Joel Embiid is expected to make his season debut for the Philadelphia 76ers this week, pending any further injuries, which is always a possibility for the towering 7-footer. After securing Olympic gold, signing a lucrative contract extension, and battling through a knee injury, Embiid has been at the center of multiple NBA investigations, faced a public spat with a columnist, and even received a technical foul for his antics from the bench.
Unfortunately for Philadelphia, the 76ers have struggled significantly without Embiid on the court.
In fact, they rank among the worst teams in the entire NBA.
The team is hopeful that their fortunes will shift when Embiid, a two-time scoring champion, takes the floor for his highly anticipated first game of the season against the New York Knicks. This matchup also marks the beginning of the NBA Cup round-robin. The last time Embiid played for the 76ers was in May, during a playoff elimination at home against New York in Game 6.
As a seven-time All-Star, Embiid returns after a period of left knee management and a three-game suspension for an altercation involving a media member. The 76ers currently sit at 2-7, hovering near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
“We’re not where we want to be without the big fellow,” said Paul George, a forward for the 76ers. “He’s an incredibly talented player. His presence is essential for us to compete at a high level. Having him back will certainly make things easier for everyone.”
However, the challenges facing the 76ers extend beyond Embiid’s absence.
George, who was anticipated to be a standout free-agent signing, has only played four games this season due to his own knee injury, which has limited his playing time. Tyrese Maxey, last season’s All-Star and the league’s most improved player, is also sidelined with a hamstring injury and could miss another week to ten days. The backup centers, Andre Drummond and Guerschon Yabusele, struggle to replicate Embiid’s elite performance.
“I think we’re still trying to figure this stuff out,” George commented. “I’m working on getting my legs back under me. We show signs of competitiveness, and the message has been to leave it all on the floor. Maximum effort is something we can all contribute.”
Embiid has stated that he will not participate in back-to-back games this season, meaning he will rest on Wednesday against Cleveland. Fans in Philadelphia are already aware of this pattern, as ticket prices for Wednesday’s game on secondary markets like StubHub are as low as $10 in the upper sections and around $30 for lower-level seats.
The enthusiasm among Philadelphia fans regarding the 76ers’ championship prospects with Embiid has waned, paralleling the drop in ticket prices.
Recently, the NBA fined the 76ers $100,000 for public statements made by their president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey, and head coach Nick Nurse, which contradicted Embiid’s health status and violated league regulations regarding player participation.
Since the preseason, the 76ers have been transparent about their strategy for managing Embiid’s minutes and games this season, aiming to keep him healthy for the playoffs, a goal that has eluded him throughout his career.
If the playoffs remain out of reach, the organization will face tough decisions moving forward.
On a brighter note, only Cleveland, which was undefeated heading into Monday’s game against Chicago, and Boston have winning records in the Eastern Conference. If Embiid can ignite a winning streak, the 76ers could find themselves back in playoff contention.
Currently, only Milwaukee and Toronto have worse records than the 76ers in the East.
Had Embiid maintained his health during Doc Rivers’ tenure as head coach, the narrative surrounding the 76ers might be vastly different, with potential deep playoff runs altering the franchise’s trajectory.
“Joel didn’t do anything wrong,” Rivers remarked on opening night. “Injuries happen. We have science to guide us. Joel is an exceptional athlete, moving with the agility of a guard. Sometimes his body doesn’t cooperate, which is a challenge for such a talented player.”
