as unpredictable as those games without Embiid can be, health permitting, this team should be both talented and deep enough to challenge for the top seed in the Eastern Conference in 2024-25.